: /N copy 1 re {Soe HOW TO HANDLE NEED. 707 v MPROFIT ‘a Brn SNeinheing. “ WA word about | SCOTCH SHEEP FEEDING lly, L. | eth Boy = a ( it \ may Nf WT ‘i i yy ace == She oo Bubtiehed by on Robinson & Co. Live Stock Commission * diy, Y HOW TO BANDILE Silber FOR PROFIT By FRANK KLEINHEINZ RD AND INSTRUC S SHEPHE J R IN SHEEP HUSBANDRY ISCONSIN AGS A WORD ABOUT SCO CE Shite iin FEEDING By JOHN CLAY CLAY, ROBINSON & COMPANY Copyright 1913 Clay, Robinson & Co. DEC 24 13'S e e208 SUT = HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT TTT COCO COCO TOE TEE TUE EEE EEE By FRANK KLEINHEINZ ANG |E OFTEN hear the problem discussed whether AV there is any money in sheep raising. Some claim that there is, and others that there is not. Those who say there is money in sheep are evidently of the kind who love sheep and have studied their full value and have given them the proper care and their due share of feed. The others who say there is no money in sheep probably do not pos- sess a liking for sheep and do not under- stand their proper care and management and perhaps are poor feeders. Sheep are valuable on the farm for many reasons. In the first place it does not require much capital to start in with sheep. They do not need such expensive buildings to house them in. Furthermore, in the keeping of sheep, the labor question is abolished in a large measure, as they require far less labor than other classes of live stock during spring, summer, and fall when the farmer is very busy with his outdoor work in the field. As weed destroyers, sheep have no equal. No one will deny that the droppings from sheep, spread so evenly over the land on which they graze, are of far greater value than those of any other kind of live stock. Is not the sheep so rightfully called ‘“The Golden Hoof’? These words have their proper meaning. For the man who understands the business, there is a good profit in sheep raising. The sheep industry is bound to become more profitable, because sheep cannot be raised in such large numbers now on the western ranges as was done in the past, as these ranges are gradually being cut up into smaller farms, and also because the beef production is declining by years, while the population in this country is_ steadily increasing. Some may say that there is not much _ profit in sheep because the wool has gone down in price since [3] HOW TO VHAIN DIS SS Hib EP 7b Rs sR Oba di the tariff has been taken off. This, of course, is true of the sheep which are raised mainly for their wool, but the mutton breeds do not suffer much under this tariff, for mutton should always be the first consideration and wool only second as a by-product. Establishing a Flock It is unwise for anyone who is not thoroughly familiar with sheep husbandry to start in with a large flock and con- sequently make a failure of it. It is far better to start in with a small flock and then gradually increase the number as one’s knowledge of the care and management enlarges. I would suggest to those who wish to enter this work not to spend a large sum of money in buying pure-bred, high-priced sheep as long as at our leading markets some young, fairly good ewes can be bought for reasonable prices, which can be graded up with a sire of one of the leading mutton breeds. The Selection of the Ram Many bad mistakes are made by flockmasters in the selection of a ram for the ewe flock. An old and true saying is that the ram is half the flock, and this fact should be deeply impressed upon the mind of every sheep breeder in the country, if sheep husbandry is to be raised to a higher standard than it is today. The first step toward improvement is the use of a first class sire. The best ram is none too good for the flock. As long as breeders are satisfied to use an inferior scrub ram, they cannot expect to improve their flocks. Many breeders, however, have the wrong idea that as long as their ewes are bred to any kind of a ram, everything is done well, but this is a serious mistake on their part. Like begets like, and what kind of a lamb crop can be expected from ewes bred to a scrub ram, with a narrow body, a long, slim neck, a narrow chest, and long legs? Lambs from ewes bred by this kind of a sire cannot be fed as economically as those which come from the right kind of a sire, and consequently will not develop like the low, broad, blocky lamb which is so desirable on the mar- ket. There is a notable difference in the price paid on the market for these two kinds of lambs. No mistake can be made by the use of a good sire, and far more profit is insured than by the use of a scrub ram. Select a ram with a broad head, showing masculinity; a thick, short neck without any depression between shoulder and neck, and a broad, deep [4] HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT chest. He should be broad and smooth on top of the shoul- ders and have a well-developed forearm. His legs should be short and set well apart. He should be broad, deep and full in the heart girth, which indicates a strong constitution. It is essential that the ram have a broad, straight back with well sprung ribs and wide and thick loins. A long and wide rump with a full deep twist is very desirable. He should be well filled in the flank with a straight underline. His fleece should be dense. It should be remem- bered* ‘that fifty to fifty-five ewes should be the limit for any tam to breed in one season. On the ranges thirty- five to forty ewes are enough for one ram. A ram lamb should not be used for heavy service at any rate. As to the time when to breed the ewes, this lies en- tirely with the flockmaster, as he must know what he se aa ee intends to do with his lambs, whether he wants to turn them off on an early summer market or whether he intends to keep them over and fatten them the following winter. If it is his idea to strike the early market, he should turn the ram with the flock between September 15th and October Ist. If he intends to follow the other method of fattening his lambs in the fall and winter time, he does not need to breed his ewes until about November Ist to L5th, or somewhere about that time. Culling the Ewe Flock A Poor Ram In the fall of the year the ewe flock should be looked over and those ewes which have not proved to be good producers, should be culled out, fattened and sold. Also ewes with broken mouths should be drafted *NOTE—The two rams shown above are of the same breed. [5] HOW “TO VAAN DEE-SH EER” FOR PR@RALG the tariff has been taken off. This, of course, is true of the sheep which are raised mainly for their wool, but the mutton breeds do not suffer much under this tariff, for mutton should always be the first consideration and wool only second as a by-product. Establishing a Flock It is unwise for anyone who is not thoroughly familiar with sheep husbandry to start in with a large flock and con- sequently make a failure of it. It is far better to start in with a small flock and then gradually increase the number as one’s knowledge of the care and management enlarges. I would suggest to those who wish to enter this work not to spend a large sum of money in buying pure-bred, high-priced sheep as long as at our leading markets some young, fairly good ewes can be bought for reasonable prices, which can be graded up with a sire of one of the leading mutton breeds. The Selection of the Ram Many bad mistakes are made by flockmasters in_ the selection of a ram for the ewe flock. An old and true saying is that the ram is half the flock, and this fact should be deeply impressed upon the mind of every sheep breeder in the country, if sheep husbandry is to be raised to a higher standard than it is today. The first step toward improvement is the use of a first class sire. The best ram is none too good for the flock. As long as breeders are satisfied to use an inferior scrub ram, they cannot expect to improve their flocks. Many breeders, however, have the wrong idea that as long as their ewes are bred to any kind of a ram, everything is done well, but this is a serious mistake on their part. Like begets like, and what kind of a lamb crop can be expected from ewes bred to a scrub ram, with a narrow body, a long, slim neck, a narrow chest, and long legs? Lambs from ewes bred by this kind of a sire cannot be fed as economically as those which come from the right kind of a sire, and consequently will not develop like the low, broad, blocky lamb which is so desirable on the mar- ket. There is a notable difference in the price paid on the market for these two kinds of lambs. No mistake can be made by the use of a good sire, and far more profit is insured than by the use of a scrub ram. Select a ram with a broad head, showing masculinity; a thick, short neck without any depression between shoulder and neck, and a broad, deep [4] HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT chest. He should be broad and smooth on top of the shoul- ders and have a well-developed forearm. His legs should be short and set well apart. He should be broad, deep and full in the heart girth, which indicates a strong constitution. It is essential that the ram have a broad, straight back with well sprung ribs and wide and thick loins. A long and wide rump with a full deep twist is very desirable. He should be well filled in the flank with a straight underline. His fleece should be dense. It should be remem- bered*‘that fifty to fifty-five ewes should be the limit for any ram to breed in one season. On the ranges thirty- five to forty ewes are enough for one ram. A ram lamb should not be used for heavy service at any fate. As to the time when to breed the ewes, this lies en- tirely with the flockmaster, as he must know what he pert ae intends to do with his lambs, whether he wants to turn them off on an early summer market or whether he intends to keep them over and fatten them the following winter. If it is his idea to strike the early market, he should turn the ram with the flock between September 15th and October Ist. If he intends to follow the other method of fattening his lambs in the fall and winter time, he does not need to breed his ewes until about November Ist to 15th. or somewhere about that time. Culling the Ewe Flock A Poor Ram In the fall of the year the ewe flock should be looked over and those ewes which have not proved to be good producers, should be culled out, fattened and sold. Also ewes with broken mouths should be drafted *NoTE—The two rams shown above are of the same breed. (5] HOW} 1 OO HAN DEB Shh Ee PbO RP Ror inh out, fattened as much as possible, and sold to the butcher. In place of these, the best ewe lambs from the previous lamb crop should be added to the flock. The Breeding Flock in Winter Sheep will thrive and do well on the grains and rough- age grown on the average farm. If the flock goes into winter quarters in good condition, not a great deal of grain feeding is necessary. Where good clover or alfalfa hay is fed with perhaps a small amount of good corn silage in addition, say about two pounds per day per ewe, no grain is necessary at all until about a month previous to lambing, when it becomes essential to feed some grain in order to stimulate a good milk flow. As sheep like change in feed, some good bright corn stover, and nice, fine, bright oat straw will be appreciated by them. By all means, fellow flockmasters, be sure and give your breeding ewes all possible exercise in the winter time, as this will add greatly to the health, vigor, and strength of the lambs when they are born. Outdoor exercise on all bright days is an essential factor which should always be borne in mind. On all cold, stormy days, keep them under cover, if you can. This, of course, does not include the sheep on the ranges which never go under shelter all winter long. Have your shed or barn well ventilated and bedded when the sheep are in it, and supply your sheep with plenty of fresh water at all times. Gestation Period It is perhaps well to mention here, for the benefit of those who have had no experience with sheep, something about the gestation period. At the Wisconsin College where careful records have been kept of the date of breeding and lambing of each ewe, it has been found that among the middle and long wool breeds of sheep the average gestation period was 147 days. The fine wool breeds range from 150 to 154 days. Lambing Time There is perhaps no other time in the year when the flockmaster should be so closely connected with his flock and give them such careful attention as at lambing time. A great deal of his success in the percentage of lambs raised depends in a large measure upon the care he gives his lambing ewes [6] HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT and new born lambs. At this time some of the ewes need assistance in lambing, and like the ewes, some of the lambs also need the shepherd’s help in getting a start. The flock- owner who is in earnest, will devote much of his time during the day as well as during the night with his flock, for he knows that he can save old sheep as well as lambs by giving the proper attention to them, and this all means money and a larger profit for him. It is not a wise plan to leave the ewes which have lambed with the rest of the flock. It is far better if newly lambed ewes with their lamb or lambs are taken away from the main flock and put in separate enclosures, which will prevent a great deal of the so common trouble of ewes disowning their lambs. If ewes lamb early before going out on grass, they may be fed more grain and corn silage than before lambing, so as to furnish plenty of milk to nurse the youngsters well. In cases of twins and triplets it is advisable to put them to- gether later, and also put those together with single lambs, as it is evident that the ewe which nurses two or three lambs needs more feed than the ewe with only one lamb. Castrating and Docking Lambs Many flockowners in this country have not yet realized the importance of castrating and docking their lambs. When flockmasters who have neglected these operations in the past once become fully acquainted with the advantages and_ profits derived from having their lambs properly castrated and docked, they will soon get busy and perform this work. Any buck lamb which is not a pure-bred, should be castrated. A grade ram should in no event be used for breed- ing, as this method does not uplift breeding to a higher stand- ard, but on the contrary, lowers it. It would be a wise plan to castrate many of the inferior pure-bred lambs, as this also would be a great benefit to the sheep industry in America. When the flockowner intends to raise lambs which will bring him the largest returns from the capital invested in the busi- ness, he can, under no circumstances, afford to let his lambs go whole. Buck lambs grow all right and put on flesh for the first few months after birth, until they have reached the age of three or four months, when they begin to get uneasy, -as nature then stirs up their male functions. Now, at the very time when the lambs ought to get in the best condition, (7) HOW TO HANDLE SHEEPVEOR PRO:ELT in order to bring the highest price when put on the market, if not castrated, they will then begin to wear off flesh instead of putting it on, by fighting and riding each other. In spite of the fact that they may have good pasture and feed, they get thinner and come to market in a very poor condi- tion, while the castrated lamb, on the other hand, under the same care and feed, at this time comes to market in a plump, fat condition. Now, how does the price paid for good, fleshy lambs compare with that paid for thin buck lambs? The former receive their full value and are in demand, while the latter are a drug on the market on account of their thin con- dition and the strong, undesirable taste of their flesh, due to the fact that they possess their testicles at this age. Buyers at our leading markets are fully aware of the disadvantages of such buck lambs, and hence the price paid for same is from $1.25 to as much as $2.00 or more less per hundred pounds than would have been paid for them had they been castrated. If the above quoted difference in the price paid for castrated and uncastrated lambs is not sufficient to induce flockowners who have not used the knife on their lambs in the past to do so in the future, then it is absolutely useless to try to help them increase their profits from their sheep. Perhaps many flockowners are afraid to tackle the task of castrating their lambs, but I will say to them that this is not a serious opera- tion at all. Like in all other work, however, the necessary precautions must be taken. Lambs should be castrated when they are young. The best time perhaps is when they are from a week to fifteen days old. The writer, in his experience, has always found that lambs that are castrated at this age mind the operation much less than when they have become older. COTCH? SEER Ps bb DENG above, a pasture of about fifteen acres. What joy it was to drive the old horse and cart as Archie tossed the feed right and left, his dog lying at the gate ever ready to answer whistle or sign from his master. Dreamy days were those, leaving behind them mellow memories,—the gentle shepherd, the flock dumb but radiant with instinct,—the wise dog, the tall hedge on the west side of the field, a boundary and.a shelter in one, red with haws, winter fruit for thousands of wild birds,—away in the distance the old square farm house redolent of our ancestors who for generations had tilled many acres of the surrounding country. After the flock had gotten its share of the tares the cake barrel was tapped and about half to three-quarters of a pound of concentrated food was put in the small trough for each animal. At this piece of work the dog was in evidence. As the shepherd poured the cake and corn from a sack into the above the sheep were kept back by the Collie. If one of the expectant flock had the temerity to try to break away and reach the dainty food, the dog shot out like an arrow and turned him back to the bunch. Not a word from the shep- herd,—he knew his duty without being told. After eating, the flock rested, scattered over the green field, making a scene of peace and plenty. As the season went on and the grass in the field was nibbled close more tares and more artificial food was doled out. About the tenth of October a few turnips, roots and tops, were added. Then the day came when they were folded on the root field. The troughs went with them and for six weeks or two months they got practically as much artificial food as they could eat. It was a stuffing process. When they reached eighty or eighty-two pounds dressed my father sent for Joe Ruddick, the great Border dealer of those days, and they bargained for the stock. Ruddick came about two o’clock in the afternoon. They looked over the sheep for sale, probably took a glance at the cattle that had just been placed in sheds for the winter feeding, and then they went to the house for dinner at three o’clock. The bar- gaining began after dinner, at which several of the neighbors were present. After my mother left the table the port bottle went freely around and a good deal of gossip was retailed. Later on the hot water jug came into action and hot toddy in big tumblers was freely drunk. All the time the trading [22] SCOTGH (SHEEP FEEDING went on. As a rule Ruddick had looked at some of the neigh- bors’ stock, so he had to hold his own against three or four parties. As I recollect it always ended in a deal. Tea was served in the drawing room about six o’clock. Ruddick left shortly afterwards while the neighbors sat down at the whist table, played probably for a couple of hours, drank more toddy and left about ten o'clock. Halcyon days were these for the Scottish farmer,—the American Civil War had forced up prices,—the misfortunes of others, the horror of bloody battle fields, was enriching land- lord and tenant in the British Isles. I think it was in 1864 that the wool from the above sheep sold at sixty cents per pound. They probably produced from seven to eight pounds per head but at the former weight it meant $4.20 per sheep and as they went to the dealer at about $15 per head for mut- ton it meant an enormous return to the producer and feeder, and my father, wise in his generation, always tried to follow up his wether sheep from the cradle to the grave. Our yearly draft of ewes went to England to produce another lamb crop. Nowadays it is all changed. Sir Walter Scott in tell- ing the story of the last of the Scottish minstrels, said: “The bigots of the iron time had call’d his harmless art a crime.” It is change everywhere. The farmer of fifty years ago in Southern Scotland would be a freak in these days of modern methods. Like the minstrel, he has disappeared. The sickle and the scythe are gone; the mower and self-binder take their place, and so the old-fashioned wether of stately proportions is a rara avis. Ask a butcher for a leg of an auld sheep, as they still term it, and you get a sigh from him, and then he answers, ‘‘Nay, nay, we never see them any more.” The lamb that is born in March is taught to eat cake at his mother’s side and when he is weaned he is carried for- ward towards maturity at lightning speed. By early Decem- ber the tops of the flock will dress sixty pounds and that is the weight popular in these days. More than once I have stated that the husbandry of the Borderland, so far as the working of the soil is concerned, has deteriorated sadly, not because the farmers are less skillful, but labor becomes scarcer each year. The advance in machinery has helped a lot but it cannot overcome the want of hand labor necessary for root culture. But when you come to the live stock business, and more especially the handling of sheep, a tremendous advance [23] SCOTCH. SHEEP “FEEDING has been made. They turn their sheep product of the farm at half the age and at seventy-five per cent of the weight. The same story 1s told in our stock yards in regard to yearling cattle. It is the small tidy cut that is popular and the butcher of Britain, as well as in the United States, must cater to his customers. After weaning, the farmer, aided by his shepherd (and the latter is generally the big asset in the management of the flock), must provide good aftermath to start the lambs on their way to market. Some seasons are more favorable than others, but in a country where the rainfall is well divided the stockman has not much trouble in this way. Artificial food is freely given and whenever the roots are ready for consump- tion they are turned on them. The lamb teeth can slice the white or yellow roots, but when they come to the swedes these have to be topped and tailed, put in to heaps and the turnip cutter is in evidence. The sheep is an early riser and you must be ready at dawn to fill his boxes with sliced roots. Then at a certain hour, to the minute if possible, feed them their extra ration of cake or corn. The sheep is a grand time- keeper. Away amid the silent hills and valleys where the wild foxes wander and the curlew screams, the Cheviots or Blackfaces spend their nights on the hill tops. At daylight they commence feeding slowly downwards. At noon they rest a little in the valley, generally by the banks of some stream, then as the sun crosses the yard arm they point their eyes once more upward. Nothing but a brewing storm will keep them from their onward march to the bare hill top. There is method in their life and they love punctuality, and whether it be on Scottish farm or Colorado ranch you must feed your sheep to the minute to make a success of your business. Fur- ther still you must handle your young stock gently, with tact and love. As civility is the cheapest thing in daily life noth- ing counts so much in ovine existence as gentle care mixed with observation. Watch their habits and cater to their wants. Another change has come. I know not whether for the better or worse. The fair ground where we used to meet and haggled over prices has disappeared. The shepherds would reach such places as St. Boswells Green or Melrose Moor the night previous to the fair day. Then at daylight the owner would appear and as those Fairs were held in July and August he probably spent most of the night reaching his stand, for that was [24] SCO C A SRE EP FE EB Din G before the days of distance-killing motors, so as to reach his flock by four A. M. If it was a brisk trade he sold out early but many a day the owners stood till three P. M. under a hot sun, or again in a pouring rain. Today it is the auction mart. It opens about ten A. M., the farmer gets leisurely to the place of business, the auctioneer does the work and the owner has nothing to say but look wise and take his medi- cine. It is easier, possibly it is better, but the young farmer growing up under such conditions knows little of the value of his stock. He cannot cultivate self-reliance in pricing his product. In other words, his individuality is seriously im- paired. (25] Seven Million Handled During 1911 and 1912 by Clay, Robinson & Co. Twelve Thousand Head Per Day Sheep During the two years ending December 31, 1912, we handled (bought and sold) at all of our houses, a total of 6,949,639, or in round figures, seven million sheep and _ lambs. This is equivalent to an aver- age of practically for every business day the year around. ‘The splendid selling service that built and which maintains this business is at the disposal of sheepmen con- signing to us at any of the ten markets shown on_ opposite page. _ in il Il | II il i nn | mn ess PRESS OF BNCKG a