Nebraska advertiser., 1861-03-21
WIN Sheep GrOWlng Pay?

We are often asked this question. We
can but thinksiewill pay a better per cent.
in this region than almost anything else.
The fact is.we believe that with a small
capital to begin with, either in Nebraska
or Kansas a man can make fortune
raising sheep without owning foot of
land. He can 60 back of the settlements
and herd his sheep on the open prairies
during grazing season. Build ''hay sheds"
in protected po{ltions for winter; buying
what corn he may need for winter feeding.
Here is a practical article on sheep
raising from the Prairie Farnser. What
is said of Illinois is equally applicable to
Nebraska or Kansas; perhaps ''more so"
as there is a better opportunity for gra
zing.
This question is frequently asked me
by those unacquainted with the business,
and always in tone of voice which in-
plies doubt. In view of his tone of Uoice,
1 give the questioner few facts and let
him make his own deductions. In attempt
ing to answer the same question l shall
do the same now.
Fact the first is, know shrewd men in
Pennsylvania. New York and Ohio, who
continue to keep sheep year after year,
on farms worth forty or fifty dollars an
acre, and not on grazing farms simply-
broken, hilly land or thin soil--but as
good grain farms as there are in those
Stales,-and where they are compelled
TO keep their sheep on their own land L.
not like we of Central Illinois, having graf.
Is, the pasiurage Of hundreds of acres, on
which some one else has to pay taxes
| know such men in those States who
grow wool exclusively, and yet whose
farms are so highly improved, and who
have as much money 10 loan as their wheat
/ growing, or cattle raising. or dalrying
neighbOrs. Now bear in mind that they
have more money invested Ia an acre of
land than the most OF Us in this State. and
also that grain Is worth more there, while
wool is worth nearly as much here as
there, barring the difference in condl-
lion But let us look at the manner in
which sheep are kept in illinois (CenIra!)
and see Il we can figure up any profit on
the capital invested. | shall speak only
of the main money proft,-although there
are numerous incidental advantages, !
think, in keeping sheep, which | will trea
Of in another article.
Our "sheep men" in this part of the
State keep hocks Of from one to six and
seven thousand head Their manner ol
keeping sheep may be stated an general
as this: herding on the open prairie thro
the summer, and feeding in winter OF
shock corn. have hand hired al six
teen dollars per month, who herds TIVE
: thousand sheep through the summer, and
a is feeding the same number this winter.
His wages may be set down as the
summers expenses, to which add the cost
. of from forty to fifty pounds of salt pc
week to the thousand head, (salI al from
S2, ,25 to 800 Der barrel }. and six cent
a head for washing aud shearing. Tc
this Is to be added twenty-five or thirty
dollars for shepherds assistance during
nlambing Time" This will make nearly
the whole summer expense, or,-if On'
has no tame grass to turn on when tht
prairie grass is dead,--for SIX months o.
the year.
If one has tame grass, the time of pas
turing will be extended from one to tw,
months, depending on the weather. Un
e der the most unfavorahle circumstances
such as having to feed Sir months, 1t vii
take to winter a sheep Con shock corn ex
clusively) from three and one half to fou
bushels of corn. In our part of the State
corn is worth one year with another, a
y average of about Is cents per bushel, pu
IN the shock,
= Now add the worth of this corn wit
le the same expense of feeding, and sam
worth of salt, 10 the summers expense
Now then find in locking back nine o
ten years at my wool sales. that my shee
have averaged me about Sl70 worth {
wool. this is an average of four and
fourth pounds of wool To the sheep, al Ih
average price of forty cents per pound
| GO dd poinl out a number of hocks lht
do a good deal better. | have average
about sevenIy-ive lambs to the huudre
ewes but in a mixed flock of ewes all
wethers put down half as many la'nl
as ewes. This number may strike yC
= as high bu, bear IN mind lha. we sell on
two aud three year welbers for mutton
that a flock hardly ever consists of ovt
one fourth or one third welhers. F.
nine years past with perhaps the exceI
tion of one year; a good lot of laniI
} would sell for $500 per head and haV
" never sold a lamb yet. | prefer to st
ne from the other end Of the flock.
am Now taking out loss of FIVE per Ger
from the flock, (although not an enlir
loss by any means, take the cost of keG
from the worth of wool and lambs, al
does it leave a paying margin? | kno
there are sundry "sortings" and extra b
es Dor, which | have not put down. bat as
C. is hard to compute, and bat ri6ing.
leave each one 10 make his own dedu
tions from the sum total 90 that score
As to recapitulation say yon buy 90
for Merino ewes The first day of Sepembe
YOU feed them through The winter al
> Shear from them 10 June 20 worth
. wool to the sheeP.-you raise Seveuty-fi
7 lambs 10 the hundred ewes. and sell the
at weaving time Isl September. up