Sheep-farming in North America by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sheep
Publisher: New York, The Macmillan company
Published: 1913-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

Fig. 35. — Feeling the development in the leg of mutton. (Page 142.)

Fig. 36. — Manner and place of opening fleece to see finest quality of wool. (Page 142.)

Plate XIV. Judging Sheep.

is necessary to consider the blood lines and type of the ewes to which he has been bred in comparison with those of the flock in which it is proposed to use him. If he had made a strong impress for good upon his get from a large number of ewes or even a smaller number of varied strains, it would indicate strong prepotency. Fortunate "niches" come from some matings that are not duplicated when either parent is paired with a new mate. Even with the greatest effort, one cannot be certain he is procuring a great sire. With reasonable care, even in choosing an untried animal, he can avoid an objectionable one. Fortuitous niches and unusual strong sires are procured by continually aiming for the best to be had, and the men who own them always owe their good fortune to good judgment and careful study more than to chance or extraordinary financial resources.

Testing rams. — In the larger pure-bred flocks where breeding is most carefully done, a young ram is always tested before being used extensively. Of course, only those of best individuality and parentage are considered as sires, but they are required to demonstrate their prepotency before receiving an opportunity to impress any great number of offspring. A practical way of making such a test is to breed the ram to five or six ewes or possibly a smaller number of old ewes whose breeding record is known well enough to allow a clear estimate of the ram's influ-

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