River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-05-10
World Is Short
on Wool and
Mutton
BY EDWARD WORKMAN,
Chairman Agricultural Commit
tee of State Council of Defense.


: tee of State Council of Defense.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
There is a shortage in sheep pro-
duction all over the world. This nat
urally results in higher prices, and
believe that now is just as good a time
to go into sheep raising as any.
Northern Wisconsin has all the con-
ditiens that are necessary to make
sheep husbandry success. It has
the nearby markets, the climate, the
feed and the water. With all these
natural advantages, all that is required
Of the personal elements is to go ahead
and grow sheep.
Settlers Best Flockmasters.
/ believe the most successful sheep
husbandry will be carried on by the
settlers who are developing small
farms. Sheep can be made to produce
substantial income on a new farm
and at the same time required TO as
sist in clearing the land. Another way
of putting it is to say that with the
help of the sheep, the new settler can
make his undeveloped land yield sub
stantially as much of an income as his
cleared land. This Is true, because
most of the slashingS that have been
made In recent years are open enough
SO that considerable blue grass and the
white clover grow in them. Sheep will
thrive on this grass and the small
brush, and by killing the latter they
will gradually increase the area on
which the grass grows. In this way
the uncleared land is made to supply
as much sheep feed as the land that
has been cleared.
The settler who expects to get sheep
should have good, tight fences around.
his farm and also around his clearing,
He should have shelter for his sheep.
that at all times is dry underneath
and affords q protection from wind
and storm overhead.
Home-G Grown Feeds Best.
The settler should bear in mind that
a sleeps digestive apparatus is not
capable Of making good use Of any but
the most palatable and digestible of
feeds. Such feeds should be produced
and fed if good results are expected.
The feeds Of this character that are
produced the cheapest in northern
Wisconsin are rutabagas and clover.
Glover, to make good hay for sheep,
should be cut early and cured in cocks.
If it gets too old before it is cut, it
becomes woody and indigestible and
the sheep will not thrive on it. If the
roots and the clover are grown intel
ugently, they will produce large guam
titles Of excellent feed from a small
plot of land. One acre of rutabagaS
and four acres of clover will ordinarily
provide the feed for wintering 80 ewes.
The ewes should average six dollars
annually for lambs and wool.
Now, If these ewes get their pasture
on the uncleared portion of the farm,
as they should, it gives some idea Of
the help which q flock of sheep can be
to q beginner on a new farm when
conditions are right.
Start In Small Way.
The new settler should get the best
flock Of ewes he can afford to start
with. The main thing is to have them
strong, vigorous, and in good health.
He should be careful In the beginning
and afterward not to stock up with
any more sheep than he has room and
feed for. The average settler should
not try to winter more than so ewes
at any time, unless he expects to make
sheep husbandry his main business
and fixes up for it.
A purebred ram of strong constitu-
ton, good form, and of some mutton
producing breed, should be selected to
head the flock. Ram and ewes should
be fed judiciously on the clover hay
and roots. They should have access
to water and salt and be SO handled
as to get plenty of exercise.
Two important periods in the life Of
the eve each year are just before
breeding time and just previous to the
lambing season. The ewes should be
FED extra we'll at these times to get
them in the pink of condition. A little
grain for them at these periods will be
well paid for in a larger crop Of strong
er lambs than can be expected from
ewes that get no extra attention from
their owners.
Watchful Waiting.
If the settler on new land has not
the means to erect a stable, the tenn
perature Of which can be controlled,
he had better have his ewes drop their
lambs the latter part Of April. The
weather will then be warm and lamb
ing will not require the watchfulness
that would be necessary earlier in the
spring when the nights are colder.
However, during the time that the
lambs are arriving, the shepherd
should visit his flock every two or
three hours, day and night, to assist
any Of the lambs that may be too weak
at birth to help themselves, or whose