JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



135 



order to study them when in motion, and detect unsound- 

 ness, poor action, etc. This custom is steadily growing in 

 favor in America. The judge must necessarily place first 

 in rank the animal that shows the most breed or type char- 

 acter, that has the most complete balance of parts, the most 

 perfection in various details, and the least number of faults. 

 Emphasis, however, must be placed on the special purpose 

 of the animal under consideration, as weight in heavy draft 

 horses, udder development with dairy cows, or character of 

 fleece with Merino sheep. For example, most of the scales 

 of points of the breeds of dairy cattle devote about one third of 

 the total scale emphasizing the size, form, etc., of the udder, 



Figure 29. — "In British shows the judges ronimonly have the animals parade 

 before thern." Photograph by the author on the Island of Jersey at the 

 annual Spring show. 



teats, milk veins, and wells. Such special features must be 

 kept in mind by the judge as of real importance. 



In placing the animals, it becomes a question of prompt 

 decision in sorting out and getting the individuals in one, 

 two, three order of relative merit. In large rings at live- 

 stock shows, j udges often divide the animals into two groups, 

 those that they consider worthy candidates for the prize list, 

 and those that are not. The former group is frequentlj^ 

 referred to as "the short leet," a British expression for the 



