The emperor used cattle, sheep, or pigs raised with the utmost care and attention in the T'ai-Lao (literally, "greater stables"); feudal princes sheep or pigs from the Shao-Lao (" lesser stables "), landed gentry smaller sheep and pigs.
天子用太牢（牛、羊、豕）、諸侯用少牢（羊、豕）；大夫與士，有田的用小羊或小豬，沒田的行薦禮，薦禮的供品是黍麥魚雁之類的四季時鮮。