But later it became the custom to corral the herd and run them through a chute, where each individual could be carefully inspected and its age agreed on by both parties.

Even that might not prove quite satisfactory, as will be shown in the following instance.

I had sold to a certain gentleman (a Scotchman again), manager for two large cattle companies, a string of some 1000 steers, one, two and three years old.

I drove them to his ranch, some 300 miles, and we began classing them on the prairie, cutting each class separately.

It is difficult in many cases to judge a range steer's age.