Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-06-21

G. r. T., Delaware County, n. Y,
writes: have been keeping fifty cows
without buying much feed, but as hired
labor is so expensive the profits are
small. Can l make profit on large
flock of sheep? / have about two hun.
dred and fifty acres of the best pasture
land in this county-well shaded, with
plenty of spring water. How many
sheep can / keep, and how many in a
flock can be kept with profit? winter.
ed fifty ewes and have raised seventy
six lambs from eighty-nine that were
born.
For several years past, as have been
attending farmers institutes in the
gested the wisdom of keeping sheep in
cases where the dairy was for any reason
undesirable, and on very many dairy
farms | believe few sheep can be kept
without any loss to the dairy, and ii
will be the means of increasing the
income of the farm. As | understand
this case, the owner proposes to give up
largely or entirely the keeping of cows,
and in their place substitute flock OF
sheep. His past experience with the
flock seems to have been quite Satisfac-
tory, but would have strongly object
ed to those thirteen lambs dying. Still,
that was not large death rate when we
consider that so per cent of the ewes
had twins. l don't believe there is any
section of New York state were land can
be utilized to better purpose in keeping
sheep than in Delaware County. The
land on those hillsides produces an
abundance of rich, nutritious grasses;
the water is the best, and conditions are
favorable for profit in the business, for,
while good sheep are now and always
will be profitable, this must be particu-
larly true all through this mountain
region, where SO many wealthy city
people come out 10 spend the summer.
All through this mountain section OF
the state there are large hotels which
are full to overhowing through the sum
mer months, and on hundreds of farms
the greatest income is derived from the
boarder from the city.
This army of wealthy people furnish
an excellent market for the best of all
that can be grown on the farm, and OF
all meat food there is none more delicate
more nutritious or more sought after
than lamb.
Improve your present flock, and if
more are bought, buy only such as are
best adapted To producing the best
lambs for the summer markets. Then
look sharply for patronage of the best
hotels and boarding houses, and the
best way To secure and keep this patron
age is always to furnish them quality
so good that they cannot get along with
out il.
would suggest gradual change, as
the large dairy farms of Delaware Coun-
ty as | have seen them are not usually
arranged in fences and buildings for
exclusive sheep farming. A half of the
cows might be disposed of the present
year and their places taken by sheep.
As To the number of sheep q. X. L. can
keep, there is a rule which | think is
perhaps quite correct, that six sheep
may be kept in place of one COW; thus,
il the farm is adapted TO keeping sheep,
| would suggest buying $50 sheep in
place of twenty-five cows sold this year.
As to the size of the flock that can be
kept profitably, don't know as there is
limit, provided the man who manages
affairs is just little larger than is the
flock. One of our good dairymen on the
institute force once said, The most
pitiable sight on dairy farm is 800
pound COW in the hands of l50-pound
man." The same thing applies to sheep
as well.
Ordinarily it is wise to avoid keeping
too many sheep in one flock during win
ter, as they will do better if kept in lots
of about fifty; and in sorting for the
different flocks it is better TO put those
of even ages and vigor together, and
feed and care for as they require. In
summer, when the sheep are on pasture
there is no limit to the number that may
be kept in one flock, provided there is
abundance of feed for them; but they
will always do better if changed from
field to field occasionally, instead of con-
fining them to one pasture through the
entire season.-Cor. in Tribune Farmer.