392 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



Choice Ewes. Ewes of this grade must show development to a 

 high degree in form, quality and condition, as they are placed to the 

 same use as prime ewes. They may be slightly faulty in quality, 

 condition or weight, but they are usually criticised for their lack 

 either of quality or condition. Grain-fattened western ewes fre- 

 quently sell as choice. 



Good Ewes. Good ewes are appreciably open to criticism in 

 condition and often in quality. In most seasons of the year, ewes, 

 choice in condition and quality but of the unhandy weights, ranging 

 from 115 to 130 pounds, are also placed in this grade. 



Medium Ewes. Underfinished condition and advanced age are 

 usually evident in this grade. Often ewes and their lambs are sent 

 to market together. Ewes in such shipments are frequently too low 

 in condition to be above the medium grade. The mutton from this 

 grade goes to supply a cheap trade. 



Common or Cull Ewes. Offerings of this grade are pronounced 

 in their lack of condition. Toothless old ewes, too decrepit to make 

 use of feed and thus regain desirable condition, are slaughtered for 

 the cheapest class of trade. As the winter season advances a number 

 of ewes appear on the market well advanced in pregnancy. Such 

 ewes, although they may 'be of choice quality .and condition, sell as 

 common ewes because of their high percentage of waste and the ill 

 effects pregnancy is said to have upon the color of the carcass. 



Feeder Sheep. It must be obvious to everyone that the one 

 thing which determines whether a sheep or lamb belongs to the feeder 

 class, is condition. "Whenever sheep are too low in condition to suit 

 the needs of the packer they fall into the feeder class, unless they be 

 extremely coarse in quality or weakened in vitality because of dis- 

 ease or advanced age. 



The heavy run of feeder sheep occurs in the months of Septem- 

 ber, October and November, when rangemen are reducing their 

 flocks and preparing for the winter months. However buyers are 

 constantly looking for thrifty, underfinished stuff and a limited 

 number of feeder sheep go out from the markets every week in the 

 year. As the shearing season approaches buyers of feeders from 

 Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois make strong bids for well 

 wooled lambs. Such lambs usually make large gains immediately 

 after being shorn, and thus are made prime in condition in a short 

 period. 



Practically all the sheep sold as feeders .are grown on the west- 

 ern ranges. Occasionally a few natives are taken out as feeders but 

 so rarely and in such small numbers that they cannot be listed as 

 belonging to the feeder class. Experience has taught sheep feeders 

 that the thin natives on our large markets are, for reasons already 

 mentioned, rarely profitable in the feed-lot. 



The following are the recognized sub-classes of feeder sheep: 

 Lambs, Yearlings, Wethers, Ewes. 



Feeder Lambs. Feeder lambs are those thin in flesh left after 

 sorting out those in a band in suitable condition for the mutton 

 trade. A great percentage of the feeder lambs reaching the markets 



