CASTRATING AND DOCKING LAMBS. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Page. 



Essentials in the production of a 

 good lamb carcass 



3 



as feeders 

 Castration 

 Docking 



Docked and castrated lambs sell also 



C 

 



11 



Large proportion of farm lambs not 

 docked or castrated 



4 



Advantages of castration and dock- 

 ing 



4 



ESSENTIALS IN THE PRODUCTION OF A GOOD LAMB 



THE SHEEP INDUSTRY depends for a large part of its returns 

 upon the lambs produced from the flock. The meat side of the 

 industry is of great importance and bears a direct relation to the 

 profits from the flock. Three essentials are necessary to produce a 

 desirable lamb carcass: (1) good breeding, (2) proper feeding, and 

 (3) castration and docking of the lamb. The most desirable and thus 

 the most profitable lamb carcass can not be produced from lambs 

 which have not been docked and castrated. 



Agencies interested in the sheep business are making an effort to 

 educate the American public to eat more lamb and mutton. If this 

 effort is to be a marked success, the lambs must be properly bred and 

 fed, and the carcass must be of a desirable character. While beef, 

 pork, and lamb sell at somewhat similar prices, an increased con- 

 sumption of Iamb is dependent upon a supply that is at least as good 

 in quality as the other meats. 



The farmer does not market his bull calves as bulls, nor his boar 

 pigs as boars. Why, therefore, should he market his male lambs as 

 ram lambs rather than as wethers ? The correction of this neglect by 

 docking and castrating the lambs is vital, and upon a more general 

 observance of the practice in the farm flocks hinge the real profits 

 and more general success. If the industry is to be made to yield satis- 

 factory returns, the docking of lambs and the castration of males not 

 intended to be kept for breeding purposes should be attended to with- 

 out fail at the proper time. 



170706°— Bull. 1134—20 3 



CARCASS. 



