MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF LIVESTOCK 41 
deficient in conformation, Caaliy: or finish to be graded Prime. 
Similar considerations account for other variations in numbers and 
names of grades listed. 
Feeder ewe subclass—Compared with total market receipts of 
ovine stock, feeder ewes constitute a relatively small group. Ex- 
cluding slaughter ewes, however, the feeder subclass is numerically 
one of the most impor tant groups of the ewe class. However, trad- 
ing in such animals is a comparatively simple matter, for the reason 
that feeder ewes are usually sold almost entirely on the basis of erade 
without particular reference to age or weight. Hence no extensive 
schedule for this market group is needed and no detailed discussion 
required. 
Breeder ewe subclass—Breeder ewes constitute a group of con- 
siderable economic importance. In this group age is a prime con- 
sideration in determining values. With certain qualifications, a 
young ewe 1s more valuable for breeding purposes than an older one, 
because of the longer life of usefulness which the young ewe has 
before her. Because of such considerations a rather extended lst 
of age selections appears under the breeder ewe subclass. 
The names of the various age selections need no explanation, but 
some question might arise as to why 2 and 3-year-old ewes are 
bunched in a single group. 
In market pr actice 2 and 3- -year-old ewes generally sell on prac- 
tically the same basis. Buyers, as a rule, make practically no dis- 
tinction between them either in the matter of preference or price. 
This is not true of ewes that are either older or younger. Weight 
limits and grades appearing in the breeder ewe schedule are based 
on market practice and experience. Fancy is substituted for prime 
as the name of the top grade, for the same reasons which prompted 
similar substitution in the case of feeder and stocker animals of 
all kinds. No grade below common is listed under breeder ewes, 
because an animal so deficient in conformation, quality, or finish 
that it must be graded lower than common would not ordinarily be 
purchased for breeding purposes but would, as a rule, go for 
slaughter. 
SUBDIVISIONS OF WETHER CLASS 
With the exception of rams, wethers now constitute the least im- 
portant group of ovine animals, comprising on an average prob- 
ably not more than 3 per cent of receipts at most markets. ‘Even on 
the larger markets many days occur during the year when no wethers 
are offered. 
Wethers are divided into two subclasses—slaughter and feeder— 
definitions of which terms have already been given in connection 
with other classes of animals, 
Slaughter and feeder wethers are each divided into two age selec- 
tions—yearlings and 2 years old and over. The meaning of these 
group names Is apparent and the method of determining age the 
same as in ewes. 
Weight is a matter of considerable importance in wethers, chiefly 
because the consuming public makes rather fine distinctions between 
cuts of varying size and weight. The four weight groups appear- 
ing under each age selection of slaughter wethers are self- explana- 
tory. The same thing i is true of the grades into which each weight 
group is divided. 
