The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-03-09
a8RgFIzR6 :nnd
1A9,GARDE.N
sSSzSsEsaia
THE RAM IN SHEEP BREEDING.

THE RAM IN SHEEP BREEDING.
In establishing or in endeayoring to
improve a flock of grade mutton
sheep, the chief consideration is to
get good rams. Rightly expended,
1t is advisable, even, to put as much
money as possible into a ram. In
deed a layout of $500, if one is as
sured the value is there, is far better
than half that sum paid for an animal
known to be inferior, for the higher
priced ram, if active and impressive,
will, with proper treatment beget at
least three hundred lambs while at
the head of the flock in which way,
as can be seen, it does not take long
for the difference to be made up be-
tween MIN and the fifty-dollar fellow
that is only one-half as good. Added
to this, it is possible to retain the
superior ram in active and certain
service until he is five years old, or
more.
Being high priced, however, does
not necessarily imply rams associated
with the honors which they have won
in the show ring. True those that
have been winners of many prizes
are usually high-priced But this does
not confirm the fact that they are al
ways the most profitable for the prac-
teal shepherd to purchase. Rather, a
greater mistake cannot be made than
to buy highly fitted prize winner,
no matter what the price may be.
Why?
Because such a ram almost invari-
ably proves infertile or incapable of
service. 1t is hardly possible to injure
a lamb by too heavy feeding. pro-
vided exercise to limited extent is
given; but treat in the same manner
that is, fit up highly-yearlings and
those of more mature age, and the
result is that they become practically
worthless in the breeding flock. The
high priced rams, giving good value,
therefore, are those possessing vigor
without having been pampered or
starved and by all means when they
show that they have the merit which
attracts higher prices in the common
market.
No f1ockmaster desiring to stay in
the business of sheep breeding should,
in truth, ever sell or dispose of a ram
that proves himself valuable breed
er as well as a getter of superior
lambs. The permanent place for such
ram is at the head of good flock
there to be bred to the same ewes
year after year, as long as it is pos
sible to do so. A similarity in the
basis of the flock may then be con-
tinued. And in choosing new ram
to mate with the get of the other,
those qualities should be looked for
that are absent in the ewes to which
be is to be bred. For it is really
by balanced breeding that the greatest
progress is made. 1t may, indeed,
be accepted as a truth that every
sheep has a fault (some of course
have many, and when flock o. owes
are uniformly faulty in any feature OF
fleece or form, the aim of the shep-
nerd should be to correct it.
The better to illustrate this point,
it Is not the largest ram always that
is tine most desirable; certainly not
if he is coarse in bone and fleece.
Too much coarseness, in fact, will
more than Offset the advantage of
size and weight of body and fleece.
A fleece coarse in fibre is liable, for
one thing, to be too open. A smaller
ram, on the other hand may possess
a fine fibred dense fleece, and though
short in the legs, be muscular in the
twist, and equally good in otner
points. If exceptionally long and low,
with an excellent fleece his being
slightly understood is certainly not
against him. Such a ram, at any rate,
is preferable to large one, whose
characteristics. as named, tend too
strongly in the opposite direction
Fred o. Sibley in the american Guilt
vator.