The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-04-12

money s144,267 200. In new publica
ton of the department of agriculture
Farmers Bulletin 652, the responsibility
for this loss to the country is laid upon
the sheep-killing dog.
Sheep killing dogs. it is said, are the
principal cause of the marked decrease
in the numbers OF sheep on American
farms. In the 10 years between 1900 and
! 1910 the number of sheep in the country,
exclusive OF the states in the western di-
vision, decreased 100000 head, in face
OF the fact that during these same years
the market value of sheep rose so rap
! idly that the total value of sheep in this
area was Sl9,O00000, or approximately
81 per cent. more in 1910 than in 1900.
Favorable though the market conditions
were. they were not a sufficient incentive
10 induce farmers to risk the heavy losses
from stray dogs.
The number of sheep killed annually
by dogs cannot be stated exactly, since
there are many cases which are not re.
ported at all. Judging from the figures
in those counties and states in which
reasonably complete reports are obtain
able. however, il may be said that in the
80 farm states more than 100000 sheep
are killed each year by dogs. This, il is
true, is less than ! per cent. of the to-
tai number of sheep in this area, but
per cent. loss on a business that is be.
ing conducted on a profit basis of 5 or q
per cent. cannot be ignored. This esti-
mate IL must be remembered is also prob /
ably much lower than the actual figures. !
IL is certain too that many men have /
been kept out of the sheep business
through fear that in their own particu- 4
lar cases the loss would be much more
than | per cent. Anyone who has ac-
tually seen sheep killed, injured. or
frightened By dogs j. likely 10 think
twice before engaging in the business.
In many cases while only one or two
sheep may be actually bitten by the dogs
the whole flock is chased until il dies
from exhaustion.
II the dog question could he satisfac-
torilv disposed Of there seems to be no
reason Why the number Of sheep in the
country could not h. Increased TO the er.
tent already Indicated. IN Great Britain
here is orc sheep or lamb for each 2.5
icres Of the total area. In the 20 farm
.tates in this country there j. one sheep
pr lamb for each BIS acres. TIE British
armer handles his land on an intensive
lasis and feeds his sheep on forage-crop
PASTURES. Such pastures not only in
'rease the fertility Of the land. but also
rec the sheep from many internal para.
'ites contracted through grazing upon
armament pastures. III particular the !
ise Of = succession Of forsge-crop pas !
ures viii prevent ftomach worms. one
u the most prevalent and disastrous
Icourges Of young stock. snd will sna bic I
he farmer 10 market Nv the end Of June
y the first Of July. when market prices :
re usually the highest, the lambs that :
we're born IN the late winter or early
pring. Handled under such conditions I
nd on high priced farm land. the im. .
'ortsnce Of small fork Of sheep ran 3
Iot - overlooked
In addition b. pointinR OFT these facts.
he bulletin already mentioned. The
'heep Milling Dog diseussef Tire possible
neans 81 preventing in the future the
pss from dogs. AZ tie present time tho
arrows state lnus 0n this subject df-
p WIDELY. some states usinr the money
ltnined frufn dog licenses 10 reimburse
'aeep owners. while others Kermit the
'ieep men - recoVer danagrs from fha
~ 0Wnrrs and 10 oFsr ths.rn no re-
-ur-e viistsoerer. Dogs. however are
~ seldom caught 10 tie a. Of killing
ieen. u j. always difficult - aefarrrine
Ieir 0auers. and where the dnrnsges A..
~ ~ the STATE directly from the doc
u fmnds. the rnuuey Tsrv frrruarfiF :
r. from suHirisrt 20 met an tie claims 4
a FefnedF tiiat j. suggested frr flsfs
tuatiuH . q unifUrfn state dog law sru-
itffne tie rrlufiTis ~ e tar t-run aars .
'fficientiT hsaFF - discourage three
ho are MI willing % take rara n tis.f-
ts from ketring fism. Under st5s
Wn Al dogs over sfx murtts "a $50
PSI - licsusrf saeh rsar. the tsr rsaiH
The tfrre ~ iirfusiur sna q r,rfsl tsr
srinr tn li3snsr nrniar sfsarfaT - n
. dogs collar Arr Dig found w7fh =
Z tins tsr. unaffauaea suE - ~ ru-r- =
3 rTHrisss. nssv y killed w1snr -
ura uuxttpndrd ~ fnrm whn-r rhasr g
, kHr# TIE ar1 usF - ki7lra rheff.rr ~
hss ~ tsr ~ M aua uuaHr srr ~ =
r,sstrftfss 8rc rnrest Ff1s-ur - IN !
, sis.p uag = Kidd Al 8ozs rhieb -