iq6 judging swine AND SHEEP 



be low at the brisket, and this part of the sheep should be 

 full and prominent. 



Legs. — The legs should be short, to reduce the waste 

 in this part of the body to the minimum. They should 

 also be straight, strong, and placed wide apart. 



Body. — The back and loin of the sheep are very impor- 

 tant. It is from this region that the judge should get his 

 impressions of the worth of the sheep. A short, strong, 

 straight, wide back, well covered with flesh, indicates at 

 once a good animal. Width and thickness of loin are very 

 essential, as in this region some very choice cuts should be 

 found. Well-arched ribs with good depth indicate that the 

 sheep has room not only for the consumption of feed but 

 also for the deposition of fat upon the body. A full, well- 

 let-down flank indicates that the sheep is carrying flesh and 

 makes a straight underline. 



Leg of Mutton. — Since the leg of mutton is the most 

 valuable portion of the carcass, development in the region 

 of the twist and thigh is especially sought for. 



Wool. — Although the butcher is not especially inter- 

 ested in the wool, no sheep is completely judged for breeding 

 purposes until a careful examination of the wool has been 

 made. One should also bear in mind the general rule, that 

 the finer and more compact the wool, on a mutton sheep, 

 the better will be the quality of its meat. In judging the 

 fine-wool breeds which are raised primarily for their wool 

 this examination is of the first importance. 



The thickest and the best quality of wool grows in the 

 region of the shoulder, while the poorest grade grows along 

 the belly. When examining the fleece, part it with the 

 palms of the hands, not with the finger tips, in the region 

 of the shoulder near the heart girth. Do not break the 



