The courier-index., 1917-11-23
ARKANSAS SHOULD
 HIVE MORE SHEEP
During 1916 the United States Raised Only 35 Per Cent of Wool
 She Used.
By J. H. Mcleod, Senior Livestock Specialist, Extension Division, Uni versity of Arkansas.


 versity of Arkansas.
 Arkansas should have more sheep.
 The need of raising more sheep is ap-
 parent from the fact that in 1916 the
 United States raised only 35 per cent
 of the wool she used There has been
 a very large increase in the demand
 for mutton to feed the millions Of
 men who are now on the lguropeau
 front, and while the demand has been
 for more sheep, the number of sheep ! has decreased in the United States,
 due to the opening up of Government land in the West for settlement and
 the. losses in sheep upon the ranges
 through disease.
 Although there have not been many
 sheep raised in this state, we know l that Arkansas has a number of ad- yantages for sheep production. We Ehaye a very mild climate and for this { reason can produce grass almost the year through. We also have large
 acreage of high, we'll drained cheap
 land in North Arkansas which fur
 nishes favorable conditions for the keeping of large fiocks of sheep at a
 comparatively low cost. Arkansas
 men who have gone into the sheep business and followed it in an intelh- gent manner find that they are very 1 profitable investments.
 First: They pick up great deal of
 waste about the farm that other farm animals cannot utilize.
 Second: They clean up the weeds l and cause grasses to grow where weed l patches were before
 Third Sheep furnish quick returns
 Ewes can be bred in the fall and their lambs marketed eight or ten months thereafter.
 Fourth. Profits are large-it is usually considered that the wool will pay for the keep of the ewes and the lambs come as clear profit. Fifth: Sheep are good soil builders, sheep manure being the richest ma nure produced by any farm animal
 Sixth: They require little expen- sive feed
 Seventh: Money from sheep comes In in the spring at time of the year when few other products are being put upon the market.
 While the prospects for sheep grow ing look very good, the Extension Di- vision does not want to encourage ap tf, f.,Iy h ir of industry unless they have had pre- vious experience or have an honest desire to study and learn the nature and the requirements of sheep. With out a love for sheep and knowledge of the industry little success can be expected.
 One of the main essentials in grow ing this class of animals is good pas ture. Permanent pasture should be established with orchard grass or Bermuda grass as basis. In the northern section of the state orchard grass is better adapted to the soil and climate In the central and southern portion, Bermuda thrives best. With Bermu- da grass can also be mixed lespedeza which makes it's rankest growth dur ing tEe hot summer months, bur clov- CT which thrives during the winter and white clover which begins it's growth early in tho spring. Besides a permanent pasture temporary pas. ture should also be provided.
 Size Of Flocks: It is the opinion of the most competent authorities that sheep can be handled in the most eco- nomical way with not less than fifty or sixty ewes as unit The advan- tage coming from this large number is that it does not cost much more to fence. shelter and care for fifty or sixty ewes than 1t would a smaller number and for this reason when the large numbers are handled the cost per eve is much less than when only 9 few are carried in the flock. While it Is true that experienced men can handle most adyantageously sheep in the number suggested, with the be- | ginner 1t is no doubt best for him to | start with eight or ten ewes and l gradually increase his flock.
 Kind of Sheep: It is not well for the beginner to start with pure breds, but he should begin with good grades. Perhaps the best place to secure these grades is from the Stock Yards Mar kets through some reliable commis- sion firm. The majority of the ewes upon the markets come from ths western ranges and are for the most part of the Merino breed. These ewes, however. can be bred up quickly by using rams of the breed preferred. The lambs from Merino ewes and nut ton rams make a rapid growth and sell well when placed on the market. When giving an order for this stock 1t is well to write the commission man the breed of sheep which you pre- fer and caution him not to buy ewes &kaf orc fnn ola H..sfo ,...w,h~.