The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-06-29
Sheep Snfcrcsf.
Sheep and Cattle Raising.

Farmer, writing on the above subject,
says: MANY of the thousands of read
ers OF the MIRROR undoubtedly believe
the Vermont sheep fever, rs it is some
times called, is all a humbug, but |
do not thus look upon it, although not
in the business. 1t is true many sales
are made at what would be considered
a fabulous price, but when the annual
services of the sheep amounts to hun
dreds and even in some cases over a
thousand dollars, y person owning
such a sheep would naturally think it
worth a good deal of money. When
we hear of the wonderful fl eces shorn
this spring, some tipping the scales AZ
~thirtv-eight pounds and over, with no
chance for deception in putting NJ and
weighing, being done at public shear
ings, it is no wonder that wool-grow-
ers that consider four and five pounds
a good yield for a sheep say. mo sheep
ever sheared that amount of wool; it
is dirt and grease Well, this kind
of wool sells readily, and usually for
less than one-third discount in price
from ordinary washed wool, and at
that discount brings a good annual in
come per sheep TO the wool-grower.
! have not written this in the interests
of Il fancy sheep-breeders, but to
show what possibilities can be attained
by iudicious breeding.
Your older readers can remember
the times when five pounds were con-
sidered a heavy fleece, and at that time
had any person p~rophesied that a
sheep could be bred to shear annually
one-lourth and more of the weight of
its carcass, he would have been CON
sidered a visionary person. How has
all this been accomplished? In The
first place sheep are owned in large
focks, hence a great chance for selec-
lions; ana by careful selections and
judicious crossings, which our sheep
breeders have almost reduced to a
science, they are able to breed just
such a sheep as is desired. Now let
these same persons that have seen
such great improvement in sheep look
back and sec what improvements have
been made in our neat stock hardly
any. they will say, for the simple
cas- that the farmers have not bred
for a purpose. Occasionally a farmer
has brought to his farm a blooded an
imal, and perhaps a neighbor or two
has been induced to pay Il dollar for
the serving one or Two ows. and there
the improvement ended. Why? In
the first place the farmer, unlike our
sheep farmer, had no ideal type of the
prospective animal he wished to OBJ
tain, aud buying such an animal re-
gsrdless of its cost as would be likely
to develop such points as he desires, as
the sheep breeder has, he bought blood
and trusted to luck. Is not a perfect
type of orr native stock better to breed
from for improvement than an infe-
rior blooded animal? Then again, in
selecting calves to be retained for
breeding purposes. instead of choosing
a calf for its desirable points for inn
provement, size alone governs, and re-
ceiving extra care, size is the only sign
of improvement. Had the s~heep-breed-
er bred in the same reckless manner,
where would we find these heavy
fleece records? We should not have
them.
Now | think it possible to win as
great achievements in breeding our
neat stock as have been made in sheep,
but not in SO short a time, because we
have not so large herds to select from.
But in the first place the breeder must
form his ideal OF what he wants; then
apply his mind to the subject, so as to
judiciously bring out the desired points.
lie must get nj of his head the idea
that cattle are kept for beef alone {;
otherwise he will continue to founder
along in the old ruts. Only think how
lew of the calves dropped are kept and
fed for beef; more are kept for cows
than for beef, and here is the golden
opportunity for great achievements.
1t is more sensible for a man to breed
sheep for mutton alone, regardless Of
the fleece, as the lambs are never ''dea-
coned," or vealc6, but all raised for
their meat besides their fleece, than it
is TO breed cattle for beef alone, here
in the New England States. Cattle are
kept for dairy and beef, and in the
dairy the cow brings in annual sales,
and we have her left, while the beef
animal is sold and that is the end of it
Now does not common sense dictate
that we should increase those annual
sales? Most assuredly it does. An
increase of only twenty pounds annu-
ally would be m increased annual in
come of five dollars more or less,
which in a large dairy would be worth
looking after. Some dairles have been
improved to that extent, that three
hundred pounds of butter or Over per
year are made on All average per COW,
while individual cows have nearly or
quite doubled the amount; yet there
are diaries that do not yield one hum
dred pounds average per cow, and a
nan owning a%ndsrnnning such a dairy
must have some other source of income
OF else become bankrupt. | am aware
that lack of unity of opinion is the
great drawback on improvement,
esom preferring one breed, some
another; but let all cattle rails
ers be agreed, like our sheep men,
annual sales first, and then the carcass
for food last-and the problem is more
than one-half solved. 1t is not ncces
sary Cor me TO theorizc how it shall bt
done, Tor any one so disposed can thus
begin Improvement of his own flock
and Others will naturally fall in, once
the pool is agitated.