The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-04-13
Dogs, The Farm
Sheep sWOTstEnemy
" This Menace Were Removed Am.
erican Flocks Could Easily Be
More Than Doubled

number Of sheep in the thirty. six farm
states, which do not include any in
the western division could be increas-
ed by $50 per cent, it is estimated,
without displacing other live stock.
Some authorities believe that the in
crease could be even as much as 500
per cent without serious interference
with the number of other animals.
An increase of $50 per cent in these
thirty six states would mean in mon
ey, $144, 267, 900. In a new publica-
ton of the Department of Agricul
ture, Farmers Bulletin, No. 652, the
responsibility for this loss to the
country is laid upon the sheep kill
ing dog.
Sheep killing dogs, 1t is said, are
the principal cause of the marked de.
crease in the numbers of sheep on
American farms. In the ten years
between 1900 and 1910 the number of
sheep in the country. exclusive Of
the states in the western division,
decreased 100000 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 s19,00O,00O or ap.
proximately 25 per cent more in 1910
than in 1900.
Favorable though the market condi
tions were, they were not a sufficient
incentive to indu.e 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 all. Judging from
the figures In those counties and
states In which reasonably complete
reports are obtainable, however, it
may be said that In the thirty six
farm states more than 100000 sheep
are killed each year by dogs. This,
1t is true, is less than 1 per cent o.
the total number Of sheep In this
area, but a l per cent loss on tusi-
ness that is being conducted on a
profit basis of or per cent can.
not 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 own par
ticular cases the loss would be mucn
more than l per cent. Any one who
has actually seen sheep killed, injur
ed, or frightened by dogs Is likely to
think twice before engaging in the
business. In many cases while ony
l or 2 sheep may be actually bitten
by the dogs, the whole flock Is chas-
ed until it dies from exhaustion.
II the dog question could be salts
factorily disposed OF there seems to
be no reason why the number of sheep
in the country could not be increased
to the extent already indicated. In
Great Britain there is one sheep or
lamb for each 2.5 acres of the total
area. In the thirty-six farm states
in this country there is one sheep or
lamb for each 31.S acres. The Brit.
ish farmer handles his land on an
Intensive basis and feeds his sheep
on forage crop pastures. Such pas.
lures not only increase the fertility
of the land but also free the sheep
from many internal parasites con.
tracted through grazing upon perma-
| nent pastures. In particular the
use OF a succession Of forage crop
pastures will prevent stomach worms
one of the most prevalent and disas
trous scourges Of young stock and
will enable the farmer to market by
the end OF June or the first of July,
when market prizes are usually the
highest, the lambs that were born in
the late winter or early spring. Han
died under such conditions and on
high priced farm land the Importance
of small flock 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 in
the future the loss from dogs. At
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
them no recourse whatsoever. Dogs
however, are very seldom caught in
the act OF killing sheep. It is al,
ways difficult to determine their
owners, and where the damages are
paid by the state directly from the
dog tax funds the money very fire.