The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-05-21
SHEEP IN COUNTY.

One of the questions that many in
formed and thinking farmers are
finding it increasingly hard to an
swer is why there are not more
sheep in Maury county. During the
past four or FIVE years sheep have
been the most profitable animal on
the farm In fact the farmers OF
this county who have had sheep dur
ing the years since 1910 will unite
in declaring that they made them
their best returns, And yet just as
the profits from sheep have increas-
ed the number of sheep in the county
have decreased In fact the de-
crease in the number OF sheep has
been in inverse ratio to the increase
in prices for lambs and wool.
These are conditions that are
bit difficult to understand. 1t is sur
prising that when farmers counted
themselves lucky to get five cents
hound for lambs there were twice
as many sheep in Maury county as
there we're last year or this year
when it is just as easy to get eight
cents for lambs. Wool is much high
er this year than it has been in sew
eral years, but it was higher last
year than the year before. Old
sheep sold last year for more than
they we're worth the year before.
Sheep require smaller investment
than any other stock on the farm.
For the past five years, in spite OF
the ever increasing prices of sheep
products, good Southdown native
black faced ewes have been obtain
able in the summer and fall at an
average of S.. There has not been
year in four in which the lambs alone
have not paid the original invest
ment and interest on it. The wool
crop has averaged dollar head;
this year it will average dollar and
a half a head.
Sheep require less attention and
less care than any other sort OF live
stock. No extra strong fences are
necessary; they will stay as a rule
where they are put; they do not
wander off; they do not have to have
expensive barns in winter. They
will eat a great deal Of grass or, In |
the late summer and fall, live of very
little. They are fine scavangers.
They will eat noxious weeds and
grass that other aniamls disdain.
AS a general thing they require but
little personal attention. BY dipping
them once or twice year all danger
OF disease is practically obviated If
they are moved at frequent inter
yals from one lot or pasture to an
other there will be little danger
from stomach troubles.
They are the one animal in this
country that can be carried through
Che entire year, with an average win
ter. without a particle of feed. There
are many farmers in this county to-
day who will testify that even dur
fng the severe weather of the past
winter they did not feed their sheep
On more than a dozen days. During
the previous winter very few sheep
in the county were fed at all.
In any ordinary winter the sheep
are carried through with rye or bar
ley or wheat pasture. Sheep are
light and they do less injury to land
that is pastured in inclement wealth
er than the heavier animals. They 6
sleep and Craze on the poor knobs
which are most in need Of fertilizer. I
1t requires only bit of personal at
tention to a flock at Landing time. !
Many farmers successfully carried t
their sheep through the past winter t
without ever having them in barns t
n single night
The investment in a flock of sheep
as small, the returns are generally
pretty sure and quick. They help
the land 1t is, under all these state
ments, which will be denied by few :,
farmers in Maury coun-
ty, most difficult to understand why
there are not more sheep in the coun-
ty. From twenty to forty sheep on
every farm in Maury county would !,
he source of immense wealth. !,