The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-09-02

MI. InOmaS shaw, OF the MINNESOTA
State Agricultural College, is the best
recognized authority on sheep breed
Ing In the West. In an interesting
article in the Northwestern Agricult-
urist ne answers some questions that
occur to many farmers as to breeds,
breeding, feeding and management:
THE breed OF grade OF sheep should
be guaged by the object of the grower.
IL he wishes to raise pure breds. the
o money, as fashion runs now,
would probably be made from some OF
the Down breeds, as, for instance, the
Shropshire, Oxford Down or South
down. But taking it for granted that
grade sheep are meant. l would I'M
hesitatingly recommend what may be
called common ewes Of good form. By
good form l mean compact, round,
plump bodies, good, full, wide breasts,
long and deep hind quarters, and legs
short rather than long. l would not
care much what the breeding was pro-
vlded there was not too much Merino
blood. But grade Merinos will answer
to begin with, for they are very hardy.
ASSS PulC-UlCu Aull6 oAly oAoaAu
be used, and preferably those Of the
dark faced breeds. But it is not al
ways necessary to use such rams. A
cross of the long woods, as for in
stance the Leicester, the Lincoln or
the Cotswold made now and then may
answer very we'll. But try and get
good, ptre-bred rams. This is all-im-
portant. On 200 acres of good rich
land 800 sheep and lambs could be
grown per year. But to do that would
require skillful management. Proba-
bly, half that number could ordinarily
be kept. At one station farm we have
pastured sixteen ewes and lambs all
summer for two successive summers,
but that was by what may be termed
a forced system of production. The
number, Of course, will largely be reg
ulated by the skill Of the flock master,
tho nature of the soil and the size of
the sheep. The net income will vary
with the size and quality of the sheep,
and with the wool product. But a good
well-grown lamb at one year should
weigh 100 pounds IN an average. That
weight is far above the average here,
but that 1T Is SO is not the fault of the
sheep. A we'll finished lamb at the
age Of ten to twelve months should
bring ordinarily at home from four to
five and a half cents per pound 1--we
weight. Ordinarily they don't bring
nearly that much, but that is not the
fault OF the lambs, but rather of the
growers. Such a lamb should shear
from, say seven to twelve pounds OF
wool, according to the grade. The
fleece OF older sheep would be d couple
Of pounds less. The best pasture Is a
big question. Winter rape sown late
In August will provide excellent fall
and spring pasture. After the rye is
eaten off in the spring, it may be fol-
lowed by the Dwarf Essex rape or by
sorghum. All these make excellent
pastures. When the lambs do not
come till the grass is plentiful, ewes
may be wintered very we'll in a shed
made Of poles and covered so deeply
with straw as to prevent rain from
dripping through, but If the lambs are
to come early 1t is imperative to have
warm lambing pens. While sheep
husbandry is more easily learned than
managing of other kinds of live stock,
let me drop a word of caution to those
who have never kept sheep. They
should begin gradually where they are
unable to command the services of an
experienced shepherd. Everywhere
unless on marshy land, 1 would like
to see people going into sheep. They
cannot do better. But again l say be-
gin gradually.