CHAPTER XVII 

 DISPOSAL AND MARKETING OF SHEEP 



Chapter XVII considers: (i) The culling of the 

 flock; (2) The disposal of the culls; (3) The disposal of 

 pure bred sheep and lambs; (4) Fitting sheep for sale; 

 (5) The disposal of grade sheep and lambs ; (6) Deter- 

 mining the age of sheep ; (7) Preparing sheep for ship- 

 ping; (8) Shipping stockers from the ranges; (9) 

 Shipping finished sheep in car lots; and (10) Shipping 

 finished sheep in train loads. 



The culling of the flock — Every breeding flock should 

 be culled not less often than once a year, and it is seldom 

 necessary to cull more frequently. The time usually re- 

 garded as the most suitable is the season when the lambs 

 are to be weaned. The real value of the ewes may be 

 better understood at that time than at any other season. 

 They have been weaning their lambs, and the most im- 

 portant indication of their value as breeders is the form 

 and furnishings of the lamb or lambs which they may 

 have reared. That time is further opportune because it 

 separates material for disposal at a season when it may 

 most readily be disposed of, or most readily and cheaply 

 prepared for disposal. 



The culling of the farmer's pure-bred flock should 

 consider: (i) The ewes to be retained or sold; (2) the 

 ewe lambs to be retained or sold ; (3) the ram lambs held 

 for immediate sale and those to be carried over ; and (4) 

 the animals to be sent to the block, old or young. The 

 ewes retained for breeding should, of course, include the 

 best, and the aim should be to secure them, so far as may 

 be practicable, of the same type. Those set aside may be 

 too valuable to justify making them into mutton, hence 

 it is legitimate to sell them as breeders. The same rules 



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