MUTTON AND LAMB.
Mutton and lamb are sold almost entirely in a fresh or frozen state. The bulk of supplies, except those frozen, are disposed of within a week or 10 days after slaughter. Approximately two-thirds to three-fourths of the wholesale supply of mutton and lamb consists of lamb.
Classes and Grades of Carcass Mutton and The classes of dressed sheep and lamb are vvethers, ewes, bucks, yearlings and lambs. This classification is based on differences in sex and degree of maturity. The grades of carcasses in the different classes are designated by the terms choice, good, medium, common and culls or canners. 'The grade and value of a lamb or mutton carcass depend chiefly upon its form, quality, covering and weight. The method of grading is the same in principle as the grading of beef.
Wether carcasses are distinguished from ewes by the cod fat; from bucks by their smaller necks and shoulders and finer quality, and from yearlings and wether lambs by round" joints on the fore-legs. The "bag') (udder) and a comparatively . large Thunie (pelvic cavity) are characteristic of ewe car casses. They also are distinguished from wethers as a rule by their more angular forms, longer necks, smaller bones and less abundant flesh, especially over the loin, back and ribs. Bucks constitute only a very small percentage of the dressed mutton supply. They may be identified by their thick, heavy necks, shoulders and briskets, large bones, coarse, dark colored flesh and fat and thick, oily or ((fell') Yearlings may be defined as carcasses that show by their general development and by the "break joint" that they are not mature sheep, but are too old and generally too heavy to be classed as lambs. Carcasses of sheep that are more im
mature than yearlings are classed as lambs. Like yearlings, they have the fore-legs removed at the °break-joint') or "lamb-joint," which has a tooth-shaped surface.
Mutton one-half the supply of dressed wethers, ewes and yearlings in large i wholesale markets is sold as mutton cuts. The two major cuts are known as racks or 'fores and saddles or hinds. The racks are made into stews and short racks. The short rack includes two-fifths and the stew three-fifths the weight of the rack. The cuts derived from the saddle are the leg and the loin.
The grades of mutton cuts are choice, good, medium and common. Cuts of these grades correspond in shape, quality, covering and rela tive weight to the same grades of carcass mutton.
Lamb Lambs are more largely sold in the carcass than sheep. It is estimated that one-fourth to one-third of the wholesale lamb trade consists of cuts. The methods of cutting and the proportions of the various cuts are identical with those of mutton. The grading of lamb cuts also is similar in general to that of mutton cuts.