Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-20
Favorable PROSPECTS, for Sheep.

Favorable Prospects Tor Sneep.
Never were the prospects brighter for
the sheep raiser than at the present
time. Throughout the East and central
West the demand is for breeding ewes
for establishing new flocks. Farmers
in every part of the country are coming
TO realize that sheep growing is profit
able adjunct to their farm operations.
1t is indeed a good indication that farm
ers are mindful of the fact that livestock
production is the surest and most relia-
ble method of farming. Several years
ago many farmers disposed Of their
sheep, thinking they could maintain the
fertility of their land without live stock,
but experience has taught them good
lesson and to-day the demand for flock
material is primarily from these farmers
or some of their neighbors, who from
observation are fully convinced that the
only way to maintain the average soil in
high state of fertility and insure a
profit is to raise on their farms all the
live stock the land will properly sustain.
The great tendency of the sheep rails
ing industry the past twenty-five years
has been Westward. Farmers of the
East and central states felt they could
not afford to produce wool and mutton
in competition with the western pro-
ducer, because of the fact that the large
unclaimed pasturing areas of the West
furnished unlimited amounts OF high
class pasture for grazing purposes much
cheaper than could be produced on land
suitable for grain growing, but the last
few years have witnessed a great evolu-
ton in the live stock producing enter
prise. The West is fast dividing up
those former large pasturing areas and
directing attention to general agriculture,
thus driving the live stock industry
back eastward and into the hands of the
small land owners. 1t is now self ap-
parent that the wool and mutton supply
of the future must come from the farm
instead of the ranch.
Much of the land throughout the East
and central West for the past score
years has been growing grain. The land
is well reduced in available fertility.
Owners of these lands are desirous of
turning their attention to some nature OF
stock raising to not only increase the
fertility of the soil, but to produce more
profit from their land. do not believe
any kind of live stock is better suited to
restore these lands to their normal pro-
ducing state and at the same time return
a fair profit than sheep. There is un-
going to be a strong de-
mand for years to come for flock prod
ucts. 1t will require very small out
lay of capital to fence these farms for
sheep growing purposes compared to
what it would require for horse raising
or dairying. Most of the land that has
formerly been utilized for grain growing
purposes is better adapted to sheep hus-
bandry than any other kind of live stock
production, because of tue fact that the
soil is not in high state of fertility and
is not capable of producing good growth
of pasture. Then, too, most OF the
farms are poorly equipped with build
ings, making it necessary in case other
kinds of live stock raising are taken up
TO involve a considerable outlay of cap
ital that would not be necessary if sheep
raising was adopted.
The prospects are indeed favorable
for the farmer who takes up sheep rails
ing on a small scale and gradually in
creaseS his flock as be gains experience
in handling sheep and his farm will per-
nit Many failures in sheep raising are
brought about from going into the busi-
ness too hastily and not gaining expert
ence of how to manage sheep along as
the flock increases. Sheep are not diff
cult stock to successfully manage when
well understood. | recently visited a
farmer who last year purchased sixty
ewes to lay the foundation of breeding
fl lck. The ewes were purchased OF
flock owner who had been keeping sheep
for number of years and who well un-
dersto0d them. The new purchaser had
formerly been an extensive grain grower.
On looking this farmers flock over re-
marked, "This has been rather poor
season for sheep, having been very dry"
The farmer turned to me and replied, II
am sick of my sheep deal and will sell
every one for dollar head less than
paid for them" Now, the difficulty
with this farmer was he had gone into
sheep too heavily, not having had any
previous experience in handling sheep
lie had lost large per cent of his
lambs, and the ewes were badly run
down in flesh, not having been supplied
with any supplementary forage during
the season | would not advise any
farmer to go into sheep at first too ex-
tensively.-Cor. Drovers' Journal.