EXAMINING THE FLEECE 



197 



wool clusters so as to leave the fleece open, but examine it 

 where the fleece seems to part naturaUy. The fleece should 

 also be examined in the region of the thigh, because a very 

 poor quality of wool grows here and is much more easily 

 examined than on the belly. It is a good plan to examine 

 the wool on the belly because an animal in poor condition 

 is often poorly covered in this region. 



Fig- 75- — Examining wool on a sheep. 



The judge should look for both quantity and quality of 

 wool, although it is generally true that the finer the 

 quality of the wool the shorter will be the fiber, and the 

 longer the fiber the coarser will be the wool. The factors 

 that determine the quantity of wool are density, length 

 of fiber, and evenness of the fleece over the body of the 

 animal. 



By density of fleece is meant compactness of its fibers. 

 To one seeking market wool this means a much heavier fleece, 

 and to the breeder it indicates better constitution and pro- 

 tection against inclement weather. The sheep with the 

 compact coat can shed rains better than the animal with an 

 open fleece. A heavy, dense coat of wool also prevents the 



