MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF SHEEP. 



613 



excessively heavy in pelt, are placed in the good grade. They al- 

 ways meet with ready demand although they do not bring top 

 prices during the heavy run of feeder lambs. They are taken by 

 men who desire to keep their lambs all winter and shear them be- 

 fore marketing. When relieved of their heavy fleeces and finished 

 to a point where they are very fat. they are not seriously criticised 

 for their lack of quality, and they often sell as choice fat lambs. A 

 few weeks before shearing time when feeder buyers are taking un- 

 finished lambs to shear and to feed for a short period, this type 

 outsells any other. See plate 27. 



PLATE 27. GOOD FEEDER LAMBS. LEGGY, COARSE, AND TOO THIN TO BE THE 

 MOST DESIRABLE FEEDERS. 



MEDIUM FEEDER LAMBS 



Lambs of this grade often have very heavy pelts and hence lack 

 appreciably in quality. Pronounced legginess and angularity of 

 form are frequently noticeable in bands of lambs grading as medium 

 but the chief discrimination is against their quality because of their 

 thick wrinkled skins, and dense heavy fleeces. While in most cases 

 they are thrifty they are usually below the weight most desirable 

 in feeder lambs and this together with their lack of quality and 

 desirable form places them considerably below the choice feeder. 

 See plate 28. 



