The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-06
LAMBS FOR MUTTON MARKET
INCREASING DEMAND FOR
YOUNGER MUTTON

f'rcft in Fattening and Marketing
Observation-Disclosures of Light Over
Heavy Lambs--MerinO and Dor
set Ewes In Favor for Producing
the Required Article for Our
Markets.
To those who may be contemplating thu
on!erg- r2ent o. Their flocks of sheep it VIII
be of interest to know tat the demand Is in
crsasing for quality of mutton which shal
carry with it more of the tenderness of tie
la:cb than is ordinarily fouGd to exist In
the so-called mutton distinct from the
meat of the lamb. The fact has, NOR; over,
developed in the process of trade that 1t is
more profitable to the producer to dispose
of his lambs by fattening and market ng
them before they have acquired the mutt
age on the general distinction which exists
in connection with lambs OF varying degrees
of quality the Iowa Homestead says:
In the markets of the world there are all
sorts of demands for all kinds of lambs.
Some markets will have nothing but the very
young lambs others tie ght lambs, AID still
others call for heavy lamb. For some time
past there has been disposition on the part
OF buyers to pass by the heavy lambs There
is reason Ior this az present which may
eventually pass away. The heavy lamb Is
the appearance OF an cd sheep. While it
has no appearance OF a sheep when alive, yet
when il is slaughtered and hung on e
hooks, it favors old sheep of some Of the
lighter breeds. The consumers have not be-
come educated to the idea that lamb can
be grown at the age OF six to ten months old
that will ght from 50 to 120 pounds live
weight.
Several breeds of sheep will produce heavy
lambs at a very early age, and the crossing
Of some of these breeds on smaller ones also
produces a very good market lamb. There is
a disposition on the part of many growers Of
lambs for market to still use the Merno eve
for producing the good lamb Of the market.
Others think this cannot be done un ess the
Dorset is employed. There are ether COM
binations for which great results are claim, d.
The breeder and the feeder has much TO do
with this, and whatever breeds he has adopted
will produce fine lambs for the market for
the very reason that he is constantly using
his skill in the production of the good article
fCr market.
There IS no denying the fact that soma
breeds of sheep are better for the FRO rue ion
OF lambs than others. The early matucin5
breeds like the Dorsets, Suffolks and Ham,
shires Will always be in demand for early
market lambs. If the lambs OF teese bIeeis
are kept until they are eight to ten months
old they may appear to be old sheep when en-
the hooks, and it may rot be we to / e p
them that long before marketing Them II
there is any objection TO the market lamb on
account of its heavy weight put it on the
market at earlier date. Age does rot need
to be factor, snce weight has a governing
influence in the premises. 1t is all the be t r
il one of these breeds can furnish the forty
pound lamb at six to eight weeks of age.
Let it be sold then, and a saving be made
in the feed. There should be decided al
vantage in favor of the bresd that can p-o-
duce a forty-pound lamb at six weeks cv3r
the lamb of the same weight which 1t has re-
CURED twice that long to produce. Breeders
of heavy lambs will have to watch the mar
kets, keep in touch with the buyers and the
work of education will still go on until the
heavy lamb will finally be in demand at a
good price.
The same journal says in regard to the
weaving of lambs:
-Four months is long enough for a lamb
to be allowed to run with its dam, and ii
it has been supplied with supp, ementary Cd
1t is as long as the lamb will care to co so.
WEAVING is critical time In the life of the
lamb. 1t would not be so II there were no
other dangers than that of the changed con-
ditionS relating to a change of fo-d 1t is
at this time when all insect and parasitic lie
are alert and whose influences will be brought
TO bear on the lamb that is just about to
change its habits, and if care and attention
is withheld it may prove disastrous 10 the
lamb.
We have found 1t very god plan to
wean the lambs and Instead Of taking the
ewes away from the lambs, we reverse the
method. The ewes are left in the dry pas
ture or placed lin the barn and the lambs
put in the meadow or in the growing m
II is at this season OF the year that the ne
cessity of good fences will be made manifest
The lambs will hunt the fence closely for
place TO get though, and will succeed if tn, re
is the least possible show. We have a G eat
deal of good to say of the corn fed fer the
weanling lambs. 1t is filed with succul mt
growth of all sorts, a few pumpkins have
been planted in the corn, ard the conditions
seem TO be Just what lambs like. As the
days pass by and the pumpkins ripen, one
or two are opened where the lambs en.er the
field, and they will soon learn to tap them
as they need them. The pumpk SEEDS will
d. them good In the way Of keeping the
clear of Internal parasites which are the
bane of lambhood. Where rape can ge grow
It IS a splendid feed for weanlings al hough
feeding on it is ats nde1 with some dargar
as they liable to bloat if not watched
closely. The aftermath of the meadow is
very good picking for lambs, and it may be
convenient to have them there.
close watch will have to be kept on the
ewes for a few days, as te good mixers
among them may have some trouble with
their udders. ii any of them are threa en- d
with milk fever they should be milked occa-
sionally to prevent it. The dams shcu be
on very dry and short food. 1t will aid la &C.
ly in the business if they are restrained fl ON
taking any food for a day or two. No sheep
will starve in that time or even longer, but
II will stop the flow of milk, and that is tn =
thing needful in weanings lambs.