13 



They should be loaded as late in the day as is possible to get them 

 on the market next morning in good time. The Chicago market is 

 usually at its best between 8:co and n :oo a. m., hence a shipment 

 of sheep or lambs should be ready for the inspection of buyers dur- 

 ing these hours. They will appear to better advantage if they have 

 an opportunity to drink a moderate amount of water and to rest 

 for an hour or two before the market opens. 



PURCHASING FEEDERS ON THE OPEN MARKET 

 LAMBS 



It is the object of the purchaser to secure the lambs most suit- 

 able to his method of feeding at the lowest possible cost. Some- 

 times circumstances are such that he can afford to take less desirable 

 lambs on account of their lower cost, but in general it pays to 

 select thrifty lambs that are uniform in quality, condition and 

 weight. So important is this general rule that discriminating buy- 

 ers purchase with the privilege of rejecting the undesirable lambs 

 in a band. First of all, thrift is emphasized. It is manifested by a 

 certain amount of life and spirit and a condition of flesh which 

 suggests health and vigor. Hence the discriminating buyer rejects 

 the extremely thin lambs, the dull, sickly looking ones, those that 

 are lame, and those inclined to cough a great deal and to lag behind 

 when the band is moving. Such lambs are likely to die in transit 

 to the farm or during the feeding period. The feeder usually loses 

 a few lambs during the feeding period, and were these unthrifty 

 lambs purchased the percentage of loss would make profits doubt- 

 ful. 



Careful buyers examine a band of lambs before purchasing to 

 see if they are infected with ticks or lice. The more open wooled 

 ones are the more likely to be infested and they are the ones ex- 

 amined. This is a matter of small consequence if the lambs are to 

 be dipped, but at the present time the government does not require 

 that sheep and lambs sold on the Chicago market for feeding pur- 

 poses be dipped before leaving the yards. Buyers do not like to 

 have them dipped because it weakens them, causes them to take 

 cold, and for these reasons makes it difficult to secure gains on them, 

 during the early part of the feeding period. In general, however, 

 the writer feels that it would pay to dip lambs after they arrive at 

 the farm to guard against infestation from ticks or an outbreak 

 of scab. 



Uniformity in quality, condition and weight should be empha- 

 sized, for, select as carefully as he may, the purchaser will not be 

 able to have all of his lambs alike in these particulars at the same 

 time. In cases where several carloads are purchased, some conces- 



