The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-08-23
OPPORTUNITIES IN
FEEDING OF LAMBS

neglected in the vicinity of Caldwell
it is the feeding of sheep for mutton.
The feeding of sheep is admitted t.
be very profitable on the averag,
farm in the corn belt, and Colorado
which is today the greatest sheer
feeding state in this country
feeds as many as one million sheer
and lambs each winter
The main arguments given to sup.
port this statement are, that a flock
of sheep turned out on your land after
the crops are harvested will consume
what otherwise would go to waste
such as growths in neglected places
weeds, grain and hay left upon the
ground, waste from truck patches, and
in stubble fields, in fact sheep can
clean the field as no other animal will
They eat the weeds and clean the land
and they distribute their manure
evenly over the land and are more
healthy than any other animal and
also return good profit in wool and
mutton.
The climate and other conditions
are ideal around Caldwell for winter
sheep feeding. We have an abund-
ance of alfalfa and grain. We can
raise an unlimited amount of roots
and vegetables of all kinds which the
sheep will consume and give good
returns. Wheat, barley, rye and oats
can be fed sheep profitably and could
this industry be encouraged and dew
eloped here, it means that better
market would be developed at home
for what the farmer raises than he
could have in any other way.
Aside from this grain and hay mar
ket, feeding returns to the soil its
fertility and furnishes labor to a con-
siderable number of men in winter
who would otherwise be unemployed
This sheep feeding has done more
to encourage and promote agricul-
ture development in Colorado than
almost any other one thing.
Colorado possesses no superiorities
over this section and therefore it re-
mbains to only encourage and devel-
ope this branch of farming in this
locality to become equally noted.
The state of Idaho ships each year
about one million sheep to eastern
markets. a large percentage of which
is lambs. In the number of sheep
shipped, about fifty per cent are not
fat enough for killers, hence they are
bought by the farmers of Nebraska,
Iowa and other corn raising states,
and large amounts are shipped back
over the same routes to Colorado,
where they are fed from sixty days
to six months when they are again
shipped back to the eastern markets.
These feeder sheep and lambs pay
freight rate from 80 cents to one
dollar per hundred to reach the east
ern markets, they then have a rate of
from twenty to fifty cents per hun
dred to be shipped back to the west
ern feeding grounds, this entails a
considerable loss in freight and ship
age in weight.
Caldwell is we'll situated so far as
reaching the markets are concerned,
we are in easy reach of the Portland
market, which is the best on the
coast, and in winter and spring this
market is always short of fat sheep
and lambs, and small shipments would
find profitable outlet there.
Thousands of sheep are owned and
grazed in close proximity to Caldwell
that are shipped to eastern markets
every year. and at least one half OF
these could be fed and finished upon
the farms here at a profit.
1t is estimated that there is raised
surplus of one hundred thousand
tons of hay in this section and the
price is about five dollars per ton in
the stack. Now suposing there should
be fed in this same section one hun
dred thousand sheep which would
consume about three pounds per head
day or 100000 pounds, or $50 tons
per day, besides consuming all the
other products that would go to waste
these sheep could be fed in this way
for an average of ninety days and
then finished for thirty to sixty days
with about one pound of grain per
day per head, or one hundred thousand
pounds of grain per day. Kale and
field peas which can be raised here in
abundance is excellent feed for sheep.
The profits derived from sheep feed
ing varies each year according to The
markets, but from investigation of the
Colorado feeding section, the results
average about $1,000 per ton for the
hay and two dollars per hundred for
the grain consumed otter paying in
terest en the money Invested and al
other expenses.
To get the sheep feeding business
started in this section it will be nee
essary to do considerable work on the
part of the farmers and business men,
but few of our farmers are financially
able to handle sheep to any large
amount, but this can be easily over
come by encouraging the banks to
make loans on sheep in feed lots
which is the best of security, also
. there are eastern live stock commits
sion houses who make business OF
loaning money on all kinds of stock in
the feed lots, but in these loans It is
stipulated that the stock must be
shipped to them when fat. or If sold
at home to pay them commission
of $500 per double deck car load Of
sheep.
The local banks could make the
loans and rediscount the paper to
eastern banks. who are always an
xious to buy such securities.
The Caldwell Commercial Club