The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-07-21

The only claim | might possibly make
for attention is that | ann probably one
ct the iirSt who commenced the bust
ness OF fattening sheep tor the market
IL the west.
Sometimes 1 feel that ! am, so to
speak. talked out" On the subject. but
with a new audience such as | have be-
tor me today my remarks. ] hope, may
not prove altogether tiresome.
! have entitled my paper 'conserva-
tism in Sheep Feeding" believing as l
d. that al this time OF high prices for
shaep and wool we should carry ON the
business on conservative lines.
| need not tell you that | am one of
youv adopted fellow citizens. although
l claim 10 be as loya! an American as
those of o who We're born under the
stars stripes.
l went 10 raising sheep for the WOOL ON
the then open prairie. Conditions soon
changed, however. TIL. country set
tied up very rapidly and we We're soon
confined 10 our own land, which pre-
GUIDED The grazing of large bands of
sheep. and we had 10 change our OPP
etttionS To the raising of corn and hay
for feed, and to depend ON the sheep
breeders OF the western states and ter
.~ttories 10 raise and furnish us the
fee iers.
III those days we had no college pro-
fsssors and experiment stations to find
oct for us and tell us how things on
the farm should be done. how sheep and
opttle should be fed ANA what consti-
tutnS a so-called balanced ration for
animals. However, we soon found out
that two-;hirds OF shellei corn with
aue-third of oats. by measure, and a
ltttle hiram or oil meal added as am
,opetiZer and plenty of good bright
prairie hay would make Very fat sheep
In about four months careful feeding.
We had only the Chicago market those
days. ana that was limited. Well do |
remember the time when a run of 5000
head of sheep in the Chicago yards
wOuld swamp the market.
! shall dwell upon the subject OF mar
isets later on II will only say here
titat since then the American people
have learned not only to cook mutton,
bu! llso 10 appreciate This. the clcanest
and mos; healthful of all flesh foods.
Your state. as l understand it, is
just starting in the business of feeding
sheep u lambs. and as your climatic
art crop conditions are Very similar To
those of Nebraska, ] see no reason Why
YOU should not succeed equally we'll,
pro iled You exercise conservatism.
Vhe American people have one great
characteristic. Ii Il certain business
has PAID Well for a year OF We they
fusl' in and soon cause an oversupply
NJ the commodity. To the new begin
ner | would say try a few carloads,
.lut II Nou find yourself adapted Ia The
business. if you like sheep and Sheep
IKE you, stick to it. even if tn" first
venture should not be so Very profit
able. 10 The old feeds L have no adj
Niae 10 offer, as he probably Knows
more about it than | DO myself. but /
have seen old feeders who fed several
htnireli head very successfully fail
wien they multiplied The number by
teH or twenty.
The first essential in feeding sheep. OF
course. is q never failing supply OF good
clear water. We have a we'll. wind
mil and large supply tank for every
: 5OU sheep. and / favor the placing OF
the small anks out of which the sheep
drink under the he'd in such n way
that one of them will supply two lots.
~ putting them under cover they Will
not be liable TO freeze over. and if YOU
b1nk them up We'll with manure and
nave a tight cover YOU will be but lit
tie bothered by ice.
nave always believed in sheds open
t. the south. n we have enough of
i~aeiers think differently. but ! can
steep better and feel easier during a
'S!hat or Snowstorm when | know my
sheep are dry and comfortable. | fla
N1r a comparatively narrow silei-say
~ to ~ feet WITHDRAWING along the
''''Nt' Siot Oh ,le pens. IN inns way YOU
OBTAIN q great deal of shelter. About
three to three and one-half square feet
per sheep is ample room to figure on in
building your shei A We'll constructed
ieie ana straw shed answers the pur-
pos. very We'll.
Tie purchase of you feeders is the
fest important thing after You are
ready for them, and nowhere is the
Old ada2e more true that "a him we'll
DnnSht is half sold"
Usually there is a time in the fall
when q can buy Methers. ewes and
lambs nj the river markets cheaper
t1an OF the range. and | would espe-
tally recommend this course to the new
beginner. who only feeds Il few loads.
SO to q reliable commission house
which makes sheep 4 speciality, and tell
them What YOU want OF course a good
plan is TO be there yourself and see
what you buy, but they will generally
save YOU much more than Their com
mission in making the deal for YOU.
If you buy on the range. be sure and
huy by weight, as in almost all cases
sheep are overestimated when bought
On the prairie.
Although scabies. the dread of sheep
Glen. is now we'll under control. thanks
20 the efficient services rendered by the
department of agriculture, and espe-
tally by DR.. Salmon and his able corps
Ut assistants, it is best to have your
sheep dipped before shipping them into
tie country. Where several thousand
are being fed n dipping plant should be
built. by all means, as ScaD may break
pGt at any time.
There are several good prepared dips
on the market, INC the old lime and
sulphur Clip, although a sure cure, is
now seldom used in the feed lots.
We generally manag to run our
bands in the corEstalks and cornfelds
for a month or so before putting them
up. One ma who understands his
business and has a well trained dog will
easily herd 5000 head. Be sure and
have them well filled before you turn
them into an unhusked cornfielG. and
never let them get hungry. y. bano of
big wethers are splendid huskers. and
besides cleaning the field thoroughly
they board themselves.
When putting them up for good We
30 not like to ave more than 800 i'm a
lot. and 900 is still better. We always
keep salt before them. If the sheep
lave been in the corn field they will
e the corn in the yards at once. and
there is little danger of overfeeding. If
not, they should be started slowly. and
the ration increased gradually until
they eat about Il pound and a half per
day.
AS mentioned before, a ration of