The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-16
pIFFERENCE TN MUTTON.
Che Younger the Animal the Better the
Meat, Ms q Rule.

DIFFERENCE IN MUTTON.
Che Younger ths Animal the Better the
Meat, ms Rule.
"a new subscriber asks US to state
the difference in the quality of mutton.
We suppose he means the difference be-
tween the meats of the different breeds.
1t is matter that we have frequently
discussed in our columns. Practically
in the American market there is no diff
ference. That is to say, mutton is made
from all breeds, and the average con-
sumner knows no difference. At best he
only knows when one roast of mutton
is of poorer quality than another roast.
And that knowledge does not lead him
to make inquiry of his butcher for mutt
ton of one of the mutton breeds, the
next time he buys. As matter of fact,
good Merino mutton is good mutton,
but it is not as good rs mutton from a
well-kept mutton sheep. Nature has
not made it so that it can produce so
good quality of meat A vast deal,
too. depends upon the character and
quantity of food. A well and properly
fed Merino will make better mutton than
poorIy-fed. very poorly-fed Shrop-
shire, Cotswold or Southdown. We be-
lieye that there can be no doubt of this.
Now the Dorset chalky downs and the
blue grass limestone pastures Of this
country make the best mutton in the
world. That seems to be the particular
kind of. pasturage that produces the
best mutton. What we have said might
indicate that the Merino could be fed up
to the highest mutton standard. Some
take this position. But that can not be
accomplished from the fact that the
texture of the meat will not admit of
such result.
But in producing mutton for the mar
ket there is a vast difference between
the Merino and the mutton breeds. The
profit in mutton production depends
upon earliness of maturity. If you
must keep a sheep several months
longer than would be necessary to keep
another sheep, before it is large enough
to be proiitably disposed of, we are not
only losing time, but we are losing in
quality of mutton. The younger the
animal, after a certain age, the better
the meat. as a rule. Consequently if
one sheep is ready for market several
months before another is, the mutton
will be better; and though, rs said be-
fore, quality, beyond the standard of good
or fair, may not cut a very conspicuous
figure in the American market at pres
ent it will some time, and it is our duty
to look forward to that event If u
Cotswold lamb will furnish forty or
forty-five pounds of mutton at an age
when the Merino lamb will furnish not
more than twenty pounds, in a mutton
point of view the Cotswold is the most
rSofitable, both in the matter of guan-
tity and quality. In selecting breed
of sheep, however, all the surrounding
circumstances need to be taken
into consideration. If we were COM
PEELED to throw away the carcass of
the Merino when the animal was no
longer useful as a wool producer, there
would be greater need of considering
more closely the difference in breeds.
But as the mutton carcass sells readily.
it is only necessary to take into consid-
Grafton the location and other outside
conditions. Of course, all understand
that the mutton breeds need better care
than the merino does. The merino will
live where the mutton breeds will
starve. and will do reasonably well with
neglect or necessary exposure that
would kill the mutton breeds This is
one reason why the merinO is preferred
for the plains. Another reason is that
those regions are 50 far from the NUT
ton markets. That IS matter to be
taken into consideration always, and
yet distance from the market does not
cut the figure that some suppose it does.
If man is very near the market there
would be no difficulty in deciding at
once upon a mutton breed. II he is
from the market then he may
select mutton sheep or the merino, ~
seems best under all the circumstances.
Kentucky sends thousands of sheep to
the Boston market, and sells this NUT
ton at two cents pound on an aver
age, more than New England mutton
will bring. This would indicate that
distance has little to do with the profit
able production of mutton, if the other
are favorable.
1t requires more care, on the whole,
to produce mutton than it does wool,
and tina. must be considered. Mutton
can not be produced, for instance. az
cording 10 the system in vogue on the
As already said, the feeding
must be full and the food of the best
quality, and the care must be excellent.
We can learn much from the English
system of sheep industry. England
produces the best of mutton because
they there take the best care of their
sheep. If they attempted to winter
their sheep, as hundreds among us do,
upon dry food, they would produce no
better mutton than we, do. But they
have long since learned the value of
roots, especially of turnips- Take away
the turnip, and the English hock-master
would be at sea. With their tlrnips
and rape they produce a mutton that is
tender and juicy. They feed, too. large
quantities of oil cake and other nitros,-
enous foods, which the. Rural has 80
often and earnestly urged every flock
master among its readers to do. We
must come to it if we expect to achieve
the highest success in mutton prodae-
tion Hes.ter,a P7Ir1I