The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-08-29
FARMER AND PLANTER.
SHEEP RAISING.

tfTOm report OF SecretdTT Juos ". cpEtuBcts ~ 1
meeting Of the American Southdown Asso- |
citation, May q. 1901
While the sheep industry continues |
In bad way" yet there are thou
lands Of flock owners who do not let
encouragement get the master hand. |
II the sheep they have been raising, |
wool producing ones, is not now a
paying business, they are willing to
change their focks into the sort that
the times demand.
The large number of sheep that have
been forced upon the market in the
last few years, made mutton prices
lower than beef or pork, hence caused
Its use by many who have never before
been consumers of this sort of meat.
While the class of mutton that has
been thus sold has not always been
such as to make it's continued use de-
birable, yet, as q rule, the excellency
Of this meat has made a very much
greater demand for it, especially so II
Of the right sort. As in the case Of
beef and pork, the old, over-fatted,
heavy carcass does not find ready sale;
top market prices are only paid for
young, fast-grown and lightweight
animals. The type of mutton now
In demand, and that always finds
ready sale at the highest price,
must be lamb ten or twelve months
old that has been kept in rapid growth
from birth, and weighing from 80 to
100 pounds, and has the lean we'll mar
bled with the fat.
To I'LL these requirements the south
down is unquestionably the best; in
fact is the only breed, purely bred or
scrubs, that within it's own blood fills
the bill" for mutton that Is now in
greatest demnd aud commands the
highest price; it Is the standard breed,
with which all comparisons as to NUT
ton are made. Another breed may
be larger, and it may be some
times claimed the mutton of other
breeds is equal to 1t, but 1t
Is never heard that any mutton is the
superior of the Southdown. 1t can be
safely said that well. and we'll
fed yearling Southdown, If properly
dressed, will produce meat more pleas
Ing to the palate, more easy of diges-
ton and more nutritious than the
meat from any other animal, not even
excepting venison and wild fowl, with
all their rcputed richness in gamy,
spicy flavor"
1t is not practicable to supply pure
ly-bred Southdown in filing all OF the
demand for superior mutton, nor is
this required, 1.-THE first cross with q
purelysbred Southdown will do won
ders in the way of improving the quail
ty of mutton in any breed, and the
more of this blood that is introduced
the better viii be the production. The
lack of Southdowns, and the inferior
ity of that from other breeds, has
caused q call for "cross-bred" mutton
A leading breeder and feeder who l.
using Dorset rams on Shropshire ewes
writes: "Cross-bred lambs are the sor
for feeding every time" If it be 81
that the cross of two breeds, inferior
as to mutton qualities, will improv'
the sale of meat. it is certain that thu
crossing of the Southdown, superior IL
all the qualities desired. with eithe
of these or any breed, will produce
greater Improvement"
In times past our fiocks have beer
largely wool-producing. mainly Meri
no or Merino crossed; 1t now beini
necessary that these fiocks be change
in the quality of the mutton, the char
meter of the wool must be expected t
be also changed. because the bree
that excels in both Of these produs
tions has not yet been found. Til
Southdown. compared with the Merlin
being next in quality OF wool, an
their equals in hardness and abilit
to care for themselves, AMI with les
liability to disease, will more quicl
ly and effectually make superior mu
ton sheep of the great flock
of our country without detrimer
to health and hardness, and less los
as to wool qualities than any othe
breed. and yet have in these focl
animals that may be naturally an
easily returned to the wool-bearin
kind when this sort is again In d
mand. Except in some cases as to IL
quality of wool, the introduction I
Southdown blood into any breed, pul
or scrub, VIII be beneficial
AS the situatlou HoW ins tho ooce
down being at the head of all bree'
of sheep for the requirements of Il
market, and the best for muttoni
ing the wool-bearing focks with lie
detriment to their health, hardine
and wool-producing qualities, the
can be no doubt but that the Sout
down breeders will, during the col
trp eaasop And RANDY sale at reason
Bile prices for all the surplus breediI
animals they have. The cpportuniti
thus afforded are such as are seldo
presented for pushing the introdu
ton of any breed of domestic Ii
stock; the sun shines" for Sout
down breeders; they only need to pu
the advantages thus afforded the
aud by only selling animals pure
bred, SO guaranteed by registry, in I
da~ x1o{ tho - inn a tiou NJ these she