Iron County register., 1922-03-02
Declares Sheep are Money Makers in
Ozarks.

Ozarks.
In the hitler sections of southern
Missouri large acreage of compare
lively cheap land is being used to
keep large focks of sheep at COM
paratively low cost. There is an
abundance of grazing gronnd through
out the entire Ozark section, all of
which is necessary to the health and
maximum thrift in growing sheep.
Grain feeding is not necessary in
many sections of the Ozarks. Many
Missouri farmers as well as Arkansas
farmers are keeping their focks in
Igood condition without the use of
grain.
G. A. Byrd, who owns 800 acre
farm near Diamond, Mo-, in the FOOT
hills of the Ozarks, explained that for
several years he has kept several
hundred head of sheep through the
winter by feeding leguminous hays,
straw and cornstalks as the mainpart
of an economical winter ration.
Glover and cowpea hay of good
quality has frequently been used to
keep the ewes in lamb from losing
weight.
"Winter management of the flock
is very important in the effect upon
| the returns from the fock,n said
Byrd. "My sheep always have had
/ plenty of pasture room the year
round lin fact I have learned by ex-
Eperience that sheep must have plenty
of room for exercise in order to stay
healthy.
/ "During the winter season the sheep
are fed plenty of oatand wheat straw,
but never barley or rye straw.
Timothy hay is never fed for IL is not
good for the ewes. Cornstalks with
kplenty of leaves are frequently t5d
during the cold spells. Silage is also
fed, but only with hay.
/ Many Ozark farmers are turning
their ewes on their fall wheat which
under ordinary conditions makes a
first class winter pasture. In order
to keep the ewes in prime condition
for lambing, the pasture feed must be
supplemented by dry, or concentrat-
ed feed. On the Byrd farm, ewes
kept on all wheat pasture are fed a
little cotton seed meal daily. "When
the price is right about half pound
Of cotton seed meal is fed during the
evening. However, a quarter of a
pound along with other foods con-
tanning protein may be better than
one containing q larger amount OF
cotton seed NEAL" explained Byrd
"Exercise for the ewes in winter is
necessary if strong lambs are to be
produced. The winters in the Ozarks
are never so severe that sheep cam
not be turned out to Craze. When
the weather is bit blustery our
sheep are induced to take exercise by
scatteling feed over the ground which
compels them to do great deal OF
walking.
sour winter pasture, of course,
7 affords an opportunity for exercise
but the flock is never turned on the
green wheat when it is raining or
blustery. If it rains hard, the sheep
: are kept under cover, as a wet fleece
in winter is frequent cause Of colds
and pneumonia. A sheep will shake
off dry snow and be none the worse
/, for having been out in the storm;
/. when it is showing we scatter feed
= out just to force them to exercise.
have followed this plan for several
years and have always raised a good
crop of lambs each season.
Z 81 have been raising sheep for thirty
: years in the foothills of the Ozarks
2 They have helped me to pay for bet
Z ter than 1000 acres OF good land II
. southern Missouri. Ihave been breed
Y ing them through the lean and fa
! years. The slump we have now is nj
Y more than we have had other time'
3 in the past. It is my opinion that thu
= sheep market is more promising nov
Z than it has been for seveal years. 7
Byrd also is breeder of Polant
3 China hogs, and keeps several heat
Y of good grade dairy cows. About i
acres Of the farm is being planted y
= grapes and strawberries.
!, aOur strawberry yield last year wa
= from fourth to third Of crop bu
Z cleared sS94 from three acres.
= Byrd said.
81 EarIv Presidents Lonu Life