Milford chronicle., 1923-02-23
PROPERLY PREPARED LAMBS
BRING TOP MARKET PRICE

BRING TOP MARKET PRICE
Docking and castration of lambs
destined for the market materially in
creases their market value because of
improvement inquality, according to
the United States Department of Agri-
culture.
There are several reasons for this.
Docking makes the hind-quarters of
lambs appear more blocky and deep
and it also adds much to the cleanli-
ness of the animals. Thus they appear
more attractive to the buyer when
they reach the market. Ewes which
are to be kept in the breeding flock
should also be docked as a very large
portion of the unlocked ewes will fail
to breed.
Ram lambs over three months of
age tend to grow thin and develop
coarse shoulders and neck. Thin
fieshed, coarse, open-shouldered lambs
are not of a desirable quality and
when they reach the market they are
Disseminated against by the buyers
because of these features. If the lambs
are castrated and docked when they
are a few days old their growth will
not be retarded. On the other hand
they will present a better appearance
and if they have been properly fed
will have smooth, desirable finish at
four months of age. Lambs Of good
quality in this condition command
premium over bucky and unlocked
lambs at the markets. Oftentimes dur
ing the period when the Jersey City
market is receiving large numbers of
lambs from the Eastern States, lamb
prices at that market fuctuate sharp
ly because of the high percentage of
unlocked and bucky lambs which are
Disseminated against by buyers seek
ing a high-quality product.
Improving the quality of the lambs,
intended for that market will help to
stabilize prices, according to members
of the trade represented there.
Wether lambs are quiet and easily
handled. They feed well and make !
good gains in flesh, particularly in the |
hindquarters, the region of the high |
priced cuts. Thus a better quality of
carcass is secured together with high |
er market prices for wether lambs. |
Meat of this quality when sold by the |
retailer will result in well satisfied |
consumer and a future demand for |
more meat of the same quality. It is |
often stated that lambs which are to |
be shipped to the market before they
are four months old need not be cas-
trated. This is a mistake as some of
the ram lambs will begin to worry
the rest Of the flock and to lose flesh
before this time. Furthermore, the
market may not be strong at the time
the lambs reach this age and they may
be held back by the owner for several
weeks for higher prices. During this
time the ram lambs will not only rap
idly lose in weight but if kept with
the rest of the flock they will also
cause the ewes and eve lambs to lose
flesh.
Neither docking nor castrating are
operations if properly per-
formed. Lambs should be docked and
3astrated when they are from seven
TO fourteen days of age, as there is
no retarding of growth
md less pain than is the case when
hey are older. Lambs may be both
locked and castrated at the same time,
hus avoiding the necessity of hand .
ing them twice. The operations
should be performed on clear, cool
morning and care should be taken that
he animals are not excited or over
leated either before or after the work
S done.
A sharp knife or some type of dock
ng irons may be used to do the dock
ng. In either case the tail should be
'ut at the first joint which occurs
bout one inch from the body. If a
.nife is used the lamb should be held
With the feet up, ther ump resting on
he top of the fence or upon the knee
# the person assisting in the work.
there is less pain when the knife is
Ised but there is more loss of blood
nd it is sometimes necessary to tie
string around the stump to prevent
he lamb from losing a large amount
f blood. This string must be remov-
d few hours later. When hot irons
re used it is necessary to rest the
amb on a board. The irons scar the
tump as the cut is made and this
revents the loss of blood. The wound
vill heal more slowly, however, than
yhen a knife is used.
In castrating, the lamb should be
eld in the same position as for dock
lg. The lower third of the scrotum
hould be cut off and the testicles pull :
d straight out. 1t is highly important
hat the wound be washed with an
nticeptic solution and that the hands
nd knife be disinfected for each op-
ration. 1t is also necessary to fur
ish clean quarters for the lambs in