Market Lambs Official Results
Provided by, Kyle Wood, University of Kentucky
3-1-24 Cuts: 2-5-5
I like the Market Lambs 3-1-2-4
I am quick to sort up a top pair of stout, muscular built ewes. I prefer the body shape and lines of the gray tinged, thin hided sheep to start. Here is the biggest racked ewe that is the best in her forerib shape and in terms of topline, I like this one the best in her loin. Now, what makes the top close is the hip and hind leg design in tandem with her extra length and body found in the stout skulled, big boned ewe, but she is flat in her forerib, plain in her rack and I am just okay with how her loin ties in.
There is no question her muscle mass and quality easily keep her over the remaining two. From a carcass perspective 1 is stouter hipped, bigger stifled and will rail more pounds of product. Not to mention, the better build and balance of the closed faced ewe makes the cut even bigger. From the side, the 2 ewe is better in her topline, however she is one of two narrow based sheep with a drastic muscle and quality disadvantage.
With that stated, it’s the view from behind that sorts the bottom 2, 4. The wider pinned sheep comes fuller out of her dock, has more outer hip shape and takes that shape deeper into her leg. I get 4 is stout featured and big footed, but when you try to make sheep progressively wider from shoulder to hip this one needs more muscle from her last rib back and is easily the off quality, light muscled ewe.
