90 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. 



the sheep will lose part of the wool on their bel- 

 lies, necks and rears. Just as apples will drop off 

 the tree when they are ripe, wool on sheep will 

 fall off when ripe. 



Moreover, when hot weather comes on while 

 the sheep are still unshorn they will suffer greatly 

 from the heat, and for this reason will lose flesh 

 rapidly. When sheep are put on grass, owing to 

 the resultant looseness of their bowels, their fleeces 

 may get soiled, which lowers the quality of the 

 fleece and also makes shearing disagreeable. 



The cruelty of allowing the unshorn sheep to 

 suffer from the heat should also be considered. It 

 seems pitiful to see sheep lying by the side of a 

 fence with their mouths wide open and tongues 

 hanging out, panting and suffering from heat in 

 the hot weather, simply because the owner is wait- 

 ing for an increase of yolk and a heavier fleece. 

 If flockmasters would only consider for a moment 

 that the loss of flesh and body weight and the dan- 

 ger of the shedding of wool is far greater than 

 any possible gain in yolk, then such foolish ideas 

 would not so generally prevail. It is therefore 

 clear that when the weather begins to get warm 

 sheep ought to be freed from their heavy winter 

 clothes, and an intelligent sheep breeder never 

 thinks of waiting for more yolk. If sheep are fed 

 as they ought to be during the winter, a good 



