Characteristics of a Good Sheep

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 134, 25 February 1909, Page 3

Characteristics of a Good Sheep

Individual animals always differ more than breeds, and there are relatively few really good animals in any breed. This seems to be strikingly true of the mutton sheep, and the following brief observations on what constitutes a good mutton sheep may therefore be of interest First, let there be pronounced masculinity in the male and feminity in the female. Sheep should be neither sexless nor characterless They should bear the stamp and character of the breed they represent. The breed character is a mark of good blood, and it should be manifest in an unmistakable manner. The sire should be impressive, resolute, and of noble bearing. He should be distinctly the bead of the flock in every sense of the word To meet these requirements he must have good constitutional and vital powers; without these no animal is fit to head a herd of flock. In selecting a sire, look first at the head If deficient there, look no further, but reject at once. Insist on a head that faces you boldly with a wide face, a clear, prominent eye, and a robust character throughout. The head should be joined to a wellfilled, round, muscular neck, wide at the pole and back of the ears, and gradually enlarging in all lines to a strong, full junction at the shoulders, as seen from the top, sides, or bottom. This should be accompanied by a wide chert, a prominent, well-filled brisket, and a foil heart, ffirth, giving straight, even lines, from the shoulder back. A depression cither in front or behind the shoulders, whether at the top, side or bottom line, is an indication of weakness. The back should be strong, wide, and well-meated from shoulder point to tail. The huxtanarters should be full and well let down

in the leg and flank. The legs should bo placed wide apart and stand straight. Sickle-shaped hocks and weak, sloping pasterns afford sufficient reason for condemning- nn otherwise good sheep.