SHEEP 397 



conformation and condition. Very often ewes of this grade are 

 shipped from the Chicago market to parties in the country who act 

 as dealers, and these dealers divide the shipment into small lots and 

 sell them to the fanners. In this way small uniform lots may be 

 secured and some of these lots may grade as choice, while others 

 would grade as common, and still others would grade as good. 



Common Breeding Ewes. The general run of this grade show 

 no single line of breeding. In many instances they are so noticeably 

 advanced in age that it is evident their stay in the country as pro- 

 ducers will be short. Perhaps there is no better way to define this 

 grade than to say they are on the border line between breeders and 

 feeders, and fortunately they are not sold in any considerable num- 

 bers as breeders. 



Breeding Bucks. While the rams sold out of Chicago market 

 as breeders vary in age, weight, and markings, there are no recog- 

 nized grades. Those most sought after are dark faced, smooth, low 

 set, vigorous looking rams of a year or more in age. In times of 

 great scarcity ram lambs are taken out for breeding purposes. In- 

 spection of rams selected for breeding out of the open market re- 

 veals the fact that the greater percentage show undesirable form and 

 a mixture of breeding. It is unnecessary to point out to intelligent 

 breeders the effects of mating grade ewes with sires of the type gen- 

 erally found on the open market. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Hot House Lambs (Spring Lambs) . The term hot house lambs 

 refers to those produced early and marketed before the general run 

 of spring lambs start to market, which is about May 20. A few 

 shipments of these lambs reach the Chicago market but they are 

 called spring lambs, not hot house lambs, and they do not sell as 

 well correspondingly as the same kind of lambs do on the eastern 

 markets. Those who specialize in producing hot house lambs usually 

 contract them to be sent in small shipments of dressed carcasses di- 

 rect to the retailer or commission man. This is probably the most 

 advantageous way to market them because they are slaughtered be- 

 fore they are old enough to ship well alive and are sold per head 

 and not per pound. Hot house lambs are most in demand from 

 Christmas until Easter. They must be fat and weigh between 40 and 

 55 pounds alive. 



Export Sheep. Most of the sheep selected for export are the 

 heaviest of their class. They are usually in prime condition and of 

 the choice grade. Wethers are preferred, but ewes, yearlings, and 

 lambs are also taken, hence the term export cannot be said to apply 

 to any particular sub-class of mutton sheep. Many buyers use the 

 term freely to designate whether?, yearling?, ewes, and lambs heavy 

 in weight and prime in condition whether they be taken for export 

 or not. 



Throw-Outs. This is a term applied to lambs rejected as 

 feeders. After a band of lambs has been divided into the mutton 

 and feeder classes, the purchaser of the feeder end usually has the 

 privilege of rejecting those not suitable for feeding purposes. Lame 



