Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-22
Sheep" by ]. F. Warner of Bloomfield.

Sheep" by ]. F. Warner of Bloomfield.
L. A. Webster. field editor for the
American Sheep Breeder and Wool
Grower, publication in Chicago. made
an address at 2, o'clock on the Better
Sheep and Better Shepherds Tho
subject was full of good thought for
the sheep man and the things brought
out by the speaker proved his value to
breeders Of the wool flocks. In part the
speaker had the following to say:
81 have been visiting the homes and
inspecting the flocks Of prominent and
Vermont in the east to Washington on
the Pacific slope, and while have
seen great many good sheep and q
few excellent individuals, l am i'm
pressed with the fact that great
many are Indifferent and that our
country needs and must have better
shepherds and better sheep. have
been led to ask why these conditions
prevail. and we believe it is due to a
lack of high ideals and determined pur-
pose to achieve the highest standards.
1t may perhaps be a lack of knowledge
Of the quality and the character of the
best breeding types. Many breeders
never compare their flocks with the in
dividuals of the best flocks. There is
lack of masculine breeding character
in the rams. Breeders will not ex-
pend the time, money or effort to look
up the best rams to be found in the
whole country, but will breed some
ordinary ram that can be found nearer
home, or selected from their own
flock. That ram may be good indi-
vidual but from degenerate flock, or
from a noted thoroughbred flock bred
for various fads, and unless a ram has
had strong useful breeding for two or
three generations you cannot depend
upon his progeny There are essential
vital principles that should govern in
the selection of stock ram. The first
thing I look at when I select a ram, is
his head; he must be strong and mas,
culine in character, with short head
and strong horns.
Then the conformation which
means constitution; standing on strong
legs set well apart, or heavy or strong
bone; then the fleece qualities and the
breeding for other generations on both
sides. If he has not good breeding he is
not likely to produce satisfactorily. no
matter how excellent his individuality.
Like Begets Like.
1.-THE head of every Indifferent flock
is an Indifferent shepherd. The father
Of every scrub flock is scrub shep-
herd. All over the land we find inferior
ed noses; eve necked sheep Of light
flank and ham, small boned sheep with
crooked hind legs, front legs close to-
gether, lack of uniformity in fleece
coat and quality. ask why is this?
There are various reasons as have
already stated. Lack of ambition, lack
of judgment in breeding and selection,
breeding for fads, etc. Some fail to
recognize the best breeding character
and others never have the opportunity
to see or find it. Probably one reason
why there are so many inferior ami
mails in our flocks today, is that almost
every breeder has some fad or perhaps
two or three.
What is fad?
ANY feature carried to an extreme
at the sacrifice of some other and per-
haps more essential feature Any quail
ity like extreme covering, density of
fleece or extreme in type generally re-
suits In the sacrifice of some other i'm
portant quality. Always keep in view
utility and economic value. We can
raise the standard of our fiocks only
by rigid selection Of breeding ewes,
possessing character, vigor and good
breeding. Weed out the others. Never
breed understood, underlined or UNDER
type ewes. Never buy them, never
register them, never sell them except
to the butcher If you would maintain
your reputation as a. breeder; and
right here I wish to say the best way
to establish a reputation is to sell only
animals. Give value for value"
&