Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 217 



wool rank highest in popularity, while those breeds which are more 

 highly speciaHzed so as to be superior in one line of production and 

 very inferior in the other are not so popular. The popularity of a 

 breed depends also upon other factors such as constitutional vigor, 

 prolificacy, quietness of disposition, feeding qualities, grazing qualities, 

 ease of shearing, and early maturity, but first and fundamentally the 

 breed must produce both a good carcass and a good fleece if it is to be 

 popular with the farmer. Every breed has its place, however, and to 

 eliminate all except two or three breeds from American farms and 

 ranches would be poor policy. Some of the less popular breeds are 

 highly valued for producing rams to use in cross-breeding or grading-up 

 to produce the desired type. Other less popular breeds have special 

 features which give them the preference under certain special condi- 

 tions of climate, food supply, or method of management. 



Definitions of Sheep Terms 



Ram or buck. — Breeding male, any age. 



Ewe. — The female, any age. 



Lamb. — Any sheep under twelve months of age. 



Wether. — Unsexed male, castrated when a young lamb. The best 

 age to castrate lambs is from 7 to 10 days old at the same time they are 

 docked. 



Stag. — Unsexed male, castrated when mature or so far advanced 

 toward maturity that masculinity is plainly evident in head, neck, and 

 forequarters. This constitutes coarseness in a market animal. 



Shearling. — A yearling. Two-tooth.~A yearling. 



Two-shear. — A two-year-old. Four-tooth. — A two-year-old. 



Show Yard Classification by Ages 



The base date for classifying sheep by ages is September 1, and the 

 classes by ages are as follows: 



Lamb class. — Animals are eligible to this class that were dropped 

 on or after September 1 of the preceding year. 



Yearling class. — Dropped between (and including) September 1 

 of the second preceding year and August 31 of the preceding year. 



Two years old and over (aged) class. — Dropped before September 1 

 of the second preceding year. 



Champion. — Best animal any age. 



Grand champion. — Best animal any age or breed. 



For example, during the summer, fall, and winter show season of 

 1923, lambs are those animals dropped on or after September 1, 1922; 

 yearlings, between September 1, 1921, and August 31, 1922; and aged 

 animals two years old and over are those dropped prior to September 

 1, 1921. 



