East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-07-08
FINE WOOL BUCKS
IN HEAVY DEMAND
BY SHEEP GROWERS
Higher Prices for Fine Wool
is Cause of Preference !;
Hay Expected to be Lower.

That changes IN styles are not con.
fined to milady's wearing apparel ls
a truth that Is reflected in the attitude
that is being taken now by sheepmen
In the matter OF selecting breeding
stock for the fIocks that are owned
in eastern Oregon. if
The demand mas Undergone q rads
ical change since war times when nut.
ton for the meat supply OF hungry
world and coarse wool to elothe her
fighting men were sorely needed. In
those Gays the mattor breeds were the
thing for sheepmen, but since the war.
the price OF mntton has-oome down.
and the wool trade has developed a
decided preference Tor fine wool. That
change has caused sheep men to
scratch their heads and TO look into the
future to see what conditionsI may De
expected TO be during the next few
| years;
| As result OF all this change, breed
ers of the muttor sheep, so called, are
having more difficulty In disposing OF
their young bucks, and the fine wool
breeds are coming into n popularity
i Aldl Afttg NnaNt iQA hiOWn many
| years. Flock owners who have coarse
wool ewes are planning 10 buy fine
wool bucks, and flockmastcrs who
have run half-blood stuff In former
years and crossed their stuff by using
black-faced bucks are swinging the
other way That creates a situation
in which the mutton bucks find them
selves without homes.
The sad plight Of the mutton breeds
though is making conditions much
better for the fine wool breeders, be-
lcause the demand for the good breed
Ing stuff that produces the most
sought-for wool makes II seem that
there will not be enough of this kind
Of bucks TO go around.
Feed for sheep and cattle during the
winter win not be so high IL present
1ications hold. There is a great deal
of hay being produced this year. and
there is a dearth OF sheep and cattle
to eat the feed on the rich irrigated
tracts in Southern Idaho a large tom
mage OF old hay remains. and the
weather has been such that more than
normal tonnage Will be produced this
season. With lots of hay and little
stock to eat it, the price seems sure to
be low. Some reports from portions OF
Idaho show that limited quantities OF
good alfalfa have been offered at $3
ton. That Is less than II costs to
grow the crop, but livestock men un-
doubtedIy win not crop about biiying
It, especially In view OF the fact that
they have been taking the same kind
Of medicine themselves.
Reports from local sheepmen and
from other parts OF the country show
that there Is an undercurrent of feet
ing that sheep will have to come back
to more profitable basis within the
next two or three years. and In other
states, notably Idaho. Wyoming and
Montana, where there Is more range
than sheep at present, there Us voiced
desire to buy breeding stuff TO found
new flocks that have been released
during the past two years Financial
backing is what many OF these men
reed II the present promises OF rec.
ord-breaking crops materialize and
money for livestock purchases becomes
available, II is more than likely that
much breeding stuff from Oregon will
so into other Northwest states this fall.
The prices are expected to be low. This
is pretty wellSassured because OF the
fact that the prospective buyers are
short Of cash on which TO make pur-
chases, and the sellers must False cash
In most cases In order to continue in
business.