The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-09-17
Live Stock.
SHEEP IN THE SOUTH.
XIII

ing Oil-1ncreased Wool His Main Useful
ness-FoOtrOt Surely AVOided-Making
Lambs-Ear Tabs-New Stock Ram at Be-
ginning of Sixth Year-A Shropshire
Chosen and Described-Heavy Fleece and
Best Of Mutton Qualities-His Pedigree
Keep Stock Ram Alone.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
At eighteen or twenty months old
the first crop of lambs are ready to
be bred. 1t is the third time of mat
ing for the old ewes or end of second
year in the business. Now is the
time to be again most careful in
selecting a stock ram for the pur-
pose, first of adding the greatest
amount of fleece possible to the off
spring and second, of keeping the
size up at least to the highest point
yet attained.
The great excellence of the Ameri-
can Merino now comes TO the front.
There being some so odd young ewes,
a yearling ram may be selected, if
carefully handled and stood and not
at all turned out with the ewes. No
need of using small ram because
there are plenty of American Merino
rams weighing $50 pounds and guar
anteed toshear 80 pounds of long,
fine greasy wool unwashed, of one
years growth. I should not discard
wrinkles but rather prefer them
moderately for this purpose and
would be sure to select one with as
greasy wool as possible, but in no
case at any time breed from a ram
that does not Enthusiastically show up
a good healthy and robust oonstitu-
tion.
See that he has a broad deep breast,
short rather than long legs, good
well-formed, sound feet, discard a
foot rot Sheep good length OF body,
square and straight down buttook,
rather straight (not swayed) back,
short but broad head, with thick
neck we'll set up at the shoulders,
giving upheaded lofty carriage, with
energetic, square (not shuf1ing)
movement of each quarter in walk
ing. See that his sire and grand
sire, dam and grand dam possessed
the same characteristics.
For our purpose in hand, high
toned premiums, and even pedigrees
may amount to but little buy a
sheep as we'll as pedigree.
I emphasize the matter of a thick,
heavy fleece not too short in staple
but we'll crimped at least two and a
half-better three-inches long un-
stretched, and nearly of uniform
length and density on belly and on
other parts of the body, with the
back, Much long very coarse hair
on the heavy folds and hips is OBJ
jectionable. For our purpose in
view select ram with some heavy
folds on the neck, perhaps at flank
and behind fore legs and on hips, but
be far more particular to have small
skin wrinkles much as possible all
over the body and markedly so on
the belly 80 as to give it close, firm
and solid feel and the appearance of
good greasy wool.
See that there is an abundant flow
of oil (yolk) from the skin into the
wool on all parts. This excess Of
oil in the Merino sire has tendency
to increased wool and establishes a
woody propensity in the offspring of
the GROSS, rather than too much
grease a characteristic that will
prove very profitable in the flock for
generations to come This excess of
grease in thoroughbred Merinos for
thoroughbred breeding is different
matter. am now writing of a cross
that is to be followed by a much
dryer wooled mutton sheep, hence
the Importance here attached to the
elements of density, grease, crimp
and quality of fleece.
In short, we may remember that
every pound of wool secured in the
heavy fleece of the Merino ram used
in this cross means an increase of
hundreds of pounds of wool added to
the annual feeces of the three crosses
of lambs secured while he stands at
the head of the flock. Tt is the great
purpose to be gained by this Merino
cross.
supposing the ram to be shipped a
distance, and TO make sure of no
footrot, Immediately on receipts of