The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-04-27
From the Northern Farmer
breeding sheep.

MR. EDITOR: Permit me through your paper
70 suggest few thoughts on the breeding and
management Of sheep. My remarks shall b.
confined to the Western and interior parts Of
Michigan; but will apply with equal truth to
any State remote from the great mutton mar
kets. In such localities A. those Of this State.
lle production OF wool should be . primary
object And we should keep such sheep as
would yield the most wool upon the least feed
afford the greatest profit at the least ex
pense.
Now such sheep is the Spanish Merino; 70,
no other kind of sheep will yield the profit they
do. considering the cost Of keeping them. Ny
sheep are Spanish Merinos. and yield me- a
large profit. keep them in wan. dry sheds
TO protect them from the inclemencies of the
weather and cold rains Of winter. No AMI
NAL needs more such y shelter. and pays for It
better. Thus sheltered they yield . much
better fleece. consume far less food. produce
stronger lambs. aud in the spring are found to
be in a much healthier and better condition
| feed grain or Ruta Bagas once a day. and
give them clover hay and water once day.
Wa.er furnished them nj proper intervals. is
an essential part Of care and good manage
ueut.
Lambs should be we'll fed for the FIRST ten
or twelve months. They should in winter be
we'll sheltered. receive about gill Of oats per
day. and be fed on good hay. deem il also
advantageous to feed them once day on roots.
with the addition of few oats and some bran.
20 induce them to eat them. The roots are
vegetables. and therefore good substitute for
pasture: and the oats and bran tend 70 promote
a healthy growth Of wool. However the most
important part of breeding sheep consists in
the selection and of suitable rams. A
dack of ewes may posses every desirable quail
i,y. yetif Judgment is not exercised in select
ins the proper rams. the flock will soon dete-
riora,e. Always select . ram adapted to the
wants of the dook. II the ewes are inclined
70 be long legged. use . short. heavy ram: but
if they are short legged. tan buck should Be
selected for them. The most important thing
in making tho selection. is 70 get . ram vigor-
Gus and ambitious. possessing = fne form and
yielding heavy fleece Of wool. One of the
greatest errors that farmers are prone to com
nit is, that il for S3 or - they can purchase
buck that yields not moro than three or four
pounds of wool. they are apt TO buy such Q
one in preference to one costing o8 or $50. and
yielding as many pounds Of 6ne wool. Now.
the latter is. for the purpose Of improving the
dock worth . score Of the former. am sat-
sled that any farmer that owns 60 sheep,
would find it in the long run greatly to his gain
# he were to pay S25 OF moro for . superior
Spanish buck. The improvement in the flock
:. and the increase Of the wool. would be more
han equivalent to the increase Of the expense.
Ny flock last June sheared 81 lbs. Of washed
wool and every dock of the same kind Of sheep
may do as well by good care and management.
Let ever keeper Of sheep before buying ram.
ascertain the kind Of stock from which he has
been bred. and the quality and quantity Of his
wool, aud then let him select accordingly; and
he will end it in the end wise economy
]. HCloI. in.
Waterloo. Mich, Feb. 1855.