The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-23
Special to The Tribune.

Special TO The Tribune.
WASHINGTON. July 22.-The en-.
closure of sheep range within a coyote
proof fence has been tried In Colorado
by f. II. Taylor Of Mancos, with highly
satisfactory results. An experiment be-
gun by the United States department of
agriculture on the WallOwa national for
est in Oregon, TO discover whether shoep
could be advantagcously pastured with
IN such an enclosure, led Mr.. Taylor to
give the new method a trial. The out
come is set forth in letter to the de-
partment, as follows:
'After reading the description of
your coyote-proof fence in Oregon, |
constructed fence TO enclose about
800 acres in the same manner. The
fence was constructed during the fall OF
1908, and in the springs of 1909 and 1910
1000 head of ewes were lambed in this
enclosure. In tho vernacular Of the
herdcr, I 100 per cent of the lambs were
saved, that is, n lamb to each eve.
and one man did all the work.
think the percentage of the lambs would
have been higher, but one animal. pre-
sumablY Il coyote, was inside when the
fence was constructed. 1t was impos-
sible to capture this animal even with
hounds. Some of the hcrders thought
the animal WAS not a coyote. but since
Nol oGt tJdChS were IOuHu In several
places ! am of the opinion that it WAS
Whatever the animal was it raised its
young inside the enclosure -
Connecting his loss with the rapacity
of this animal Mr.. Taylor says:
a great many of the lambs were
killed and a small hole eaten behind
the foreleg and the remainder of the
carcass WAS untouched On the land
outsi dc of the enclosure it required the
services of three men and pack of
hounds TO care for 1000 ewes. aud only
% per cent Of the lambs were saved
This percentage could not have been
saved without the assistance Of the
hounds.
81 consider this fence splendid in
vcstment since it easily pays for itself
Ill three years. On the other hand, it is
often difficult and sometimes impossible
10 get men during the Iambing season.
For this reason the money value Of the
fence can hardly be estimated. -
The department of agriculture entered
upon the experiment of enclosing sheep
range within fence which would turn
stock destroying animals In the belief
that this method would save forage as
well as stock and wages. This belief
has been fully justified by the results.
The Oregon enclosure carried more
sheep than an equal area Of range Of
the same quality outside, produced
heavier lamb crop, heavier sheep. and
more wool, and at the same time re-
;ultcd In a better condition of the range
itself, These advantages are due to the
different behavior of sheep pnstured
within such an enclosure from that of
sheep hcrdcd in the ordinary way.
When a band OF sheep moves about
in charge Of a hcrder. it must he kept
from scattering much. AS a result much
Of the forage is wasted through tramp
ling. Within an enclosure, however. the
sheep soon learn to spread out and shift
for themselves. Under these conditions
it is not 10 be wondered Mt that a given
area supports more sheep, puts them In
better condition, and suffers less wear
ard tear. The success of the new meth
cd, however. depends on the cxtcrmin,
alton of all dangerous animals within
the enclosure, and on the maintenance
OF fence which will keep off outside
attacks.
Mr.. TAYLOR believes that the Wal
Iowa plan Of construction is open to I'M