14 SHEEP FEEDING 



cases, classed as lambs until they are from thirteen to four- 

 teen months old. For instance, if a feeder takes out a bunch 

 of lambs in November or December and does not bring them 

 back until March or April, — and in such cases they are gen- 

 erally shorn, — they will then be classed as shorn Western 

 lambs though they may be fourteen months old ; while on 

 the same day a part of the same band of lambs, that was 

 kept on the range, will reach the market shorn, and they 

 will be called yearlings. In fact, a "Western sheep that is 

 direct from the range and has been shorn is classed as a 

 yearling even if it is not twelve months old. Of course the 

 teeth are the final and deciding test and the one used by 

 the packer when buying in the yards, but it is entirely dis- 

 regarded after the sheep is on the hooks. Here the test 

 depends on whether it " breaks a lamb joint " or not, which 

 means that if the joint which corresponds to the pastern 

 joint of a horse breaks rough, the sheep is then classed as 

 a lamb whether lamb or yearling, provided the yearling is 

 not too heavy. If, however, the joint breaks smooth, as a 

 joint in the leg of the chicken breaks, then it is called a 

 yearling, — unless lambs are high and scarce and it seems 

 necessary to run in some yearlings ; then the joint is crimped, 

 or made rough, by a machine that some packers make a 

 practice of using. One who has seen both the natural lamb 

 joint-break and the crimp cannot be fooled on the latter, for 

 it is more even and regular than the natural rough break. 



Western Yearlings 



Yearlings hardier than lambs. Perhaps the next most 

 numerous Western subclass is the yearling wethers, gen- 

 erally called yearlings. This class may reach the market 

 from the range any time of the year, but the majority are 



