Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-04-27
FARMER AND PLANTER.
MUTTON SHEEP,
Their High Price Is stimulating Interest In
the English Breeds.

Their High Price Is stimulating Interest Ia
the English Breeds.
The high price ofshcep during recent
years has awakened interest in the En-.
glish breeds to degree never before
witnessed in this country Our people
are gradually becoming acquainted
with the tenderness and flavor of well.
fed mutton, and we may look for nc
retrograde movement, but rather q
rnpidly-increasing demand IN the future,
Heretofore with our tioch-masters
wool production was the primary and
mutton secondary consideration,
Now many are beginning TO see that
for the older sections of the coun.
try, and especially in the vicini-
ty of our large cities, the pro-
duction Of choice mutton and
lambs opens up an industry the posi-
bilities OF which are as yet little real
lied. In taking up the mutton breeds
OF sheep, one Of the first requisites is to
dislodgc from our minds as soon as pos
sible many OF the preconceived notions
i'll regard to successful management,
for in this country our knowledge of
sheep husbandry comes almost entirely
through handling descendants of Span
ish flocks, and such sheep are very diff
fcrent in quality and requirements
from the English breeds.
The first and greatest difference is
seen in the marked ability of the Span
ish sheep to be crowded into large
flocls, in which particular they have no
equal nsmost cases our sheep de-
scended from the Spanish have been
maintained upon very limited variety
Of food during the winter months The
mutton breeds will bear no such crowd
ing into large flocks, aud will not
thrive upon a diet restricted AZ 10
variety. These differences are easily
comprehonded when we reflect upon
the great differences of management in
the past history of the breeds. With
the mutton breeds those conditions
which have brought them into their
present form and favor in England must
surround them here if we hope to hold
them to high standard. The basis of
sheep husbandry is the turnip In
Canada, where these breeds have sue
ceeded admirably, the climate and
crops are quite different from those of
the Mississippi valley. Intimately con-
nectcd with the British isles by de-
scent and agricultural methods, the
Canadian farmer has always been par
tiai to the root crop, and to this we
may ascrhe in large measure his sue,
cess in maintaining the high standing
of English breeds on Canadian soil 1t
may be possible that in bringing these
sheep to the United States we can cut
loose from all traditions relating to
their management, but such seems un-
reasonable, and thoughtful persons
will scarcely dare make the venture.
They have large framework, which
is covered with deep, juicy, tender
flesh; to produce such carcass will
call for high art in feeding and man
aGement
Can our American flock-owners hold
English brcelsu to the English stand
ard? The main difficulty seems to Ii,
in the lack of succulent feed during OH
long winters, We have never taken
kindly to root culture; the American
farmer utters groan at the mention
of the root crop, TO him there are Just
three crops: corn, oats and hay, with
the oats for horses only, and unfortu-
nate is the animal that call for "side
dishes" Corn and hay alone will never
suffice for winter feeding of the sheep
in question There must be something
succulent. Much as we pride our
selves on our agriculture, we have
lessons to learn from our foreign
neighbors to ignore which will be to
court failure. We are led to these re-
Elections by the case of the farmer who
recently embarked in this line, and
last winter was complaining that his
first crop of winter lambs, nearly one
hundred in number, were not thriving.
Investigation discovered that they were
costive, and no wonder; they and their
dams were kept upon hay, corn fodder
and dry grain. The owner had started
into this new industry without a
thought of providing succulent feed
for winter, and severe losses were the
result. III winter lambs are to be raised,
roots are prime requisite; they should
not be neglected, even though Landing
time be delayed until spring. 1t is
quite probible that corn silage will
take the place of roots where sheep |
have sufficient age to masticate it, but
we can hardly expect it to be suitable
for lambs in winter. From numerous
reports it certainly has proved well for
older animals.
Another point of Importance is that |
smaller tiocks of the mutton breeds |
must be carried than of Merinos. While |
IA large number may be gathered to-
yether for n single winters feeding,
few farmers can maintain large focks |
Of these breeds for any length of time
with profit. Our idea of the size of focks |
are made up from Spanish antecedents;
let the beginner shut his eyes to this
and accept English expert
ence and English practices instead. |
Because large profits are possible with |
twenty or forty head of ewes, they |
figure corresponding returns for TWEEN
Iy or forty times that number Moth
n9 is more delusive than this sort of |
1t is the hidden rock in |
the sea of activities which wrecks many
Of our calculations. A little learning
S dangerous thing, and many in
starting with the new breeds had bet
ler ignore prcconceived notions on the
subject entirely, and form their ideas
md practices from our British and
Canadian friends whose success is be-
1ond question. These heavyweight
'apdly-maturing breeds can not be sue
'essfully managed on the basis of aver
lge American merino experience.
Breeders Gazette.