Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-04-16
I DOGS AND SHEEP
The Farm Sleeps Worst Enemy Is
The DOg-Department of Agricul-
ture Believes American FIocks
3 Could Be Easily Doubled Practical
Suggestions.

oSONh. 0OAlIC duLIIOTlJ1GS U0ll6V6 LnaC
the increase could be even as much
as 500 per cent. without serious in
reference with the number of other
animals. An increase of $50 per
cent. in these SO states would mean in
money $144,267, 200. In a new publ
catnon of the Department of Agricul-
ture, Farmers Bulletin 652, the res
possibility for this loss to the
try is laid upon the sheep-killing
dog.
Sheep-killing dogs, it is said, are
the principal cause of the marked de-
crease in the numbers of sheep on
American farms. In the 10 a be-
tween 1900 and 1910 the number of
sheep in the country, exclusive of the
States in the Western Division, de-
creased 5000, 900 head, in face of the
fact that during these same years the
market value of sheep rose so rapidly
that the total value of sheep in this
area was $4,000, 900 or approximate
ly 25 per cent. more in 1910 than in
1900. Favorable though the market
conditions were, they were not a suf-
tclent incentive to induce farmers to
risk the heavy losses from stray
dogs.
The number of sheep killed annual
ly by dogs cannot be stated exactly
since there are many cases which are
not reported at ali. Judging from
the figures in those counties and
reports are obtainable, however, it
States more than 100000 sheep are
killed each year by dogs. This, it is
true, is less than 1 per cent. of the
total number of sheep in this area,
but a l per cent. loss on a business
that is being conducted on a profit
basis of 5 or 6 per cent. cannot be
ignored. This estimate it must be
remembered is also probably much
lower than the actual figures. 1t is
certain too that many men have been
kept out of the sheep business through
fear that in their W particular
cases the loss would be much more
than l per cent. Any one who has
actually seen sheep killed, injured
or frightened by dogs is likely to
think twice before engaging in the
business. In many cases while only
l or 2 sheep may be actually bitten
by the dogs. the whole flock is chas.
ed until it dies from exhaustion.
If the dog question could be salts.
factorily disposed of there seems te
be no reason why the number of sheer
in the country could not be increased
to the extent already indicated. Ir
Great Britain there is 1 sheep or lamb
for each 2.5 acres of the total area
In the SO farm States in this coun.
try there is 1 sheep or lamb for each
31.8 acres. The British farmer hand.
les his land on an intensive basis anc
feeds his sheep on forage-crop pas.
lures. Such pastures not only in.
crease the fertility of the land but
also free the sheep from many in
ternal parasites contracted through
Igrazing upon permanent pastures. Ii
particular the use of a succession Of
forage-crop pastures will prevent
stomach worms, one of the most pre-
lvalent and disastrous scourges Of
young stock, and will enable the farm.
er to market by the end of June OF
the first of July, when market prices
are usually the highest, the lambs
that were born in the late winter OF
early spring. Handled under such
conditions and on high-priced farm
land the Importance of a small focl
of sheep cannot be overlooked.
In addition to pointing out these
facts the bulletin already mentioned
"The Sheep-Killing Dog, discusses
the possible means of preventing ii
the future the loss from dogs. Al
the present time the various STATE
laws on this subject differ widely
some States using the money obtain
ed from dog licenses to reimburse
sheep owners, while others permit the
sheep men to recover damages from
the dog owners and two offer then
no whatsoever. Dogs, how
ever, are very seldom caught in the
act of killing sheep. It is always diff,
ficult to determine their owners, anC
where the damages are paid by the
State directly from the dog-tax funC
the money very frequently is fa1
from sufficient to meet all the claims
A remedy that is suggested for this
situation is a uniform State dog Law
embodying the principle of a tax up.
on dogs sufficiently heavy to discour
age those who are not willing to TAKE
care of their pets from keeping them
Under this plan all dogs over si1
months of age must be licensed eacf
year, the, tax paid at the time of Ii
censing and a metal tag bearing thu
license number attached to the dog!
collar. Any dog found without this
tag, unattended and off it's owner!
premises, may be killed. When fount
unattended on a farm where sheep ar
kept the dog may be killed whether i
has the tag or not, and under an.
circumstances a dog caught chasing
or killing sheep may be killed. Al
dogs which can be proved to be sheel
killers must be killed whether caugh
in the act or not, and a reward of ST.
should be offered for any one identify
ing a sheep-killing dog. The none!
received from dog taxes should be de
voted to reimbursing sheep owner
for their lost stock and the count.
should in turn ecover this none!
whenever possible from the dogs own
ers. A special license should be is
sued for kennels where large mum
bers of dogs are maintained unde.
such conditions that they cannot pos
sibly do any harm to neighborinl
focks.
While some such plan as this il
probably indispensable to the full
development Of the sheep industry il
the United States, there are case!
where the flock master will find in it.
absence the use of dog-proof fence!
very desirable. The grazing of sheer
upon comparatively small areas o.
land sown to forage crops, instead o.
upon permanent pastures in larger
fields, materially reduces the area tt
be fenced and makes this a practic.
able precaution. In the West fences
have been built which prove a salts.
factory defence against coyotes, ano
the fence that will turn aside a coyote
will turn a dog. A fence of this
character can be built as follows:
Posts TN feet in length, set 2A
feet in the ground and 16 feet apart;
a barbed wire stretched fiat to the
surface of the ground; 8 inches high
er a 36-inch woven wire fence hav-
ing 4-inch triangular mesh; 5 inches
higher a barbed wire; 6 inches higher
a second barbed wire; z inches above
this a third barbed wire. Total