BUYING THE FEEDERS 33 



2. The seller can tell him what the sheep will cost when 

 laid down on his farm on a certain date in the fall. 



3. The purchaser knows a month or so ahead just what 

 the number, class, grade, age, approximate weight, and exact 

 cost of his sheep will be the day he receives them. 



The disadvantages of buying from the country operator are 



1. Unless the men who do the buying in the West are 

 experienced and honest there is greater danger of getting 

 scab with this method than with market purchases. 



2. When buying for future delivery one runs a risk of a 

 turn in the market, which may be to his gain or loss. Some 

 of the heaviest losers on sheep during the disastrous fall 

 and winter of 1907 were men who purchased in August 

 sheep to be delivered from September to November. 



WHAT KIND OF FEEDING SHEEP TO BUY 



Four points to be considered. After a feeder has decided 

 on the class of sheep that best fits his conditions and ex- 

 perience, he is confronted with the task of selecting the 

 individuals within the class. This selection should be based 

 largely on weight, quality, form, and condition. 



Weight an important factor. Weight concerns the seller 

 more than the buyer, hence the discussion of its bearing 

 and importance will be taken up in a succeeding chapter. 

 The buyer considers weight only as it affects his final prod- 

 uct. He may subtract from seventy-five or eighty the gain 

 he wishes to make on his lambs, and this will give the 

 proper weight at which to buy his feeders. The nearer 

 to ideal lamb weights yearlings and wethers are marketed, 

 the better. There is a strong tendency toward marketing 

 lighter and lighter lambs. From 1908 to 1911, lamb weights 

 dropped five to eight pounds. 



