. 



MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF SHEEP. 627 



MEDIUM FEEDER EWES 



Ewes of this grade may be lacking either in quality or thrift. 

 If unthrifty, they are usually broken mouthed and in low condition. 

 Such ewes- are much less desirable than those belonging to the good 

 grade because they are more difficult to start on feed and must re- 

 ceive more careful attention both in preparing the feed and in the 

 method of feeding during the fattening period. See plate 39. 



COMMON FEEDER EWES 



Common ewes are very old and so depleted in condition that 

 they approach emaciation. As a rule their front teeth are gone or 

 worn so low that they are of little use. Only the best of care and 

 feed will secure gains on ewes of this grade, hence no one except 

 the most skillful feeders having an abundance of choice feed can 

 afford to handle them. Like common wethers, common ewes are 

 few in number on the market. See plate 40. 



BREEDING SHEEP 



This class includes both native and western ewes in about equal 

 proportions. Breeding bucks are exclusively natives. 



The ewes most sought after are two, three and four-year-old, 

 dark faced natives in ordinary field condition. Dark faced ewes 

 sell better than those that are otherwise their equals, because their 

 lambs, being dark faced sell better than light faced lambs on the 

 eastern markets. Western ewes are very popular for breeding pur- 

 poses in certain localities, as Ohio, Michigan, and western New 

 York, and many engaged in the trade think they should be pre- 

 ferred over natives because they are more hardy and comparatively 

 free from internal parasites. Many of the ewes offered for breed- 

 ing purposes are yearlings, but they are not as desirable as two or 

 three-year-old ewes because they are immature and likely to be un- 

 satisfactory as mothers at their first lambing. The native yearling 

 is heavier and more nearly mature than the western yearling and 

 she meets with a correspondingly better sale. 



The offerings on the market come under the following grades : 

 FANCY SELECTED, CHOICE, GOOD, COMMON. 



FANCY SELECTED BREEDING EWES 



Only a very few of the breeding ewes sold out of the market 

 can be regarded as Fancy Selected. Occasionally an order is placed 

 for a small number of fancy ewes. These are secured by making 



