Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-05-20
A TIMELY TOPIC.
Selecting UnproHtable sheep aud Cows for
summer Slaughter.

Selecting UhproHtable sheep and Cows for
summer Slaughter.
Farmers who keep sheep would do
well al shoaring tima to pass judgment
on the value of each one as the fleece
Is removed. II the fleece is light in
weight and poor in quality the prob
ability is that the sheep from which it
was taken is not worth keeping 1t is
not a good animal to breed from, as
"liko produces like" and there is no
prospect that it will produce more or
better wool in the future. 1t is not a
good sheep for wool, and the only
chance to make money out of the an.
imal is in preparing its flesh for food.
II will be best to mark it to distinguish
it from the sheep that produce wool
enough for the food they eat and the
trouble they make, and to place il
where il will become fat as soOl as pos
sibe. A farmer who keeps a hundred
sheep can select enough at shearing
time to supply his family with fresh
meat during the summer and fall with
out greatly lessening the value Of his
flock for producing wool. Ifonc fleece
in every ten is very poor in quality il
will bring down the value Of the others
when the entire is offered for sale
Every shecp-keepcf should endeayor to
improve. year by year, the quality OF
the wool, and shearing time affords
the best opportunity TO select the ami
mails that make poor return for their
keep. By putting them into a good
pasture aud feeding them some grain,
they can be fattcncd in few weeks at
very small expense. The butchers in
small towns generally have trouble TO
lind mutton TO supply their customers.
and are prepared to buy fat sheep Of
farmers who live near them. Withers
can be made fat by the lst OF July,
but ewes that have lambs must DO kept
till later in the season.
As the weight and quality of the
wool obtained at the annual shearing
should decide whether it is profitable
10 continue TO keep certain sheep in
hock, 50 the amount and richness Of
the milk given by cows during several
weeks should determine whether they
are profitable tOkoep in Il dairy herd. a
milk-prOducer can not afford 10 keep u
COW that onlylfurnshcs a small amount
Of poor milk during a few months
in tie year. Neither will he find profit
in keeping one that is a hard mixer
one that Is inclined to kick on yery
slight proyOcation or one whose milk.
ing period Is quite short. Cows whose
record IS bad In either Of these respects
are not worthy a place in dairy herd.
nor are they desirable rs breeders OF
dairy stock. They should be used
Cor filling Me beef barrel and not the
milking pail. The sooner they are con-
yerted into beef the smaller will be the
loss 10 their owner The vnluc Of y
COW as mixer can generally be de-
termined during the summer after she
has her first calf. She will probably
give more milk the second season than
the first, but II her milking record Is
very poor the first year II Is quite Ger.
tain that II will never be very good in
any subsequent year. II is best 10 de-
eide within three months after a COW
has had her first calf whether she will
be profitable for n member Of a dairy
herd. An intelligent opinion can be
formed by accurate weighing or meas
ureing her milk, by seeing how much
cream 1t produces, and By comparing
them with the milk or cream furnished
by superior COWS. A COW that fills
the milk pail twice a day during eight
months Of the year consumes hardly any
more food than one that only half fills
n during a much shorter period. She
requires no more room Ia the stable,
and quito likely requires no moroof the
time u the man who mllks her- -Gsl-
lalo ILlhea.