St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-09-19
FARMER ANDPLANTER
SHEEP RAISING.

SHEEP RAISING.
The soothdown Outlook Inteliis emily Re-
viewed.
From report Of Secretary Jno. G. Springer. at
meeting OF the American Southdown Asso-
citation. May "a. 1861
While the sheep industry continues
In bad way" yet there are thou
sands of fcck owners who do not let
encouragement get the master hand.
II the sheep they have been raising.
wool producing ores, is not now n
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 SOFT of meat.
While the class of mutton that has
been thus sold has not always been
such rs to make it's continued use de-
sirable yet, rs q rule, the excellency
of this meat has made a very much
greater demand for it, especially SO il
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 90 to
100 pounds, and has the lean well mar
bled with the fat.
To fill these requirements the south
down is unquestionably the best: in
fact is the only breed, purely bred or
scrubs, that within its own blood fills
the bill" for mutton that IS now in
greatest demand and commands the
highest price; it is the standard breed.
with which all comparisons As 20 NUT
ton are made. Another breed may
ne larger, and it may be some
times claimed the mutton of other
breeds is equal to il, but it
is never heard that any mutton is the
superior of the Southdown. 1t ran Gc
safely said that well bed and we'll
fed yearling Southdown, if properly
dressed, will produce meat more pleas
ing to the palate, more easy Of diges-
tion and more nutritious than the
excepting venison and wild fowl. with
all their reputed richness in gamy,
spicy favor
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
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 will be the production. The
lack of Southdowns, and the inferior
ity of that from other breeds, has
caused call for '.cross-bred" mutton.
A leading breeder and feeder who is
using Dorset rams on Shropshire ewes.
writes: "Cross-bred lambs are the sort
for feeding every time" II it be SO
that the cross of two breeds, inferior
as to mutton qualities, will improve
the sale of meat. it Is certain that the
crossing of the Southdown, superior in
all the qualities desired. with either
Ct these or any breed, will produce u
greater Improvement"
In times past our hocks have been
largely wOol-producing, mainly Meri-
no or Merino crossed; it now being
necessary that these flocks be changed
in the quality Of the mutton, the char
acter of the wool must be expected to
be also changed. because the breed
that excels in both of these produc-
tions has not yet been found. The
Southdown, compared with the Merino
being next in quality of wool. and
to care for themselves. AMI with less
liability to disease, will more quick
ly and effectually make superior mnt-
ton sheep of the great flocks
of our country without detriment
to health and hardness, and less loss
Is to wool qualities than any other
breed, and yet have in these flocks
animals that may be naturally and
easily returned to the wool-bcaring
Aluu WHCu luIS SOTt ID 6K0Iu III uc.
mand. Except in some cases as to the
quality of wool. the introduction Of
Southdown blood into any breed, pure
or scrub. will be beneficial.
As the situation now is, the South.
down being at the head of all breeds
of sheep for the requirements Of the
market, and the best for muttoniz-
ing the wool-bearing fiocks with less
detriment to their health, hardness
and wool-producing qualities. there
can be no doubt but that the South
down breeders will. during the COM
ing season. find ready sale at reasona-
bic prices for all the surplus breeding
animals they have. The opportunities
thus afforded are such as are seldom
presented for pushing the introduc-
ton Of any breed of domestic live
stock; the sun shines" for South
down breeders; they only need to push
the advantages thus afforded them,
and by only selling animals purely
bred, 80 guaranteed by registry. in or
der that the reputation of these sheep
shall be increased and demand for
them increased.
MAKING HAY.