SHROPSHIRE SHEEP 
401 
Shropshire, Southdown, Hampshire, Oxford, Cheviot, and Dorset. 
They have brown or black faces, ears, and legs except the Dorset 
and the Cheviot which have white markings. They are all hornless 
in both the males and females except the Dorsets and occasionally 
Fie. 272.—Left, Southdown ewe, the smallest breed of the medium-wooled type. Right, 
Oxford ram, having the longest wool of the medium-wooled type. 
the Cheviot males. They all have wool on the faces except the 
Cheviots which are wooled only to the ears. 
Twin lambs are very common among the Shropshire, South- 
downs, and Cheviots, which allows them to increase in numbers 
Fic. 273.—Typical Shropshire ewes, the most popular breed of sheep. (Coffey’s Productive 
Sheep Husbandrv.) 
more rapidly than other breeds: but Dorsets may be bred twice 
a year if desired. 
The Southdown sheep (Fig. 272) are inferior in size to other 
breeds of the medium-wooled group. In type they are well suited 
for mutton production. The quality of flesh is considered by many 
as the best of all sheep. 
Shropshire sheep (Fig. 273) are larger than Southdowns and 
among the heaviest of the medium-wooled breeds. They are exten- 
sively grown for mutton. In general outline they are more rangy 
and less compact than the Southdowns. The wool is longer. They