The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-09-17
al aeu Esamimcr
Cost Of Keeping Sheep.


think can keep one sheep and
one cow TO every acre on a'given
amount of pasture, just MS well as to
keep the COW alone. know that
can keep ten ewes through the win
ter on what food will be consumed by
u good, healthy, fresh cow. In regard
TO the alleged injurious effects of
keeping sheep and dairy cows in the
same pasture, as affirmed by some,
must state that | have never OBJ
= served them. And even If there
were any injurious effect resulting
from this practice, il would be con-
fined to the short space of time in
tervening between first turning the
cows TO pasture and harvest, say from
the middle of May to the middle of
July 1.-TWO months).s After that time
the sheep will prefer to cling to the old
pasture, while the cows viii be ever
seeking and longing for the new. II
has been my practice for the last ten
years TO select annually ut least three
of the best eve lambs, TO be retained
in the flock as breeders. and wedding
out annually us many older and infe-
rior animals. By so doing, if there is
any improvement made in breeding IL
will be retained and perpetuated in
the flock. II has likewise been my
practice TO change bucks ut least once
in three years.
COMPARED WITH HAY OR GRAIN
RAISING.
On land worth 800 per acre it will
not pay TO keep sheep for wool grow
T ing when hay is worth 500 ton, or
AAcorn 80 ccntssa bushel. The relative
gross receipts per acre would stand
in something like this proportions:
One acre Of land cutting two tons
of hay, worth $40; one acre of land
yielding fifty bushels of corn, worth
$50; one acre of land pasturing ten
sheep, yielding wool, worth $50.
But If each of these ewes produces
lamb worth five dollars, then the
gross receipts per acre will be swell
ed above that received from either
hay or grain. 1t is no uncommon
thing for the farmer TO purchase
twenty ewes at five dollars apiece,
making 800 for the lot, and before
the expiration of the year to sell for
~ dollars worth of wool, and lambs
amounting to 800 more, making
over 100 per cent on the Investment,
and have the original stock on hand,
worth as much or more than at the
time of starting. OF course this Is
- not TO be set down as profit. Neither
I is tho whole amount received for the
crop ofhay or grain 10 be consider
ed as profit. How many farmers can
tell exactly how much il COSTS them
to produce a bushel of corn or Il
pound OF butter? In determining
the actual profit on any crop, there
are many items of debit and credit
to be counted before the true result
is reached. In sheep husbandry the
credits come in under the head of
wool, lambs, mutton, manure, i'm
provement of the farm, etc, etc,
while the principal charges are prov
ender consumed and for labor in
their care. ltr
trust | have now sufficiently an
swered the question, what is the best
breed of sheep for profit; expressing
my opinion in favor of the South
downs, and il only remains for me to
append my reasons why: 1st--Thcy
are more hardy and better adapted
to our soil and climate. 2d-Thcy
Z mature earlier, being always ready
for market after three months old.
3d-The quality of the mutton is SUI
perior to that of all other breeds.
4th-Theyare more quiet in their
disposition and less inclined TO rove
5th-They will produce more meat
on IA given amount of food consumed.
--Eastburn Reader, in his address
before the Penn. State Board of Ag-