The Marshall republican., 1914-02-06
MISSOURI SHEEP
J. n. STARR THE KING OF MIS-
souri, SHEEP FEE
DERS.

Nntn IL tOnitb W ittuthb bhtNp |
for the market there 10 no better
posted man In the state OF Missouri
than James II. Starr OF Centralia.
Audrain county. He has followed the
game for a quarter OF a century, spar
ing neither time nor expense and Is
now recognized as an authority on
this subject. MIR. Starr does not raise
any sheep to speak Of but each year
lays in a supply which he fattens for
market.
Early each fall he goes west and
there purchases lambs and yearlings
for his feed lots. Years ago he need
ed but a thousand or so head but his
neighbors saw the success he was
making, became Interested and want
cd to get in with him. SO that o he
has quite a number OF them with him
Last fall he purchased $4,000 head
OF lambs and yearlings and brought
them TO Missouri for himself and
others to feed.
His reputation has grown until the
Starr" sheep are known on the mar
ket and each year the buyers anxious
ly await their coming as they know
In advance that they gill get some-
thing good. Mr.. Starr prefers the
Mexican lambs and yearllngs for feed
Ing but says that any good western
sheep will feed well II given the pro-
per attention. lilo claims that the
Mexican sheep are hardy. good fec
ders and extra good dressers and that
the light weight OF the yearlings give
them the appearance OF lambs when
slaughtered. but thinks II IL best to
feed lambs as n rule.
sheep Feeding n Science.
In a recent interview with Mr..
Starr he said: II have about cleanAf
up for this year and am well pleased
with the results both with the sheep
hat ] and my partner, Mr.. w. NJ.
Aftllck and myself fed all OF them dil
. we'll where they wore given proper
r attention and we got good gains aud
good prices for them. Ny partner. AIR.
w. VI. Afiiick and myself fed $500
y hoad while the rest were scattered
around In lots OF from coo to 2.5O0.
The entire lot was fed pretty much
the snmc.p
G sheep feeding In q science and
a only the man that studies II viii get
the best results tho same as In any
@ other line OF business. The business
during the past few year has mater
Tally changed and We do not feed
now anything like we did a few years
;, ago for several reasons We now ufe
mostly silage and ~cottonseed meal.
Instead OF corn and hay owing % the
high price OF the latter and we find
that at the present prices our feed
bills were cut almost In half by the
y change and then we obtained last as
r good results II not better"
Sheep should be handled Gently
: and fed regularly. We usually feed
three times per day. the first feed be.
Ing carly In the morning CONSISTING o'
sllagc. ana ~cottonseed meal with lust
a little ccrn given just before noon
and then silage again In the after.
d noon. We usually feed one and a hal
d pounds OF silage. n quarter of q pound
OF meal and n pound OF corn per head
at the same hours each day. which Il
a very essential thing. Another i'm,
portant item IL to give them plenty OF
good fresh clean water. Sheep do not
require much water but they need Ia
necessary amount and OF the best
Water will assistI In the f~attening "a
u much greater extent than most men
think"
l.. This season we fed from fifty "a
seventy-five days and secured q slli
OF from twelve to fifteen pounds pei
head, which Is very good and we 80.
cured It as q minimum cost SO far az
!. the feed vas concerned as wa save al
least half the corn we used to feed
' anu poie'ieeiiy w VI tht Hay Us w
n cd only a little clover at the start.
! sheep Hest OF All stock.
Nothing In the way Of feeding
Ie stock for market will favorably com
pare with sheep where they are handl'
ed properly. II is a business that re.
quires careful attention and lots OF
hard work but that is the only way
to secure the best results In any line
of business. l retain a interest In most
e OF the sheep I bring home with me
and they are fed accordingly to my
o directions. OF course after a year OF
o 80 these mon are capable OF taxing
e care OF themselves and ! find tina,
where a man once commences the
business each year he wants a lew
Il more until he gets to where he has no