398 JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



away a few feet, and taking a side view. Thus we have an 

 indication of digestive capacity. The flank, as has already 

 been stated, furnishes evidence of condition. By grasping 

 the flank in the hand, one may note whether it is thick and 

 full, indicating a degree of fatness, or whether it is thin, 

 evidencing the animal to be in lean flesh. When walking, 

 the sheep in high condition often shows something of a 

 bulge or roll at the hind flanks, though this is not always 

 so apparent with sheep, as they have considerable amount 

 of wool at this place. A thin, high flank in a fat sheep 

 may justly be scored off 25 to 50 per cent. 



The hindquarters of the mutton sheep have always been 

 rated as of high value, and in the British trade probably 

 this part has been given a first consideration. Certain it is 

 that the British flockmaster has emphasized a thick, meaty 

 hindquarter to a far greater degree than has been the case 

 in America, in recognition of the fact that the thickest and 

 meatiest cuts come from this part. The fact is, about 45 

 per cent of the carcass, as is shown on page 377, is found 

 in the hindquarter. 



The hips of the mutton sheep in good flesh should be 

 smoothly covered with flesh, and have a fair width between. 

 The hips of wethers are somewhat closer together than are 

 those of ewes, but the more important thing is that they 

 be well covered. 



The rump of the mutton sheep, if we are to have a 

 maximum amount of flesh, must be long, level and wide. As 

 one stands at some distance on the side, and surveys the 

 rump, it should appear in much the same level from hips 

 to tail-head. A common defect is for the rump to be steep 

 or "droopy," as it is often termed. The more droopy the 

 rump, the shorter will be the leg of mutton in its most 

 valuable part. When viewed from behind, the rump should 

 appear comparatively level and wide on each side of the 

 backbone, with its outer boundary quite in line with the 

 points of the hips. Sloping rumps are far too common. 

 When the rump is both steep and narrow, we have the 



