The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-20


a profit OF IS to SO per head. He would
seldom indeed make SO much profit from
growing sheep for four months or steer
for FIVE months. If our farmers saw this
question as l see it they would never make
the great mistake of shipping young cattle
CUT Of the state in trainloads TO go West and
South, and also Of shipping cattle to the
market when only half fattened.
Sheep are being fed in considerable num-
bers at our own stock yards. Not fewer, per
haps. than 200 900 head have been thus fed.
While this fact is 50 far gratifying, q far
larger number in the aggregate should be
fed upon our farms. Assuming that We have
100000 farmers in the state, which is probably
an underestimate, and that but one farmer
IN ten fed but one double deck carload OF
wethers or lambs every year. Assuming that
the car would carry 1S0 range wethers in the
finished FORM or $50 range lambs, that would
mean the fattening Of 100000 wethers or
100000 lambs every year. Why should We
not do that and more?
Our state has wonderful adaptability for
growing sheep. The evidences Of this abound
On every hand. Our lands are rolling, and
generally speaking, they are dry. Our grasses
are varied and nutritious very large pro-
portion Of the state has ample material for
shelter and for fencing. Shade abOunds in
nearly all parts. Streams and lakes with
waters the purest Of the pure abound on every
hand No end OF forage can be grown TO
supplement- the pastures. Folders, varied and
nutritious, can be provided to any extent de-
sired, and coarse grains enough may be grown
every year to faCten all the sheep that are
produced between the Mississippi and the Pa
ciic ocean.
The uncommon adaptation of the state to
sheep husbandry is being demonstrated at the
state experiment station. For two seasons in
succession sixteen head of sheep and lambs
have been pastured all summer on one acre
Of land. IN each instance more than 500
pounds of mutton was the outcome Value
this at four cents per pound and We have a
return OF so, less the labor and seed. Value
il at five cents per pound and We have a
return of SIS. less the labor and seed, from
one acre. The cleaning Of the land, and
the nice condition in which y is left, viii
go far to offset the cost of labor and seed.
At the same farm, in the summer of 1896
Sc head Of sheep and lambs were pastured on
ten acres Of land from May l to Nov. 8.
FROM the same land more than eight tons
OF cured fodder were reaped, and more than
six tons Of green fodder. The land is sandy
in texture and rolling in character, and in
the matter Of fertility is not to be compared
with the average land Of Minnesota; it is
lar below. Take only one acre in fifty
In our state, and set it aside for sheep hus-
bandry, and the land thus used could be
made to sustain 1 3l5, 1858 head on the sup
position that it sustained but four head per
acre during all the year. This would be a
greater number than is now found in any
that is to say, 13 acres in each section thus
managed would make Minnesota the greatest
sheep-ratsing state on the continent.
But the adaptation Of our state in summer to
the growing of mutton, is ever outdone by it's
adaptability in winter. Ours is q glorious eli
mate in which to fatten sheep in winter. We
know almost nothing of a downpour Of rain
from November to April. These cold rain
storms are the dread of floekmasters wherever
they occur. The sunshine is the brightest dur
ing nearly all the winter. The air is cold
but what of that to animals much better clad
than we are? The weather is steady and be-
cause Of the bracing character of the atmos-
phere, the sheep are never "off their feed
when Judiciously fed. They have only to eat
and then 60 and lie down and chew the cud
Of contentment and grow fat At our Mime
sofa state fair in 1896 mutton was fattened
at a cost Of three cents per pound live weight
for the increase. This does not of course
take into account the added value put upon
every pound Of the original weight Of the
animal when the fattening season began
Why shouldn't We fatten sheep in the winter
season by trainlOad upon trainIoad?
As the discussion of the mode OF modes of
fattening sheep will be taken up by men who
have shown themselves masters in this line
Will not dwell upon that feature of the
Work, further than TO refer to our experience
at the university state farm. We have fat
tened sheep at that farm for three winters in
succession. In each instance, the work has
proved remuneratiye. Those sheep have been
fed in various ways and upon various kinds
Of food, and in each instance they have done
well. We have fed them indoors in properly
ventilated sheds. We have fed them entirely
out OF doors, and with the chance Of going
out and in at will They have been fed on
screenings, on wheat, on oats and oiIcake
and on barley, oats and oilcake; and in other
instances. Held roots have been added 10 the
ration We have fed them in self feeders. and
on a forcing but limited ration, and on a ra-
ton more moderate il character and in all
instances they have done well, though Of
course, not equally well. These results would
not have followed uniformly in a land less
adapted IN its natural conditions, to the in
dustry. And let it be observed here that
the grain foods used were just such as any
farmer may grow. The fodder was mostly
native hay, and not Of very good quality
Clover hay would have given better results
There is a wide open door here for further
experimental inc
directly to sheep.
Think Of the simplicity Of the work of fat
ten1ng sheep. The shed room is Of the sim
plest The only fencing required is enough
10 enclose yard. and It NAV be to make one
or more divisions Of it. Bedding strewn over
the yard once week will suffice Food is
only wanted twice day. The fodder does not
need TO be cut. The grain does not require
to be ground. Give the sheep food and drink
suitable for them and they will eat and drink
and grow fat OF course the fa++pnpr ~
sheep will have his troubles and in coinr
into the sheep business IL is well not TO ig-
more the thought Of these. Now and then q
sheep may die under the best Of management
Just as now ana then a man will die under
the best Of sanitary conditions Sometimes
unless watChfulness is exercised some cases
OF tapeWorm or footrot or scab will show
themselves, but the percentage of loss should
be light when the management is right M
diseases, sweeping in character such as hog
cholera or swine plague ever visit our focks.
When losses do occur they are usually NJ
the unit order. And OF course it is easily
possible to buy on a rising market and sell
on falling one just as the same is possible
in handling live stock Of any kind
The indirect and collateral advantages that
grow out Of sheep husbandry are many 1t
does seem singular that they have not exer-
cised a greater influence in this Western
country. Think Of the little labor COMPARE
lively in growing sheep. No warm stables
need to be built, unless where early lambs
are grown. No stalls need to be made. The
sheds only want to be cleaned two or three
times g year. They can be more easily kent
in BY fencing than a pig, a horse or a COW
There is no labor Of milking or churning or
marketing butter or cheese. For seven to
eight months in the year they will pick their
own living in the fields and under All cir
cumstances the care required in winter is
simple in character. Think Of the influence
pose you take sterile piece of land and let
sheep 10 pasture on il for 4 single season
Suppose the sheep are fed. in addition to the
pasture, some rich food. as, for instance, oil
cake and corn. At the end Of the season the
land should be enriched. if the area is NOT
disproportionate to the number Of sheep kent
on it The fertilizer will be spread over il
more evenly than it could be by Kemp's man
ure spreader, and the soil will be richer
than If there had been spread upon 1t nj
taIeS from Peru. potash from Germany and
superphosphates from the manufacturers of
ground bones. And in addition to the fer
ui1ty added to the soil. the increase in the
flesh of the sheep should more than paw for
The olleake and corn. No machine has yet
been invented since the world began that
will equal the sheep as manufacturer Of
manure. and no machine ever Will be invented
TO the end Of tine that win beat q sheep as a
distributor Of the same
Think also OF the good work sheep may be
made 10 do in the destruction Of weeds
Theodore Louis has an excellent plan which
ne advocates in destroying weeds. His plan
Is 10 keep them in torment wT-h cultivator
There Is only one way. perhaps. that is bet
ter. and that is to turn them into mutton
Sow two or three crops Of food in season
and allow the sheep to take care Of the CROP
and alSn Of tha nrAAls A 49,. LII