Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-09-01
WILLARD BACK
FROM SHEEP
BUYING TRIP
Montana Feed Conditions
Exaggerated-Plans Sec
ond Trip Soon.

O0unty Agent Rex E. Willard, I'M
returned Sunday from Montana where
he bought six car loads Of sheep for
Grand Forks county farmers. states
Montana have been considerably ex-
a~&gerated. He brought three car
loads of the sheep back with him.
Mr.. willard stated that there has
been considerable misinformation
given out in this section and other
parts of the EAST regarding feed con-
ditions In Montana. While the
drought has been sever the feed
In very short, there have been no ap-
probable losses OF stock In four or
five counties in the vicinity Of Helena
territory In an automobile.
The great difficulty in the
winter feed, according to the agent,
who says there will be scarcely anS
winter grazing. There rs considerable
alfalfa and swcet clover in some OF
the irrigated valleys, but this will
mount to very little In comparison to
the number OF sheep carried over the
winter In a normal year. II Is to
avoid the shortage OF winter feed thai
stock Is being shipped out. j.
While there have been large num-
beers Of sheep and cattle sent east for
grazing, the movement has just be-
gun. according to the county agent.
Many Of the large sheep me- are just
bringing their bands out Of the noun
tains and are cutting them ~. Dur
Ing September there will be many
thousand hcah OF sheep and cattle
moved from Montana either to the
market or to other feeding grounds.
according to Mr.. Willard.
Mr.. Willard states that some OF the
ranchcrs are preparing to sell their
two and three -year-old ewes; and this
has hardly ever beer known in the
history Of the sheep business in Mon
tana. There are only a few wcthers,
but there are a few, both ycarling and
two-year-old.
sheep Hard to Buy.
It Is almost impossible to buy "A
carload Of sheep at any price, from
Montana ranchers, says Mr.. Willard.
When a Eanchcr determines to sell,
he sells the whole band or a. number
of bands. each of which will contain
about 1900 ewes IT Is only from the
small growers that a small number OF
sheep such as a car load a be pur-
chased. AS a general proposition the
sheep handled by the small growers
are hardly Of as good kuality as those
raised by the big ranchers.
The Sheep Market
Prices of sheep in Montana depend
almost entirely on the Chicago mar
ket. Ewes do not follow the market
as closely as do feeders. Rlackface
ewes are higher In price than the
whitcfaces.
Good quality full-mouth tsix. seven
and eight year, ewes can be bought
for about 37,per head for white faces
and four to six -year-old ewes at from
50 to $40 per head, depending on
quality. Ycarling ewes ran be bought
at from 50 to $t2 per head. Feeder
lambs and wethers a be bought for
about three cents under the Chicago
market for hat class OF stock.
Plans second Trip.
Mr.. Willard expects to make an
other trip to Montana for sheep II
about ten days. He is already re-
ceiving orders for more sheep and a
soon as orders are received for fror
ten to twenty cars OF ewes he vii
start.
ut IL greatly to be desired hat the
farmers. who van the sheep. " at
least some Of them. will go with the
county agent said Mr.. Willard. DE
trip for any farmer and especially
any one contemplating going into this
sheep business"
Any n desiring to secure sheer
should place their orders at the Of
flee Of the Farm Bureau at once. Ey
punching the orders a very great ad-
vantage can be made In buying
Even X a farmer wants only ten ewes
they can be purchased with the others
and he will get The advantage Of the
bigger transaction.