DISPOSAL AND MARKETING OF SHEEP 353 



when it may be legitimate to buy culls for feeding (see 

 page 224). 



There are instances, especially in small flocks, where 

 the culls may be used with advantage on the farm. Be- 

 cause they have been culled out for slaughter, it does 

 not follow that they will not furnish meat of good quality. 

 That will depend chiefly on the way in which they are 

 fattened. A sheep may be rejected as a breeder because 

 it is undersize or off in form in some particulars, and yet 

 it may furnish excellent mutton. Aged sheep fattened 

 quickly will lose much of that toughness that would 

 otherwise characterize the meat. The home supply of 

 meat may in many instances be largely drawn from this 

 source for the entire winter by those who have a liking 

 for mutton ; when thus used there is no discount put upon 

 the animals simply because they are culls. Such dis- 

 counting is very common when these are sold upon the 

 market. 



Dressing sheep for home use is not difficult. A fast 

 of 24 hours before slaughtering is helpful. The method 

 frequently followed is in outline as follows : The animal 

 is caught, laid on its side and held by one person with his 

 knee upon the shoulder, one leg at least being firmly held 

 in each hand. The throat is cut by a second person as 

 he holds the lower jaw point firmly in his hand. The 

 skin is then removed before or after hanging up the sheep 

 and the inwards are taken out. The carcass remains sus- 

 pended until the animal heat has left it. The longer that 

 it can be kept without taint the better will be the mutton. 



Disposal of pure breds Pure-bred sheep and lambs 

 set aside for disposal are more commonly sold by private 

 sale. They are usually regarded as being too valuable to 

 sell for meat as long as they are capable of breeding suc- 

 cessfully. In some instances ewes whose teeth have be- 

 gun to fail are purchased as material on which to found 

 flocks, as such material can usually be purchased cheaply. 

 The practice is not to be condemned, nor is it to be in- 



