112 JUDGING SHEEP 



weight, so that it will be understood that quality is an 

 important factor from the butcher's standpoint, where the 

 profit from the carcass is largely determined by the 

 dressed weight returns. 



159. The Importance of Condition. Not only 

 should a lamb be well developed in the parts indicated to 

 satisfy the butcher, but the flesh should be uniformly 

 deep over the parts ; this is a factor in giving a high per- 

 centage of dressed weight which adds greatly to the profit 

 of the carcass. While it is very desirable that the lamb 

 should weigh about 100 pounds, it is even more so that 

 the condition should be equally satisfactory to produce the 

 highest price. As indicating the progress of the lambs 

 in the feed lot in this particular it would perhaps be ad- 

 visable to follow them through their development. 



When put in the feed lot under proper conditions, 

 lambs will usually begin to show the influence of good 

 feeding at the end of the third or fourth week. During 

 this time they seem to be simply getting into good con- 

 dition to put on flesh, though it appears that some fat is 

 being deposited internally. Towards the end of that 

 time many of the lambs may be noticed standing leisurely 

 in the sun in a partially stretched posture. This pose in 

 the lambs is a delight to the shepherd. The fattening 

 process seems to extend from the internal regions, and is 

 first in evidence at the tail. It then passes along the back 

 over the shoulder and reaches the neck ; from this line it 

 seems to extend down the sides and over the breast in 

 front. There are six main points at which its extension 

 seems most in evidence at the tail, middle of the back, 

 the neck, the flank, the purse and the breast. 



160. Judging Condition. Judges of condition 

 handle these different points and seem to arrive at the 

 same conclusions from continued practice in observing 



