MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF SHEEP 



BY W. C. COFFEY, FIRST ASSISTANT IN SHEEP HUSBANDRY 



INTRODUCTION 



The purpose of this bulletin is to define and illustrate the vari- 

 ous classes and grades of sheep as recognized on the Chicago and 

 other large markets. It is presented with the hope that it will be 

 of value to those engaged in growing and handling sheep. The 

 grower or feeder offering sheep for sale often forms a very imper- 

 fect estimate of their market value, and chiefly because his contact 

 with the open market has not been sufficient to familiarize him with 

 the factors embodied by the various terms in market reports. If 

 may be that he is ignorant of the meaning of certain terms; he 

 may have a mistaken or hazy notion of others, and both observa- 

 tion and experience show that anything short of a fairly accurate 

 conception of what a certain ^market term stands for is a source of 

 disappointment and annoyance. Because his judgment as to the 

 true market worth of his sheep is uncertain, the owner may suffer 

 a financial loss in dealing with a local buyer by selling under the 

 market value or by missing a sale by asking too much for them. 

 If, at the time of sale, the owner could definitely determine the 

 value of his sheep, he would experience less difficulty in coming to 

 an early understanding with the local buyer, or in case he shipped 

 them direct to the open market, the chances for disappointment and 

 dissatisfaction would be greatly reduced. While it is the privilege 

 of a few to visit the markets often and there learn the requirements 

 and the demands for the different grades in the various classes, the 

 great majority of sheep owners, and many feeders, must depend 

 largely upon the market reports for such information, and the value 

 of these reports to the man who proposes to buy or sell sheep is 

 determined by the extent to which he can apply them to his par- 

 ticular purchase or sale. It is hoped that the descriptions and 

 illustrations herein presented will give the sheep owner an under- 

 standing of the market classes and grades of sheep so that the 

 market reports will not be misapplied by him. It is also hoped that 

 it will have the further influence of leading men to adopt methods 

 of breeding and feeding whereby they will be able to produce ani- 

 mals that will meet with strong demand upon the markets. 



The task undertaken is not without its difficult phases. The 

 grades in the different classes are more or less variable because of 

 variations in quality, condition, and weight, the apparent supply 



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