. Productive sheep husbandry . Sheep. HANDLING THE SHEEP 89 arching high and wide as they leave the spine, and special atten- tion should be given to the degree of arch, or rather of width, just back of the shoulders (Pig. 51). There are two ways of ascertaining this: First, place the fingers of the hand on one side of the spine and the thumb on the other; or, second, place one hand on either side of the spine. The spring of the last rib should also be noted carefully as the width of a properly shaped barrel or body increases gradually from the shoulders back to the last ribs (Pig. 50). In add
. Productive sheep husbandry . Sheep. HANDLING THE SHEEP 89 arching high and wide as they leave the spine, and special atten- tion should be given to the degree of arch, or rather of width, just back of the shoulders (Pig. 51). There are two ways of ascertaining this: First, place the fingers of the hand on one side of the spine and the thumb on the other; or, second, place one hand on either side of the spine. The spring of the last rib should also be noted carefully as the width of a properly shaped barrel or body increases gradually from the shoulders back to the last ribs (Pig. 50). In addition to being long and arching well, the ribs should be covered with firm flesh and fat, and the spaces between the ribs. Fig. 49.—A wide dock; a narrow dock. A wide dock indicates deep muscling along the spine; a dock well cushioned over with fat indicates that the animal is in high condition. should be well filled and firm. These points can be determined by rubbing the hands back and forth over the ribs. If they are prominent to the touch and if the flesh and fat are soft, the covering is poor in both extent and quality. In examining the ribs the hands should also be placed over the fore flanks to proximate the width of chest (Fig. 52). (3) The Front, Including Shoulders, Chest, Brisket, Neck, and. Head.—By placing one hand on top of the shoulders it is possible to learn how compactly the shoulder blades are set up against the spine and how well these parts are covered with flesh (Figs. 53 and 54). Next, the hands should be placed flrst on the sides of the shoulders to examine the depth of flesh, then they should be moved. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Coffey, Walter Castella, 1877-. Philadelphia : J. B. Lippincott
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectsheep, bookyear1918
