Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-04
Quite a Large Number ofWomen
Are Taking the Course In
Stock Judging
SCOPE OF THE INSTRUCTION
History and Development Of tho Var.
ious Typos of Animals are Studied
and Lectures Givcn-The Study Of
Sheep Made Especially Interesting
Other News.
,ecial to rlmes-Republlcan.

Special to Times Republican.
Ames, Jan. A.-The enrolment for
the short course now exceeds 800. the
largest attendance on opening day an
the history OF the institution.
Along with the men this year came
wives and daughters. This lis a hopeful
outlook for the agriculture OF Iowa
Last year there were two young ladies'
enrolled to take the livestock Judging
This year there are several.
While In this years class there are
n number of men whose hair has a
sprinkle OF gray, the larger number by
far are bright young men. just bios
somIng into the vigor OF manhood. "A
more intent class OF students never
was gathered together; and how busy
they are, too, eager for the fray to be-
min. "Why doesn't the thing begin
earlier?' Is question one hears on
every hand. and the thing does besl''
Sharp at / o'clock, as scheduled, inc
livestock judging open. in the paVll-
ions. The students are divided lIr'o
two classes for this work. Those VINO
have attended In previous years meet
In one pavilion. and after q snort re-
view of the principles underlying mark
ed types. they take up breed work. IN
this they study briefly the origin. his
tory ard development OF the dl'tereht
brands Of animals, talking up the WORK
of selection OF breeding stock, ana tne
neculta. condition of soil and climate
that have cont, ibuted to the making OF
the breed in question. This Is partlcu-
larry interesting in connection with the
breeds OF sheep, Long wools snort
woods, fms WOODS; black faces, "Ii.e
faces, brown faces, and gray races a''
have an interesting story In their ae-
yelop,rent, and tell of years OF pat'ei'',
perseverlng efforts in the perfecting OF
the modern type OF useful mutton
sheep.
The freshmen students-those VINO
are here for the first time--meet IN the
new pavilion. and there study the ali
ferent market classes and grades or
sheen. horses cattle and hogs. rms ~
a bright. interesting class. The work
begins with short talk on why the
farmer should be a Judge of livestock.
The farmers nnimals--horses, cattle'
sheen. hogs and poultry--are to MN
what the machines are to the manu-
fact,,rer. They are his machines for
converting his raw material into high
priced products--wool, meat, milk, eggs
and dressed poultry. They must be ef-
f,cient and economic. The farmer must
tn know how TO
select and produce animals of the right
type
short talk on sheep for Iowa farms
follows. in which 1t Is pointed out that
the conditions are ripe for the farmers
Of Iowa to engage In sheep husban-
dry-there are now only 100000 sheep
In the state Of Iowa. II every farm
had n flock Of ten sheep, the state
would possess 2,290.0Oo sheep. and this
could easily be doubled. 1t Is the gen
eral farmer who keeps smaller num-
bers of animals who excels in quality,
and Iowa should be furnishing from
her fiocks a large number of the mar
ket topping wethers for Chicago, New
York. Philadelphia, and the old coun-
try. The average fleece thruout the
state of Iowa averaged In 1903 only
six and one-half pounds, while
small flock of range breeding ewes at
the experiment station averaged ten
and one-half, an increase Of four
pounds per sheep, or an increase OF
100000 pounds for the wool clip of
the state. Sheep are weed destroyers
but they give double returns In the
wear from wool and lambs. and deserve
good care and feed ut the hands Of
their owners.
The score card was then taken up
and explained, together with the meth
cd Of handling sheep for the purpose
of arriving at a clear conception OF Its
form and covering Of flesh. The stu
dents took their turn at handling and
recorded their observations on the score
card, which was corrected by the in
structor in charge, with reasons for
corrections made.
The work tomorrow will be COM
parative Judging, when five animals
will be brought into the ring, and the
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