The Prescott daily news., 1916-06-27
GROWING ANIMALS ON THE
 FARM
No. 2. Sheep and Goat Raisnq. By Il. k. Dvorachek, Professor of Ami nal Husbandry, University
of Arkansas

nal Husbandry, University
 of Arkansas
 A recent report from the Bureau or Animal Industry of the U. $. De. partment of Agriculture shows that the sheep industry has been on the decline during the last few years. The prices paid for mutton lambs on the markets during the last two years would indicate that such must be the case. Fat lambs have been selling around F cents per pound this year, and the demand seems to be greater than the supply. Wool also shows an increase over prices of, say, two year. ago. We also find that goats shipped from the Southwest to Kansas City have found ready sale as mutton at fair prices where they reached the market in good condition. It would seem that an increase in production of both sheep and goats might well come from the South and the South. west
 The sheep is serving it's best purpose as a sort of scavenger on the farm, keeping down weeds in pastures and on the farm in general It is not uncommon to see well established pas. lures put under cultivation here in AT. kansas for no other reason than that noxious weeds had become so well established that the more desirable grasses were crowded out. A few sheep would have saved such pasture and made mutton and wool in doing so. The goat, on the other hand, is at it's best among the brush and briars with which our Ozark hills are abundantly covered Whether one wishes to put such land under cultiva. tion or into permanent pasture, the first problem Is the removal of the underbrush
 While the sheep is generally con. sidered as a scavanger it is not best to treat it as such and make it depend upon what it can find in the way of weeds for a living
 "A few sheep will serve the triple purpose of keeping the farm clean of weeds, furnish mutton which is one of the best sources of meat supply for summer use and produces fleece which at present prices should show neat sum as clear profit. The mutton value of the sheep would easily cover cost of production. Fall lambs for the Christmas trade are possible i! this climate and their production would add to profits.
 Tie goat, especially the Angora. is essentially a browser, although after being used for time on brush it has been found that they gradually take 10 grass and neglect sprouts. Where is the desire to brush the land goats should be used instead of sheep Goats which have not been used toe nns for such purposes should be se lected as they have proven more oe structive 10 the underbrush than old brushes especially if there is any grass growing on the land. One year of brushing with goats Is not sum. cient to clear the land completely as new sprouts will shoot up from the root Two and even three years are necessary to kill brush completely. As producer of meat the goat is increas. ing in popularity. Large numbers of goats have been killed and sold for mutton in the past. The number is increasing and 1t is found that the quality of the meat is not inferior to mutton. In fact the claim is made that it Is superior to mutton, especial ly when the goats are young and fat. tened on the sprouts. A game flavor is present which has lead to the use of the term "venison" to distinguish 1t from mutton. The fleece from the Angora has always commanded a higher price per pound than wool This mohair, as 1t is called, when of good quality sells at several times the price paid for wool It is true, how. ever, that the weight of average feeces Is less than that of wool fieeces. AS producer of meat and mohair, and as valuable help in DIuSllLus ldhu, liIc AHeoId SOdt SHOuiu prove a profitable animal in large Sart of Arkansas.
 The greatest drawback to the sheep and goat raising seems to be the sheep-killing dog. Not that so many are actually killed, but because the fear of losses keeps many prospective breeders from going into the business. States where the industries have pros pered have enacted dog laws which