Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-09-26
BY F. K. MARSHALL

Recent market values for meat ami
mails have caused a renewal of inter-
est in the raising of live stock on
farms. The study of raising and dis
posing of crops to the best advantage
also suggests the more general and
more careful production Of live stock.
In this movement the possibilities Of
securing profits from farm sheep are
becoming better and more widely un-
derStood.
Variations in wool values explain in
large part the increases and decreases
in numbers of farm sheep during the
past % years. At present many for
mer raisers of commercial sheep who
bred altogether for wool are giving
more attention to mutton, and most
of the new focks being established
are of some of the mutton breeds. A
system of sheep farming that is to be
continuously successful can not ignore
either wool or mutton. In many cases
the two products will be worthy of
equal consideration; in others either
one may be emphasized according to
the peculiarities of conditions, man.
agement and marketing.
A decision to raise sheep chiefly for
mutton purposes leaves much still to
be considered in making a choice of
type and breed. The choice of a
breed is not the most important ques-
ton. Any breed is far superior to no
breed Once established, there must
be advance in the character and
usually in the size of the flock Such
advance can not be made unless the
same breed and type is adhered to in
securing rams. The female of mixed
breeding, no matter how good indi-
vidually, is an uncertain quantity
when used as a breeder. There are
enough highly improved breeds to al
low a choice of one that will have
special fitness for almost any COM
bination of real needs. In this bulle-
in a way that will enable those who
are not familiar with them to know
which ones are likely to meet the re-
quirements.
Some of the breeds differ very
strikingly in appearance. Differences
in size, color and covering of face
and legs, while quickly noticed, are
not the main points which determine
whether a breed is likely to prove
satisfactory upon rough pasture land,
for winter lambing, or any of the
points that must be taken into ac-
count when starting into sheep rails
ing. The breeds differ very widely
in their special points of usefulness
for various sections and systems of
management. The differences are
mainly result of breeding for special
qualities needed by the farmers in the
localities in which and for which the
breed was formed. The minor points,
such as color and shape of head, must
be regarded as showing how far the
animals are true to the type of what
the breeders tried to produce, not only
in appearance but in breeding and
feeding qualities.
In starting into sheep raising the
most important thing is to decide
what plan can best be followed The
available feed and care and the sell
ing outlets will determine this. If
pasturage is sparce, feed expensive,
and marketing arrangements poor,
wool will need to be the first cOnSid
Grafton. If there is a good market
for winter lambs and the feed and
care that can be given are such as
are needed, then the ability of the
ewes to get in lamb in the spring and
the mutton qualities are the import
ant thing to look for in the breeding
stock If it is desired to have lambs