TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART X 471 



worth more money than the coarse-grained sort from the extremely large 

 mutton breeds. Each year the range in market price is getting wider 

 and wider "between the compact, firmly and evenly-fleshed Shropshire 

 lambs, which give quality carcasses of handy weights, and the larger 

 rough breeds, which give less dressed percentage of mutton which is also 

 of much lower quality. From a current issue of probably the most reliable 

 publication regarding Chicago live stock markets we quote the fol- 

 lowing: 



"It must not be presumed that all lambs are realizing lofty prices. 

 Only high dressers are equal to the performance and dressed meat per- 

 centages are closely watched. A band of shorn lambs costing $8 on 

 the hoof actually made dearer mutton on the hooks by $1 per hundred- 

 weight than another purchase costing $8.50 alive." 



Buyers for the large killers and packers are nowadays close observers 

 of how every purchase dresses out in quality and weight on the hooks. 

 In future years even a closer discrimination will be made against lambs 

 which do not "kill well." Returns are being kept close tab on in order 

 that lambs and sheep will be purchased according to their real value — 

 no guesswork about it. Notice in the market reports from time to time 

 that medium weight quality lambs bring nearly double the price that 

 coarse fellows with poor quality do. When you go to the butcher's shop 

 do you want a chunk of coarse-grained, fatty mutton? If so, you are one 

 in a thousand, because the other nine hundred and ninety-nine will want 

 a rich, lean piece, fine as possible in quality. People nowadays know 

 the difference in taste between the two, and place all preference for that 

 which is fine in grain. Lowest actual cost of production per pound of 

 mutton and the very highest price when sold is certainly making the 

 former indifferent sheep raisers "turn the tables" and keep the breed 

 which is really the most profitable when everything is taken into con- 

 sideration. Sheep raisers are also particularly noticing how much lower 

 the annual cost of maintaining a flock of Shropshire breeding ewes is 

 than those of any other breed. Not only is it important to have the 

 class of lambs which make good gains and command highest price, but 

 it is most desirable to materially lower the cost of first producing those 

 lambs. Ewes of other breeds require a larger amount of green food and 

 some grain in addition, while Shropshire ewes will be nursing fat lambs 

 and in perfect condition on a rougher, poorer pasture and without grain. 

 Many times at the same season of the year have the writers visited breed- 

 ing flocks of the Shropshire and various other breeds in different sections 

 of both America and England and noticed the conditions exactly as 

 stated above. Shropshires are easiest to keep in thrifty condition and 

 ofttimes at practically half the cost of the upkeep of flocks of other breeds. 

 Shropshires are naturally good feeders and exceptionally strong in con- 

 stitution, having the inherent robustness of their origin from the hill 

 breeds of the English county from whence the Shropshire breed takes its 

 name. Strength of constitution is a prime requisite in all breeding or 

 feeding sheep. In the life of animals things come up as various sorts of 

 trouble and hardship which must be withstood by the animal system, the 

 weak constituted ones suffering to a greater or less extent under these con- 



