The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-11-24
Sheen Breeding.

Now is the time for Flock Masters to
look well to their ewes, selecting such as
possess those characteristics which they
desire to perpetuate, and rejecting those
that are fit for nothing but the butcher
Sufficient attention is seldom given to this
point, for though it is perfectly true that
the male, in all animals, is of more i'm
portance than the female, yet for the
production of perfect animals it is abso-
lutely necessary that both male and fe-
male be well bred, and if not individual
ly perfect in every point, the conforma
ton of the tDo should be such as, when
combined, to form the animal desired
Good breeders understand this matter
well, and assert their flock into several
lots, procuring buck for each lot with
those points strongly developed in which
the ewes are most deficient. But vast
proportion of farmers who keep more or
less sheep, neglect this matter altogether.
They often procure buck, which, how
ever useful he might be for other focks, is
totally unfit for that which he is intended
to serve. Again, in large flock Of ordi-
nary sheep there are often two or more
kinds of ewes with characteristics entirely
different from each other; hence, buck
that might be beneficial to the one would
be altogether unsuited to the other, and
more likely to propagate imperfections
than to neutralize them, yet how common
is it to let the whole flock run together,
and have the indiscriminate use of the
same bucks. With judicious selection
any of our ordinary heterogeneous flocks
might in few years, be vastly improved
without any more expense than is incur
red by the present needless, careless, and
Improbable system of breeding. g
The present high price of mutton has
led many, in this vicinity at least, to cross
their common merino sheep with Lei
cester or South Down buck for the pur-
pose of obtaining good sized lambs for the
butcher. We believe good mutton will
always command a good price, higher
than at present, and that this system of
crossing fine wooled with mutton sheep
will the most profitable species of sheep
husbandry We don't like to recommend
any one to breed from such cross, yet
we are not sure but little South Down
blood would improve the size, constitution
and fattening qualities of our common
sheep, without materially injuring the
quality of wool.
The time to place the bucks with the
ewes depends upon the location, the
breed, and the object Of the breeder AS
a general thing it is not desirabls to have
lambs before there is some grass for the
mother, and as ewes go from 22 to %
weeks, it is easy to calculate in any indi-
vidual case. In Western New York and
the first November is considered best.
AT this season grass is scarce and innu-
tritious, and as it is particularly desirable
that ewes well kept while the buck is with
them, it will be advantageous to give them
little clover hay, oats, peas, or oil-cake,
and to keep them at night in dry, warm
sheds. 1t is well to give the buck little
extra grain or oil-cake separate from the
ewes Care and attention to the flock at
this season, and during the winter, will be
amply rewarded by an increased number
of large and healthy, and by more wool
hof superior quality. Remember that
warmth is equivalent to food, and that salt
and water are essential to health. while
regularity in feeding is very desirable
Wool Groacer.
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