A Treatise on Sheep:: The Best Means for their Improvement, General Management, and the Treatment of their Diseases.Blacklock, Ambrose
Science
A Treatise on Sheep:: The Best Means for their Improvement, General Management, and the Treatment of their Diseases.
Blacklock, Ambrose
Sheep
(7.) _The Teeswater_ sheep were originally bred from the same stock as
the former, but have become different, from the size having received
greater attention than the wool, which is inferior both in length and
weight. They stand upon higher and finer boned legs, which support a
firmer and heavier carcass, much wider upon the back and sides, and
afford a fatter and finer-grained mutton--the two-year-old wethers
weighing from 25 lbs. to 30 lbs. per quarter. Marshall, in his work on
Yorkshire, remarks, that they are not so compact, nor so complete in
their form, as the Leicestershire sheep; nevertheless, the excellency
of their flesh and fatting quality is not doubted, and their wool
still remains superior. For the banks of the Tees, or any other rich
fat land, they are singularly excellent.
(8.) _The Dishley_, or _New Leicester_, is distinguished from other
long-woolled breeds, by clean heads, straight broad flat backs, round
bodies, small bones, thin pelts, and a disposition to fatten at an
early age. But more of this hereafter. The weight of three-year-old
ewes is from 18 lbs. to 26 lbs. per quarter; and of two-year old
wethers from 20 lbs. to 30 lbs. The wool averages from 6 lbs. to 8
lbs., and is thought by some to be inferior in quality to that of
Cheviot sheep; but, from being fully fed at all seasons, they yield
great quantities of it. Fig. 1. Pl. III.
(9.) _The Devonshire Nots_ form the fourth hornless variety of
long-woolled sheep. Forty or fifty years ago, they ranked as
middle-woolled sheep; but they now figure among the long-wools, under
the name of Bamptons--their fleece having been lengthened, and
rendered finer, by crossing with the Leicesters. There is yet,
however, much room for improvement in these crosses. They have white
faces and legs, the latter being short, and the bones large, while the
necks are thick, the backs high, and the sides good. They approach in
weight to the Leicester, but the wool is heavier and coarser. In
Devonshire are found a white-faced and horned variety, which are known
as the Exmoor kind, from the place of their nativity. Though delicate
in bone, they are not good, having a narrow flat-sided carcass; while
the weight of the quarters and fleece is a third short of the former
variety.
(10.) _The Dorsetshire sheep_ are horned and white-faced, with a long
thin carcass, and high small white legs. Three-year-old wethers weigh
from 16 lbs. to 20 lbs. a quarter; but the wool, being fine and short,
weighs only from 3 lbs. to 4 lbs. a fleece. It is, however, amply
compensated for by the mutton, which is of superior quality. The
peculiar and most valuable property of this breed is the forwardness
of the ewes, which take the ram at any period of the year, often
lambing, so early as September or October. They are, on this account,
extremely useful for supplying large towns with house-lamb at
Christmas. Fig. 1, Pl. II.
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