St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-10-14
FARMER AND PLANTER.


FARMER ANDP PLANTER.
KEEPING SHEEP.
Their AdaptaAnlty to the Nssas q ~
S1nau far1er.
The number, breed and quality oe
sheep have much to do with the result
in the way Of profit The Farmers
Guide seys: sheep are especialiy
adapted 20 the small farmer and es-
pecially 20 when he i making IN effort
to save everything ON the, farm and
turn into . marketable product. They
are small and consequently do not re-
quire as much room rs cattle or horses
md IN feeding do not need as much
grain as hogs. sheep will aid TO keep
the farm clean during the growing
season and will in doing this consume
much that would otherwise 60 70
waste. While some grain will be
needed If they are comfortably shell.
tered they can be kept thrifty with
roughnesA OF course, the small
farmer can only afford TO keep
good sheep and then give them
good care. On the small farm necessi-
ty compels the making the most Of
everything, and this can not be done
with sheep unless q good grade is kept,
and they arc given good treatment SO
that the best growth Of wool and mutt
Ton may he secured. II this is done,
even with low prices for wool a fair
profit may be realized. f'
And there is no class of stock that
will pay . better profit for little IT
tention given them than sheep. They
need shelter, but no better than is nee
essary with any other stock. 1t is
necessary to have them warm and dry
in order to keep thrifty and healthy.
A lot or small pasture should be ar
ranged where they can be turned out
for exercise every day that the weather
will permit. Sheep do not bear close
confinement well and will keep health
Ter and thriftier II they can be allowed
to run out. The feeding should be lib
eral SO that the sheep will be thrifty.
1t is very essential in securing good
growth Of wool to keep the sheep
thrifty. and while oats, hay and corn
fodder may be made the principal ra-
ton, some grain should nearly always
be fed in addition. When the weather
is very cold and stormy sheep like a
variety of feed and want clean, dry
quarters, plenty Of water and salt every
day, and with these will grow wool
every day during. the winter to pay for
their feed. With good thrifty ewes
they will readily pay for their keep,
while the increase may be counted rs
profit and this is rather more than can
be said Of any other class of stock.
No more sheep should be kept than
can be sheltered we'll, and . sufficient
number should be kept TO insure them
good treatment. just how many Is
best to keep. each farmer must, In q
great measure, determine for himself.
Under present conditions there is nc
money in keeping sheep unless they
can be given good treatment, be well
sheltered and fed SO rs to keep in Z
good thrifty condition.
Because there are only few sheer
is no reason why they should be turned
out to look for themselves any more
than because . large number require.
considerable work. The farmer that
| makes the most money out of his stock
must be willing to look after them
whether the number be few or many,
and the work must be done in good
season. The small farmer can, Of
course, only keep u small number. but
he can realize larger profit in proper
tion to the number than . large flock
because they can be given better care,
and the better the treatment the more
profit. f5G
A small flock of sheep can be kept OF
the majority of farms with profit, bu'
il is only in exceptional cases tina,
anything like a large flock should
be kept. To be profitable in largs
numbers, sheep require certain
conditions that it is not possible t.
secure on the average farm, while ,
small flock will use to an advantag,
much that would otherwise 20 K
waste. but whenever the number ex
ceeds what can be fed well and shell
tered well there are too many, and thu
sooner . part of them arc sold the bet
ter. Every advantage must be takeI
with all farm products to reduce tn,
cost. With no good promise of any con
siderable increase in prices to increas,
| the profits, it will be necessary to de
crease the cost With the sheep, wheth
| er kept for wool or for mutton, this i
rs important rs with any other class o
products, and in no way can this b
done to . better advantage than to keel
| only such . number rs can be given tn,
/ 1,~Sx %r>u<vn~nt -TAvaa Farm ~w1