The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-02-15
Sheep RAISING a Profitable Industry.

profitable results to the owner than
sheep husbandry, if conducted along
rational lines. To buy flock OF sheep
and turn them out to Craze on wild
lands and pay no attention to their
breeding and general management
will likely be an Improbable venture,
for dogs and other predaceous ami
mails are likely to decimate the flock
before the season is over. AS mat
ter of fact, the management of sheep
on this basis is clearly irrational and
cannot be expected to yield profit.
1t is also necessary in engaging in
the sheep business to see that the
foundation stocks are all right One
proposing to follow sheep farming
on commercial basis could not
do better than to buy the hardy
mountain ewes, which are capa-
bile of rustling for themselves. These
mountain ewes make excellent moth
ers and are, as rule, good mixers
and productive if well fed and nOur-
ished They can be bought at a very
reasonable price, anywhere from $1.25
to $3.50 apiece, depending on the
grade and location. Securing fOun-
dation stock is thus an easy matter,
and the investment required when
the profits are considered, is remark
ably small. 1t does not require a large
amount of capital to develop thriv-
ing sheep ranch. After the ewes are
secured, first class pure bred bucks
should be purchased preferably from
breeders in your own state, for then
they are more likely to be accustomed
to the climatic conditions and will not
suffer very much from change of lOca-
ton as sometimes happens when
a radical climatic change is made
However, during the cool weather in
early autumn, there is not much dan
ger in bringing them from any Sec
ton of the United States. The ShrOp-
shires have given excellent satisfac-
ton in our section in general, and
seem to be in favor with the average
sheep raiser The RambOuillets, how
ever have shown themselves well
adapted to this country and have
yielded a finer, and perhaps heavier,
fleece of wool under the same cOndi-
tions. They also seem to cross pretty
we'll on the native ewes.
There are in Washington's noun
famous regions many fertile valleys
capable of producing the finest kind of
grass and great variety of winter
cereals, which furnish pasturage
throughout fall and winter and early
spring, if properly managed. Wheat,
oats, rye and barley can be used for
grazing purposes, so that the flock
may have succulent food throughout
the winter, and there are many sue
cessful farmers who Craze their sheep
throughout the year, using the cereals
in the fall and winter and spring, and
the grass during the summer. There
are instances which have been called
to the writer's attention of men handl-
ing a hundred sheep and raising as
many as 100 or 1870 head of lambs
from these ewes, without the use of
any grain to speak of. AS there is
a good deal of rain in Washington dur
ing the winter season, it is important
that the animals be provided with
shelter, and especially in the noun
famous regions, for in some of the
higher regions the rain changes to
snow and vets the sheep to the skin,
or coats the wool with ice and sleet,
which is dangerous to their well be-
ing. Very cheap shelters can be made
These might be open on the south
side, and the roofs might be made
with slabs, and three sides protected