The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1897-06-18

Mr.. Thomas Shaw. Of the Minnesota
State Agricultural College. iH tho best
recognized authority ON sheep breed
ing In tho West La an Interesting
article in tho Northwestern Agricult-
urlst ho answers some questions that
occur 20 many farmers M 10 breeds.
breeding. feeding and management
"Thc breed or grade Of sheep should
be- guagod by the object Of the grower
n ho wishes to raise pure brodH, tho
most money. ab fashion runs now,
would probably be- made from rome OF
tho Down breeds. aa. for instance. tho
Shropshire. oxford Down or South
down. Hut taking II for granted that
grade sheep are meant. I would I'M
hesliatlngly recommend what may be
called common owes of good form. by
good form I mean compact. round.
plump bodies. good. full. wide breasts.
long and deep hind quarters. and legs
short rather than long would not
care much what the breeding was pro-
vidod there was not too much Merino
blood. Hut grade Mcrinos viii answer
10 begin with. for they are very hardy
OF these pure-brcd rams only should
be- used ana preferably those ~ the
dark faced breeds Hut II Ia not al
ways necessary to use such rams \
cross " tho long woods ns for In
stance tho Leicester. the Lincoln or
the Cotawold made now and then may
answer very well hut try and get
good. purc-brod rams. This IL ail.lm-
poriant. ON 200 acres Of good rich
land 500 sheep and lambs could be
grown per year. hut to do that would
require skillful management. Proba-
bly, half that number could ordinarily
be kept AZ one station farm We have
paaturod sixteen ewes aud lambs all
summer for two Buccoasiyo summers.
but that was by what may DO termed
n forced system OF production. The
number. OF couraa. will largely be reg
uiated by the skill Of the flock mastor.
tho nature OF tho soil and the sizo OF
the sheep The net income viii vary
with the slzo and quality OF the nheep,
and with tho wool product. but a good
wcll'grown lamb at one year ahould
weigh $50 pounds ON an average. That
weight Is far above tho average here.
but that II 10 NO Ia not the fault OF the
sheep. A well finished lamb ut the
age of ten to twelve months nhould
bring ordinarily at home from four to
i've and n half conta per pounI live
weight Ordinarily they don't bring
nearly that much. but that Ia net the
fault OF the lambs, but rather OF the
growers. Such n lamb should shear
from. say seven to twelve pounds OF
wool. according TO tho grade. The
fleece Of older sheep would be n couple
OF pounds less. Tho best pasture Is a
big question. Winter rape sown late
In August viii provide exccllon, fall
and spring pasture After tho rye Ia
eaten OF In the spring. II may bn fol-
lowed by the Dwarf Essex rape sr by
sorghum. All these make excellent
pastures. When the lambs do not
come till tho grass IL plentiful. ewes
may be wintured very well In shed
made Of poles ana covered 80 deeply
with straw as TO prevent rain from
dripping through, but II the LAMBDA are
tn come early II H. imperative to have
warm Landing pens. While Sheep
hushandry Is moro easily learned than
managing OF other kinds OF live stock.
let me drop word OF caution to those
who have never kept sheep. They
should begin gradually where tkny are
unable to command the services OF an
experienced shepherd Everywhere
unless on marshy land, ! would like
to sec people going into sheep, They
cannot do better, Hut again l say be-
gin gradually.