GRADES OF DRESSED LAMB AND MUTTON 9 
tention on the part of producers. Aside from a few of the larger 
cities, hothouse lamb is not a factor in the lamb trade. Such lambs 
are generally marketed with the pelt on. Carcasses usually weigh 
from 15 to 30 pounds. The favorable conditions under which such 
lambs are produced are reflected in the uniform finish and quality of 
the carcasses. All grades are seldom found on any market, the bulk 
being Choice and Good. 
MUTTON 
Mutton carcasses are from animals of the ovine species which have 
passed the lamb stage. Breed, sex, feed, and handling are responsible 
for variations in the age limits at which maturity is reached. 
These variations involve months only, and at most will not show 
a variance greater than 6 months. It is, therefore, generally under- 
stood that lambs cease to be such from 12 to 14 months of age and 
that yearling sheep become sheep when around 20 to 24 months old. 
The minimum age of sheep which produce mutton would therefore 
correspond closely to the maximum age limits of lambs. 
In any event there are outstanding features peculiar to each 
group which are largely the result of age and these features are 
really the basis of the three groups — lamb, yearling mutton, and 
mature mutton. These features are rather definitely fixed and do 
not vary greatly in different carcasses of the same group. There are 
also some variations in maturity between wethers and ewes. Males 
are somewhat slower to mature than females, as evidenced by the 
relative hardness of the bones in animals of the two sexes of the 
same age. Allowances in these respects should therefore be made for 
conditions imposed by nature. In the process of breeding and giving 
birth the conformation of the ewe is changed to some extent. These 
changes do not appear in lamb carcasses and only on rare occasions 
in yearling mutton carcasses. 
YEARLING MUTTON 
Yearling mutton carcasses are from young sheep usually ranging 
from 12 to approximately 20 months old. Sometimes, however, the 
animal may be somewhat older. 
Such carcasses are distinguished from lamb carcasses by harder 
and whiter bones, darker and somewhat coarser flesh, firmer and 
somewhat thicker exterior fat, and more liberal quantities of interior 
fats grade for grade. Other prominent features which distinguish 
yearling mutton from lamb carcasses are wider and larger abdominal 
cavity and longer body and legs. The break joint of the foreleg is 
always a positive means of identification. This joint usually breaks 
in ridges similar in shape to a lamb joint, but the surface is rough, 
porous, dry, and lacks redness. A fair percentage of yearling mut- 
ton (carcasses) is found on the markets which do not show the rough 
saw-tooth effect when the joints are broken, but have instead a 
jagged and rough surface. This is because of more advanced age 
and becomes more apparent as the mature mutton stage is ap- 
proached. The break joint must be present, however, and if the leg 
fails to break at this point the carcass is mature mutton. 
The flesh of yearling mutton is dark pink inclining to a light red 
in color, comparatively tender, but lacking somewhat in juiciness. 
457964°— 42 2 
