Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 233 



more porous and dry. The shanks of mature sheep will not "break," 

 because the cartilage is knit or ossified, and the foot is taken off at the 

 ankle instead, making a "round-joint." Shanks of female or ewe sheep 

 outside the lamb class are, as a rule, too mature to break. Conse- 

 quently, 80 to 90 per cent of "yearling lamb" carcasses are wethers, 

 the remainder being ewes and a small proportion of bucks and stags. 

 Yearlings substitute for genuine lamb, and we see that they may easily 

 do this because they possess the break-joint. (See Fig. 79.) 



Goat carcasses. — Dressed goats are occasionally sold in connec- 

 tion with mutton and lambs, and are frequently substituted for them, 

 especially in the retail markets. They are similar to the lowest grades 

 of western sheep in form, quality, and finish. Long shanks, coarse, 

 dark flesh, long necks, and thin caul, however, render them quite easily 

 distinguished from sheep carcasses. 



Carcass classes and grades. — Carcasses of sheep and lambs are 

 classified and graded as follows: 



Class Grade 



LAMB fLambs Prime, choice, good, medium, common 



\Yearlings Prime, choice, good, medium, common 



fWethers Prime, choice, good, medium, common 



MUTTON -jEwes Choice, good, medium, common, canners 



[Bucks Good, medium, common 



The following wholesale prices ^ indicate the comparative values 

 of the above classes: 



Class and grade Weight Price per pound 



Special Selected Lambs 35 to 45 lbs .- 25 cents 



Good Lambs 35 to 45 lbs 23 cents 



Medium Lambs 35 to 45 lbs 22 cents 



Common Lambs 25 lbs 18 centj 



Yearling Lambs 40 to 45 lbs 16 cents 



Wether Sheep 45 to 55 lbs 14 centj 



Ewe Sheep 45 to 60 lbs 12 cents 



Common Sheep 10 cents 



Diflferences due to age and sex. — Carcasses of lambs and yearlings 

 differ from other carcasses in that they show the break-joint on th{ 

 fore leg. Yearling carcasses differ from lamb carcasses in showing more 

 maturity and usually more weight. Lamb carcasses show lighter- 

 colored and finer-grained flesh, redder and softer bones, and a smoothei 

 and moister break-joint than yearlings. Carcasses of wethers, ewes 

 and bucks are similar in showing the round-joint on the fore leg, bul 

 wether carcasses may be distinguished by the cod fat, ewes by theii 

 udders, and bucks by their coarse, heavy necks and shoulders. Th( 

 wether carcass is more compact and thicker fleshed than the ewe car 

 cass. Ewes are more angular and have longer necks, smaller bone, and 



^Wholesale price list of a leading Chicago packer, March, 1923. 



