Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-05-27

HCduCQ ny 81 ddC VI 81 w ldtllS
This is not only the case in East
ern and Western Kentucky but
in the Blue Grass section as well
[ recently saw a Southdowr
mountain cross ram at the head
! of Blue Grass flock of 80 high
grade Hampshires.
Out of littIe more than one
million sheep in state, less than
seven are registered thorough
breds. At the very lowest esti-
mate, the use of grade and scrub
rams at the head of IS per cent OF
the tlocks Of the state, means ar
annual loss to the industry of two
million dollars. The speaker
knows of bunch of 70 yearling
rams from scrub flock in a pro-
gressive agricultural section of
Kentucky thai will be sold for
breeding purposes this fall. These
rams were left over after the
buyers had picked the best lambs
for market last year. A prom
inent sheep man told me in this
section of the state that he be-
lieves the farmers will buy these
scrub rams to head their f1Ocks
rather than pay $40 or $50 for
registered pure bred.
Such an indiscriminate system
of selecting breeding rams will
certainly not help in building up
the sheep industry of the state.
Every breeder should use his in
fluence to guard against the use
of scrub rams.
The survey also shows that
sheep are most numerous in the
blue grass section of the state. 1t
is customary for the ordinary
farmer to think that sheep would
not be profitable on high class
and. vet Bourbon, Harrison, Ow-
en-, Fayette, and Clark counties in
the heart of the blue grass are
leading sheep counties in the
state. Blue grass farmers find
that sheep are almost necessity
in any system of general farm
inc in that section. One man told
me Il consider my farm flock OF
ewes absolutely indispensable tC
successful farming they help in
getting a new stand of grass anC
keeping down the weeds in The
blue grass. | consider this worth
far more than the feed | give
/ them when the ground is covered
with snow. consider the price:
received for lambs and vol a:
clear profit
! While this would not be calleC
a typical case, it is an indication
as to what results can be obtain
ed from keeping sheep on Ken
lucky farms. A very small per
centage of the farmers in kentu
ky have sheep, and the parts o
the state that need them mos
Ihave the least. Personally / Cal
mot see how any Kentucky farm
er can expect to realize the great
est income from his farm opera
lions without maintaining a farm
| flock. These can be kept at lit
tie cost. they will keep down tn
weeds and utilize rough feed
that would otherwise go t.
waste. l would advise the farm
er starting a flock, to buy any
where from IS to Is good eve
and breed these to pure mutton
ram of quality. Either a goo
Hampshire or Southdown grad
or Western or Mountain Ewes
they can be had, would be suita
BILE for starting a flock. Thes
should be bred to a good pur
| bred mutton ram such as Hamp
| shire or Southdown.
! | find that many Western Ken
lucky farmers have long woo
grades. AS rule these sheep ar
not as profitable as they choul
be. / suggest that the farme
who has long wool grades an
wishes to breed up his flock, bu
Ia Rambouillet ram. This woui
give him a cross for his founda
ton flock, then he could in tur
breed these Rambcuillet grade
to a good pure mutton ram whic
would produce good marke
lambs.
After having been in touch wit
the sheep industry throughor
the United States and Canad;
where I had an opportunity
get first hand information, l d
not hesitate to say and I beliey
that Kentucky offers greater OF
portunities for profitable farl
hocks than am other state in tn
country. Instead of millic
sheep we should have three mi
lion and instead of the industr