236 



Bulletin 309 



fast enough to gain at least one half pound per day during this time and 



to reach a slaughter weight of 45 to 48 pounds at the end of the time 



(Table 4). 

 This short discussion covers the main points in the year round manage- 

 ment of a hothouse-lamb-produc- 

 ing flock as it has been conducted 

 at Cornell University. Before 

 discussing the data obtained that 

 serve to show the practice above 

 outlined as good, it remains to 

 describe the method of slaughter- 

 ing the lamb for market. 



Slaughtering and marketing the 

 lambs. — The hothouse - lamb 

 market is a special market com- 

 manding a high price and the 

 variations at the top are large. 

 The market is fastidious, hence 

 small things count for much. The 

 results of good shepherding and 

 good feeding, ending in a plump 

 lamb in fine condition, may be 

 discounted twenty-five per cent 

 through carelessness in slaughter- 

 ing and in preparing for market. 

 Here care and cleanliness must 

 prevail. For the New York 

 market the slaughtering must be 

 done late Saturday afternoon or 

 Sunday, if the weather is warm, so 

 that the lamb may be cooled out 

 and wrapped for shipment by ex- 

 press on Monday. It has been 

 found most advantageous to sell 

 on Tuesday's or Wednesday's 

 market. It is always best to sell 

 on the wholesale market, which 



closes Friday noon; therefore the lambs must be on the market by 



Wednesday at the latest. 



The lambs are " hog-dressed," that is, most of the pelt is left on, the 



head and feet are cut off, and the stomach, spleen, intestines, bladder, 



and gall bladder are removed. The lamb is taken directly from his mother. 



Fig. 41. — Method of bleeding the lamb 



