| : RA ROGRE EEP LARS Pha Wh Wie Bray y Nn My DNAY ar | aa ew ti AN, Wise | Hey rea URL eo i SRM a i PY we Hi we mi A AN A | tA ta | y | ) bi { | | rary | ; \ 1 ‘i APS, ing aa f ‘JOxIeU Joy} Apear squieyT PROGRESSIVE SHEEP RAISING By R. J. H. De LOACH DIRECTOR ARMOUR’S BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND ECONOMICS Assisted by H. A. PHILLIPS MANAGER ARMOUR'S SHEEP DEPARTMENT ARMOUR’'S BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND ECONOMICS REQ. NO. 399962 Copyright 1918, Armour and Company im aces ba Introduction By F. Epson WHITE Vice President of Armour and Company HE sheep, as a domesticated animal, is closely bound with the great movements of world commerce during the past hundred years. The history of sheep raising reflects the remarkably rapid development of commerce and industry during the nineteenth century, in which the founders of the packing industry took part. Less than a century ago mutton was little The old Wool used outside the Bees ponisted districts Type of Sheep of the Old World. In the Americas, Africa, Australia and Central Asia—remote regions where transportation was poor and land was cheap and sparsely populated—there was no market for mutton and sheep were raised for skins and fleeces only. For the production of these, the Merino was the ideal type, and it had the field all to itself. Up to as late as 1870 four-fifths of all the sheep in America were either pure-bred or grade Merinos. During the following twenty years, however, several developments of world-wide significance took place which changed the aspect of the world’s sheep-raising industry. . Railroad building and steamboat opera- When Mutton tion, along with the practical application of Superseded large-scale refrigeration and the refrigerator Wool car, annihilated time and distance between the sheep ranges and the centers of world meat consumption so that the sheep grower for the first time found himself face to face with the strong and steady pull of a world de- mand for mutton as well as wool and skins. Sheep growers began crossing their wool-growing type of sheep with the various mutton types of Europe. e Not until 1869 was the first through-line How Philip D. railroad opened up between Chicago and Armour Broad- New York, so that cars of western meats or ened the Market other goods could be shipped through to eastern markets without reloading. In 1875 Philip D. Armour erected in Chicago the first really large-scale chill room in the world, although small ice boxes, and even a crude type of refrigerator cars, had previously been used by others. Previous to 1880 Mr. Armour, who was also responsible for the actual building and operation of the first whole line of refrigerator cars, killed no sheep in his several packing plants. Pork was the ideal packing meat, as it still is; and fresh meats had not yet become a commodity on the market. In fact, packing houses were operated only during the winter months, and no meats at all were packed in pee until after large-scale refrigerative control had been estab- lished. Beef—pickled, smoked and dried—followed The Mutton pork as a commodity on the market. The Market Devel- world’s appetite for fresh meats was satisfied oped Last only insofar as home slaughter and the local butcher could satisfy it. But mutton, being strictly a fresh meat product, and not lending itself to pickling, smoking and drying, became a world commodity only after the . Seach neeeee 23 (Se 8 1 1 I i aR 2 In the Mating Season..... Ree ee cat: aie e te eens 24 Dg Be Vag ah 213 A ec rae a 24 Suggestions for Lambing Time..... eee eae ai 24 Peel ICU Nec Nee eo) MN 25 Seapine Oe ewes ae ear chest Jie cdg adele s 25 eae aan trie Tea ores i ale NT Pe as 25 MARKETING MUTTON AND LAMB........... 26 What ere the Market Demands... 2... so. sce ak a 26 Early Spring or Hot-House Lambs... ...... 2.0.04. 26 ere Se eek ik eee ep aie cree le las bed, MUaNe RB's ala, 26 cle R AS Re re eek Oe Ek Bake ene nae 27 iporred) Sneen atic ans. .: 205 254/05 Sead cas bs 28 de PEI OE SEER. . Bae ey boa bak wake 29 Riese Wes: aii ol ss Sy a gieere hehe By Rake 4 29 Pees Pier iota. PAINE ete et os stars en ears Oe. 29 peo eecine at Len Days... 2.0 oi ds Ob a 30 Eiealthy Lamiss-Eiconomize TFeedsiei3./s0 for. oo se 30 Feeding for Sreeders:or for Market?) .....:. 6.0.2. . - Wi Gains From Different Grains. . ie UN Aa Rations Worked Out by Eaperiient Sea. ge ee an ae Feavions for Fabtening amis: 6.5.0 1024 sc. cis bess - 32 arcutstine: Peedine Cate 5.4 (0 ce aoke un aarees « « 33 ie bo Patten eicep snus pas ed Rk ek ees 34 piiseivece Ioatiey der Whose. 5 obs iN Sk sciv ss. 35 dine, Wael Pays the: Peed ee olen Ae... 36 Sel eccers should NMotibe.Wsed. i523 405525502 .% 2. 36 GOP PASTURES A BA seer ie 37 geet AStanes 1IMIpOrtani le Oa ee. 38 Menai LIVEN GEE twat ce. AAG tie ea ees . 38 Rye, Good and: Easy to“Grow .:\4 >. fiat ee eee Vetchiand Ryeicad.s 22 a2 Se ee Alfalfa and Oats. 354.502 eee The ‘Cloves 22562 es eee eee Do Not Graze*CGlover ton Yours: 9-o.) ae Rape‘and Cabbave as.Peeds’) 272 ‘Trees in Pastute, 202 a eee GENERAL CARE AND MANAGEMENT... Care of Sheepets.... 2.3 Si eee ee Cullingthe Flsek. 23 O22 ee Shear trig fe WS ee SR a Docking of Tamibs...0.. 2 i 2a a Castration of lambs... vidio a ee Dogs a Great Hindrance. . Pea fades Me ae £87. 0) Why Not Have Dog Laws gic oo eee DISEASES OF SHEEP. WER non is Reap Sot Sheep: Diseases Classified... .)G0 3 eet sa External Diseases. ic. s< ooaes oe eee ee Stomach Worms. .:.0.. 2 $c ee ee Nodular Disease... 2202 i. 5 Se ete By-Propucts OF THE SHEERS... 23 eee ‘TABLE OF RECEIPTS AT SEVEN kicoess: seth Ai ‘TABLE SHOWING RANGE OF LAMB PRICES......... LisT OF OFFICERS OF THE VARIOUS SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATIONS.. IRERERENCES oo 6 oe eo oe eee ‘L€ eased gag “MOWIUIOD 00} IBF ST ADUSIDYJaUT JO WIOF S14} 3Nq ‘paze19][0} 9q Jou peeu pue jou pjnoys sainjsed 100g ‘Sy aded 39S ‘“UlYS 94} jO SuIddIu sSa_ JO dIOW SI 9194} pue SUBDUI [eoIuUeYIOW Aq UeY} WIoOjJluN Ssoyq SI surddtyj9 ayL “poyzou paworysey- P[O 24} SI Sutieays-pue Py Pecwmesosol VES SHEEP: RATLSING Progressive Sheep Raising By R. J. H. De Loach, Director Armour’s Bureau of Agricultural Research and Economics The Sheep Situation Today HE year 1915 marked a new era in the American Sheep industry. It was then that the national movement was started for putting sheep back on our American farms. For many years prior to that time Why Sheep the drift of the sheep raising industry Went West in this country had been toward the great free ranges of the far west. Grazing lands with an abundance of wild grasses were plentiful and the cost of raising sheep under such condi- tions was abnormally low, from the viewpoint of a trained economist who insists upon assigning to everything— even wild pasture land—its true economic value, and the grasses gleaned from them were not represented in the prices of the sheep which came from them to the mid- west and eastern markets. Meanwhile the improved and cultivated lands of the eastern states were rapidly increasing in value. The owners specialized more and more upon the crops which yielded the best returns and against which there was no abnormal competition from the west. Consequently, grain, vegetables, hogs and dairying became more prev- alent. and the sheep population dwindled in proportion. Page Nine PROGRESSIVE SHEE Pe ae 2a There are still great areas of these Present free ranges. It is economy and in the Eastward public interest that they should be Trend fully utilized. In fact, more attention should be given to this than ever before. In 1916 our public lands suitable for grazing amounted to about 750,000,000 acres and supported 1,750,000 cattle and 7,850,000 sheep. However, that condition is passing and will soon go the way of the Buffalo and the Longhorn Steer. ‘The increasing population of the country and the decreasing acreage of these ranges, due to settlement, have com- bined in recent years to take up som? of the slack and force a closer grazing, which makes it necessary to use more and more concentrates to finish range sheep for market. These conditions are gradually bringing uy, the cost of range sheep until now, under favorable con- ditions, sheep can be raised and finished for market on the farm almost as cheaply as on the ranges. The farmers who settle this land will, of course, continue to raise sheep on it, but it will be on a basis similar to that of the small farmer in the East. The cost of raising these sheep will never again be so low as it was on the free range. The high prices of mutton and wool, suddenly sharpened by the world war, were no doubt responsible for the awakening of the farmers to this change in the economic situation with regard to sheep raising and the resulting nation-wide movement to get our farm lands re-stocked with sheep. We are now beginning to learn for the first time what the sheep really stands for. We are beginning to appre- ciate it as anational asset. Of all meat animals it may that the sheep will eventually prove the most indispensa- ble. Lamb meat already stands at the top—and wool has Page Ten Bee erhesS SIVE - SHEE Ps RATS ENG no equal as a fiber for the manufacture of clothing. Ade- quate substitutes may yet be found for leather and other by-products of meat animals, but there is little likelihood of our ever finding a suitable substitute for wool. The Army had to be clothed as well Increased as fed. Wool was the best if not the Importance only material out of which suitable of Sheep clothing could be made, and it required the wool of twenty sheep to outfit each soldier. This combination of circumstances has created a world-wide interest in the sheep industry, marking, as we say above, a new era in the American industry and giving impetus to the backward swing of the sheep population from the free ranges of our far west to the thousands of mid-west and eastern farms from which they had formerly disappeared. Those who think of entering the ~ The Oppor- business of sheep breeding naturally tunity ask themselves, what are the chances for a permanent sheep and _ wool market? Such a question is fully justified. The following news item is quoted from the United States Food Admin- istration in February, 1918: “Tt is probable that Europe for many years after the war will look to a great extent to America for its meat supply. ‘“Furope’s herds are dwindling under war's demands faster than they can be replenished. “When the German armies retired from occupied por- tions of France and Belgium approximately 1,800,000 head of cattle were appropriated. This addition virtually safeguarded Germany from the cattle shortage other nations now suffer.” , While sheep are not specifically mentioned in this report, yet the decline in all kinds of livestock has a direct bearing on any branch of the industry. Besides there is a world shortage of sheep amounting to many million head. Page Eleven PROGRESSIVE SHEEP Bet ls ee In these days of high priced wool The Breeder and mutton, sheep breeders have Safe reaped large benefits. They have had good pastures and the natural wastes of the farms or the ranches, and have made money almost without exception. This is borne out by personal interviews with many of the best breeders in the country. Each year hundreds of breeders The Relation find themselves with more sheep than of Breeder they have provided feeds for, and find and Feeder it expedient to send a part of the flock to market before it is finished. At the same time hundreds of feeders with a surplus of feeds have found it both convenient and profitable to buy up these flocks and finish them for a later market. This is a safe and legitimate operation if conducted with calm judgment. Within the past few months (written March, 1918) a number of farmers have bought good light lambs at high prices, finished them on costly feeds and put them on the market, making fair money in most cases, breaking about even in some, and actually losing money in a few. This has caused some confusion and misunderstanding, but it has been due to an unfortunate combination of circumstances, which will sometimes happen in any business. We have every reason to believe The Sheep that there is a world shortage of sheep, Market in which event the market is safe for several years to come. Whatever conditions may be brought about by the present war, we can feel assured that the law of supply and demand will always regulate prices, which in turn regulates the planting of crops and the breeding of meat animals. This world shortage of sheep has helped to stimulate the industry, and popularize the raising of mutton and lamb and, we feel Page Twelve Pave tree oS 1 NE) +S PLE E PB -R-Acl S ENG justified in saying, has provided a broad and firm founda- tion for the industry as a business venture. We feel safe in saying that the prices Prospects of mutton and wool will remain high for Prices for several years after the war closes. Since the war began our standards of living have continued to go steadily higher, and the scale of values all along the line has advanced. We anticipate a greater demand for meat after the war than ever before, due to the fact that thousands of young men who have not been accustomed to a regular meat diet are being educated to expect it while in the army, and will not be inclined to do without it when they return to their respective homes. Page Thirteen PROGRESSIVE ‘SHEEP BRAS Ie The Sheep In Farm Economy Much of the public land in the west The Ranch is being opened up for settlement from Vanishing year to year, and the area for grazing | large flocks of low priced sheep is gradually diminishing in this way. America’s great opportunity is in The Farm the prc sheep se on farm as is insures a public interest in the Place for Sheep industry and a permanent supply of sheep and wool. Sheep respond read- ily to man’s care and keeping and are economical on the small farm. They pay a good dividend on the investment, and will be a comfort to every farmer who takes the time to succeed with them. We are convinced that every American farm should have a flock of sheep on it, the number in the flock to be de- termined by the size and nature of the farm. From the standpoint of national economy the sheep should be regarded as a farm necessity the same as poultry and hogs. It is only then that we shall develop a whole- some sheep industry on our farm lands. It has been learned by carefully Relation planned experiments that sheep will to Weeds eat and thrive on about ninety per- and Waste cent of ali the species of weeds and grasses growing on the average farm. They clean out the weeds by keeping them cut down to the ground. They also help to eliminate waste by con- suming the surplus of forage of all kinds, and make a good medium through which the surplus grain and other con- centrates can be marketed with profit. There is a greater profit feeding these to sheep than there is in selling them. Page Fourteen Reece sites oy Be So Pe EP RAS) NG In the first place, the sheep will make good use of the feeds and help to make quick returns. In the second place, the small farmer is obliged to market such feeds generally in small quantities. They are not standard- ized, and under such conditions only about seventy-five percent of their value is realized. We very seldom put the proper Value of Sheep valuation on sheep in their relation Meee to soil fertility. Each sheep will void about four to five pounds of manure daily—making more than two tons daily from a flock of a thousand. Sheep manure stands high when compared with that of the horse or cow. It contains far more plant food. Voor- hees says in his book on fertilizers, that “‘sheep manure contains less water, and is richer in the fertilizing con- stituents than either horse or cow manure.” The follow- ing table shows the relative value by giving the number of pounds of plant food in a ton of each: Cow Horse Sheep PIEPOBENS . oS es via 10.6 16.6 ie 2) re ee a2 5.6 13.4 Sa a EIN ies ee 10.6 4.0 JURE... by. 2, 4.2 .6 Cs" 22 ER or CR 24.2 Eats. At. 2 From this table it will be seen that a ton of sheep manure has a total of seventeen pounds of plant food more than a ton of that of the cow, and 10.2 pounds more than a ton of that of the horse. Every farmer knows how valuable animal manures are in the production of large crops. The actual plant food contained in them constitutes the measure of their value. And on this basis sheep manure is the richest of all. Page Fifteen PROGRESSIVE: SHE EP) eet oe In Europe sheep are considered a matter of so much importance in the maintenance of soil fertility, that the flock is hurdled in movable pens several nights on plowed ground prior to the time of planting, and the shepherd is up through the night disturbing the flock from time to time in order to secure the greatest possible amount of manure. Page Sixteen oe. A load of Western Range Lambs in Union Stock Yards, Chicago. *“Choice’’ ““Good”’ “Medium’”’ “Commor.” LAMBS AS THE BUTCHER SEES THEM. Reprinted from ‘‘Market Classes and Grades of Meat,” Illinois Bulletin No. 147. Pe) BIS SibVv Be oS HW BE By ORIACE Sa NG Raise Sheep for Meat HE raising of sheep for wool alone is a thing of the past in this country and in most other countries of the world. It certainly is uneconomical on the valuable farm lands of agricultural districts, where the sheep-raising industry of the future must justify itself. England faced this problem from the first and all English sheep are raised for both mutton and wool. A sheep raising industry for wool alone Wool Supply could hardly exist under modern condi- Follows Mutton tions in the United States. Experience has shown that where we raise sheep for wool alone we will not long have either meat or wool, for the industry will dwindle or die out; whereas if we raise them for the meat primarily we find them to be a cheap source of meat, and the industry becomes profitable and self-perpetuating and we have an abundance of both meat and wool. It is estimated by the Secretary of Agriculture that the number of sheep in this country could be increased one hundred and fifty percent without displacing other live- stock, and this could be done largely on farm lands. We import an average of three hundred million pounds of wool annually into the United States, or about half of our total normal consumption. [It seems that we should be growing most of that here on our American farms. The impression seems to prevail in Should We this country that in Great Britain the Sell Lambs custom is to eat mutton and save the lambs, while in the United States the tendency has been to kill off lambs which might better have been kept to produce more wool and a heavier yield of meat at maturity. Page Seventeen PROGRESSIVE SHEEP Ads ne This impression, however, is a mistaken one. The English eat more lamb and less mutton than is generally supposed, most of their lamb being imported from Aus- tralia, New Zealand and Argentina. Great Britain still consumes a smaller proportion of lamb than the United States, but the proportion of lambs to aged stock was steadily growing up to the time of the war. Statistics show that both Australia and New Zealand, up to August, 1914, were greatly increasing their lamb ship- ments to Great Britain at the expense of ‘‘aged’’ mutton, and it is our belief that in the future, lamb shipments will develop a still greater predominance. Furthermore, there are economic considerations which justify the farmer or rancher in sending lambs to market, rather than endeavoring to save all of them for mature weight and one or more shearings of wool before killing. The average sheep raiser must find A Lamb a market for his lambs, keeping back Market only enough ewe lambs to replenish Necessary his breeding flock. This is on account of the cost of feeding them through the winter. He would, of course, get a shearing of wool off lambs carried over, which would fully compensate him for the cost of the feed. And there would be a gain in the weight of each animal so held. But when he took them to market he would have “‘aged sheep” and not “lambs” and the falling off in price per pound would more than offset the gain in number of pounds. This has all been figured out by Should Encour- }-eeders again and again, and they find age Lamb it more profitable and therefore best for Consumption the perpetuity of the sheep raising in- | dustry, that surplus lambs be sent to market and that the public taste for lamb be catered to rather than discouraged as being unpatriotic and wasteful. Page Eighteen Prec eark BSS EVE? SWEEP oRiAES I N'G Well bred lambs mature quickly if properly cared for, and command a higher price in this country per hundred- weight than mutton. We feel that it is safer to have a lamb-and-mutton market than to have only a mutton market. Page Nineteen P ROOMS (BES Siew Bee SE ee RATSINGE Breeds and Breeding ANY farmers wish to go into the sheep industry to M a limited extent, but do not know where to secure breeding stock. We would suggest that a flock of twenty-five to fifty ewes be purchased from any good reliable breeder or from the market places, and a registered ram be put with them. Lambs should not be bred under an age of about eighteen months. Only the best flocks should be patronized in securing these rams, and Secure Breed- the advice of experts should be sought. ing Stock Usually the best breeders advertise in The American Sheep Breeder, The National Wool Grower and other good livestock journals and reference can be had here for breeders. ‘The sheep breeder will do well to subscribe for one or more good live- stock journals. It would be well to write to the Secretary of the national association of the breed you wish, who will always gladly give information. A list of such secretaries is given at the end of this booklet. é Many times it will be found econom- Breeding ical and profitable to buy these ewe Ewes lambs in the open market. This is frequently done and with success. It does not pay, however, except when they are bought in car lots (about 125 animals to make a single-deck car), and shipped out of the Yards immediately. Several farm- ers can jointly take a car and have them properly selected by commission men who will, for a small commission, see that they are forwarded as soon as the order can be filled. In some cases a number of farmers have sent a repre- sentative to the Stock Yards to select sheep. When this is done, the services and suggestions of the commission men can be secured just the same. It will be found that everybody around the Stock Yards is interested and ready to co-operate in placing suitable Page Twenty PeoOo GR ESS PVE -SHEEP. RAES ENG young lambs on farms. They feel that the success of the industry depends on this, and are glad to see an effort made to grow more sheep. Where it is practical, it pays for the farmer to buy breed- ing stock from his neighbor, in order to save freight and to avoid accidents and loss. ‘This is done to a considerable extent where farmers have neighbors who wish to sell small numbers of sheep, but even in such cases it must be kept in mind that the range sheep are usually healthier than natives and besides, native ewes are apt to be infested with internal parasites. From whatever source the breeding ewes come, it is better to get a registered ram of superior breeding from some breeder of blooded stock. It is necessary to buy a good ram Renew Stock every second or third year for every with Pure forty ne ae sau New blood in the flock will insure a larger percent re i of healthy lambs, and will also help in improving the flock. Select a good ram of the type or breed you are keeping. Do not permit breeders to put culls off on you. Any keeper will soon learn what are the characteristics of a good ram. In Circular Number 42, Louisiana State College, we have a very concise and at the same time rather complete statement regarding breeds and classification of sheep. It is so complete that we give it in part below: “With the exception of the Merinos, Gener al ; most, if not all, of the pure-bred sheep Classification in this country are representatives of of Breeds the numerous breeds of British origin. The British breeds are classified in various ways, such as horned and hornless, dark-faced and white-faced, mountain and lowland, long-wooled and short-wooled; but according to the best of the British authorities, the most usual plan is to divide them into mountain breeds, long-wooled breeds, and down breeds. Page Twenty-One PROGRES SOUV BE): SHE EP RA iS nes As in most classifications, however, it is difficult to draw sharp lines, although the three classes just men- tioned are fairly distinct. “There is much variation in the sheep of Great Britain, but in all of them, over there, the carcass is the chief consideration. “If we include the Merino, another Types of classification divides sheep into three the Different main classes, from the standpoint of their wool, viz.: long-wools, repre- Breeds sented by the Lincoln, Cotswold, Leicester, etc.; middle or medium- wools, represented by the Shropshire, Southdown, Hampshire, etc., known as down breeds; and fine-wools, to which the different varieties of the Merino belong, such as the Rambouillet, Delaine and American. However, although fairly good mutton may be had from any of the breeds of sheep, the middle wool class is that from which the choicest quality is obtained and, therefore, is known as the mutton type. It includes the various down sheep just mentioned, and the Horned Dorset, Cheviot, etc. “The long-wool breeds are also used as mutton sheep, in addition to their wool-production, but their flesh is not considered of such fine quality as an edible product. ‘The fine-wools, such as the Merinos, are not usually looked upon as mutton sheep, although crossing with middle-wool blood produces a better mutton animal than the pure Merino. “The down-sheep, proper, are hornless, dark-faced and dark-legged; and the majority have close fine wool, com- paratively short in length, and with fleeces of medium weight. The most important economic feature is the quality of the carcass and the mutton. They do not readily become too fat, even when fed to great weights, and the mutton is of superior quality, being firm, fine in the grain, and rich in color. Page Twenty-Two Peewee ® Eo SVE VS EE POR A Ss) NOG é “Referring for a moment to the Fine Wool vs. gre wools or Merinos, as wool-producers Mutton Breeds they are famous. The mutton qualities, however, are inferior, the sheep being muscular in type, carrying but little fat, and considered of about secondary importance in this respect. The cross- bred, or grade American Merino, is not improved for wool- production, but, as already stated, when crossed with middle-wool blood, a better mutton sheep is produced, although yielding less wool. ‘The mutton value of the Delaine Merino has been emphasized for some time; but it does not dress out so well as the true mutton type of sheep. The cross-bred or grade Delaine seems to be valued on the range.” ‘The Rambouillet, which is of Spanish origin, although a native of the northwestern part of France, is a member of the great Merino family. As a mutton producer, this breed ranks well, but is inferior to the regular mutton - breeds. Cross-bred and grade Rambouillets are well known on the Western ranges.”’ There is perhaps no universally best breed. Some breeds do well in some places, while others do better in other places. Some farmers have wonderful success with par- ticular breeds, and almost fail with others. The particular breed that one selects must be largely a matter of individual choice. Joe Wing found that when Merino Cross Breeding ewes were crossed with good Down breeds, the result was good, but was best only when the ewe stock was kept pure Merino. In cross-breeding it is well to remember that the ram is just half the flock—and by far the easiest half to care for. Oxfords, Shropshries, Dorsets, Southdowns and Hamp- shires cross well on the Western ewes, and make rapid grow- ing lambs. ‘The question of cross-breeding deserves much study, and will be found more successful on the farm than on the range for the reason that conditions and environment can be more easily controlled on the farm. Page Twenty-Three P-R-O'G:R ES S‘L VB: Se EB Pees ee In the Mating The following suggestions are quoted Season from Illinois Extension Circular No. 17. (a) Have the ewes in a gaining condition. (b) Shear the ewes around the rear parts, and see that the dung does not collect there. ~ (c) Dip the ewes and the ram if ticks, lice, or scab mites are present. (d) Feed the ram a pound of grain each day. Grain should be fed to ram before mating begins. (e) Use one ram to every thirty-five to fifty ewes. (f) Keep a record of the time when the ram is turned in with the ewes and when taken away. During The period of pregnancy is 146 days and Pregnancy _ the following will be found a useful guide: (a) Have the ewes gain 15 to 25 pounds. (b) Utilize cheap roughages. (c) Feed grain and leguminous hay during the months of pregnancy. (d) Shelter the ewes from cold rains and storms. (e) It may be advisable to divide the ewes into groups relative to age, condition, or time of lambing. Suggestions Most of the following suggestions are for Lambing taken from Extension Circular, No. Time 18, University of Illinois, by Prof. W. C. Coffey, which contains much valu- able information on handling the flock at lambing time. The shepherd should keep watch over the flock at lamb- ing time. Keep the ewes that are about to drop lambs separated from other kinds of live stock—and do not forget that hogs will eat young lambs. Provide warm quarters in cold weather and give ewes plenty of room. Have a few portable lambing pens, about four feet square. Page Twenty-Four Pee ES SO OEY BSH Ee EP Pr RACE S F REG A First Aid It is suggested that the following should be Outfit kept on hand for treatment of ewes and lambs: 1. Liquid sheep dip to be used as a disinfectant. 2. Epsom salts, castor oil, and raw linseed oil to be used as physic. 3. Tincture of iron, gentian and ginger to be used as a tonic. 4. Soap to place in water intended for injections to relieve constipation. 5. Tincture of iodine to be used on swollen udders and on navel cords to prevent “navel ill.”’ 6. Swan-bill nipples for feeding milk to young lambs. 7. Ametal syringe provided with a large nozzle and also a small one suitable for giving injections to young lambs. 8. A glass graduate for measuring doses of medicine. Caring for As lambing time approaches, pen the ewe the Ewe at night where she can be watched till the lamb is a few days old. It must be kept in mind that the ewe frequently requires help when giving birth to lambs. If help is given, great care should be taken to disinfect the hand—and do not tear the parts of the ewe. If the ewe seems to have no appetite six or eight hours after the lamb is born, raw linseed oil and epsom salts should be given. Two ounces of oil and four ounces of salts make a good physic. A teaspoonful of gentian in - half pint of warm water three times daily makes a good tonic. Caring for See that the lamb finds the teat, and if it the Lamb _ is strong nothing more is necessary. A weak lamb should be helped till it is strong enough to find its food. If the lamb is disowned, confine it and its mother in a close pen, and smear some of the mother’s milk on the lamb. ‘Twins should always be put with the ewe both at the same time. Page Twenty-Five PROG BR. ES S VE Site EP Ss Roose Marketing Mutton and Lamb During the past few years there has What are been a remarkable change in the sheep the Market business. ‘‘Aged stock’ has become very Demands scarce. Livestock men now market practically all of their stock as lambs. This has resulted almost in the elimination of wether sheep and yearling ewes. Receipts of ‘‘aged stock” are now almost all ewes, and even these at times are very scarce. : 4 The trade calls for light, plump, well Early Spring finished lambs, weighing about 70 to or Hothouse 80 pounds on the hoof, and mutton Lambs weighing 100 to 125 pounds. Thesale of poorly finished carcasses is very slow—but the demand is always heavy for good stock. In this country few of our wethers are above three years ~ old when they are taken to market. Weare a lamb-eating people, but will eat mutton when lambs are not available. The first run of spring lambs usually comes just before Easter. These are often termed “hothouse lambs’ and are the output of growers who specialize on early lambs. They are generally dressed with the pelts on. These are lambs that are dropped in November or December and prepared under artificial conditions for market. The idea in raising hot-house lambs is to bring them on the market in early spring and get fancy prices for them. For a limited supply of these lambs there is a good demand. They average about fifty pounds on the hoof, which is considered very light as lambs go. Spring Lambs The first real run of genuine spring lambs on the western markets is from Tennessee. The start in limited quantities about the middle of May, and come regularly after June first. Page Twenty-Six Pee CORE So PVE “SILE BP RAL S PNG They are pasture lambs and usually come from the South where pastures are green very early in spring, and where lambing time is somewhat earlier than farther north. These lambs may be fed grain with profit, even though they have plenty of rich pasture. In this way they can be quickly finished for market from April fifteenth to June first while prices are high. To get the best results with them, the ewes may be fed some grain but should receive cotton-seed meal and some hulls, and with these a light sprinkling of shorts. These Tennessee lambs are followed by Kentucky lambs during July, and the Central States Natives and western range lambs from July fifteenth to about Novem- ber first. These are the grain fed spring lambs Fed Lambs that run from about November first to June first. They are mostly range- bred stock that has been moved east during the fall and handled by feeders. The time required to finish these lambs depends upon the time that they are put on special feeds and the nature of the feeds used. Different feeds are used in different parts of the country. -In some sections like Colorado where hundreds of thousands are finished for market, feeding is almost a profession. The practice there hinges on the rich alfalfa crops and the pea fields in the Arkansas Valley, the grains and other concentrates being shipped in. In Idaho, Montana and other western states, lambs are frequently kept over and finished during the fall and winter months on hay. In the middle west and further east, various kinds of feed combinations are used as suggested in the chapter on feeding. Soy-bean meal, shorts, corn meal, and various other concentrates, combined with some hay and clover or alfalfa, con- stitute the bulk of such feeds. In feeding for market farmers should exercise judgment for the reason that greatest profits are always made by judicious feeding. Page Twenty-Seven PROG KRESS PV-E) SS HE EP eee a For several years past frozen sheep Imported Sheep and lambs have been imported from and Lambs South America, Australia and New Zealand. Although the American trade is unused to handling frozen stock, these imported sheep and lambs have met with a ready sale and given entire satisfaction. Page Twenty-Eight Pee reo So PVE, eS HEE Ps RAPS DN .G The Feeding ot Sheep T WILL be impossible to give a.complete treatise on feeding in this booklet, but we feel justified in includ- ing some of the experiments and opinions of the best feeders. Sheep respond readily to good treatment. They clean up the weeds about the farm, and graze pastures and ranches, closer than other animals. ‘They thrive with very little attention, but pay handsomely for the best care. Sheep that are raised on the large western ranges are usually fed lightly and only in winter except when they are being finished for market; in fact, it is not necessary to feed them in grazing season except to keep them tame and under control. They are primarily grazing animals and do best when they have free range. The ewes should be flushed just Feeding Ewes _ before breeding time in order to secure the best results. If on the farm, they can care for twin lambs, and are more apt to drop twins if well fed prior to breeding. They do not need very high feeding during winter. An abundance of forage, a half-pound of mixed grain feeds, and two or three pounds of silage or root crops daily per head will be sufficient. The most important part of the flock of sheep is the breeding ewes, and if we once learn to care for these we have solved most of the difficulties of the business. In selecting feeds a formula should consist of some alfalfa and other legume hay, such as clover, cow-peas or velvet beans. : Do not feed grain two or three days At Lambing prior to, during and immediately after Time lambing time. There is danger of milk fever. Legume hay or other dry rough- age and silage or mangels can be fed with safety all through Page Twenty-Nine P’RiOGR ESS2UV BS HEE Paka ts UNG the period of gestation and these may be supplemented with small quantities of grain a few days after lambs are dropped. Within a short time a full feeding of grain is possible without injury, if the quantity is very small at first and the increase gradual. The best paying feature of the sheep industry is the quick sale of fat lambs. Much study and attention therefore should be given to the subject of feeding lambs. , They very early develop an appetite Begin Feeding for solid feeds, and will begin to nibble at Ten Days weeds and grass when only a few days old. Feeding may begin with safety at ten days of age, and should be done for the reason that a pound of flesh can be produced now much cheaper than when the lamb is older. Besides, too long delay will make it harder to put on flesh. In England, and more recently in this country, the custom has been developed of constructing creeps or small openings through which lambs can pass, but which keep back the ewes. These permit lambs to go into special inclosures where they can have extra attention. They should begin to use grain as early as they can with a degree of safety, which is about two or three weeks after birth. Other facts regarding the feeding of lambs are pretty well known, or can readily be learned from the many excellent books available, including state and Government bulletins. Healthy Lambs — Healthy lambs make good use of Economize every ounce of feeds that go into them, Feeds and while they are young is the time to plan and feed for marketing. Delay is costly. Every farmer knows that it is good business to use feeds where they count for most, and grown sheep cannot make as good use of feeds as lambs. Page Thirty meek BSSIVE SHEEP RAISING Experiment has shown that to produce a hundred pounds of lamb flesh it was necessary only to add one of the following to the milk and grass diet: 71 pounds of wheat bran or 74 pounds of corn meal or 78 pounds of oats or 81 pounds of crushed peas. Feeding for Unweaned lambs that are to go to the Breeders or breeding flock at maturity should re- for Market ceive oats, bran and peas, while those that are to go to the slaughter pen should receive corn. The corn produces a fat carcass and one better suited for market demands. Gains from The rate of gain from the different Different Grains 'e4S is given by Woll in the following quotation: ‘When alfalfa is used alone it requires 110 to 120 days to fit lambs for market; with light grain feeding (one-fourth pound per head per day) 100 to 110 days; with medium grain ration (one-half pound), 90 to 100 days; and with heavy grain ration (one pound), 70 to 80 days.” He states that one-fourth pound a day of corn made as much gain as one-half pound, but that the gain was not so rapid. Rations In Henry’s Feeds and Feeding (page worked out by ae, are given a number of results from . the various experiment stations in ra- Exp enment tions for fattening lambs. The tables Stations show how much rations should be given each day to a hundred lambs. They also show the weights of the lambs that were fed and the average daily gain resulting from the feed combinations. Page Thirty-One PROGRESS DNV Es SE Ee Pe Ree NS Rations for At various Stations different feeding Fattening stuffs and combinations of feeds have Lambs been used for fattening purposes. Ex- amples are here presented to aid the feeder in forming satisfactory combinations of grain and roughage and to guide in determining the quantities required. In all cases the rations are calculated for 100 head. The weight of the lambs is given in each example: Michigan Experiment Station. } Corn and clover hay. Lbs. Av. wt. of lambs fed... 82 Dadyream eek a wnipherd Cooma io She 149 Claver Play i." bk a. 104 Michigan Experiment Station. } Corn, oil meal and clover hay. Av. wt. of lambs fed... 83 Day ean! 2. Se Ss 34 “sen agp eee 132 0.71 sty Fees | EA ae ne 33 Gleverslag soo 110 Michigan Experiment Station. * Corn, Wheat and clover hay. Av. wt of lambs fed ... 85 ane Batis. as ee 2 a5 Sheliee Corte... sj... 3% 64 VINEE Sans ee ee, oS. se 64 Els) 28 0 ee 129 Wisconsin Experiment Station. ? Corn, peas and corn fodder. Av. wt of lambs fed... 76 Di Biss ra ee ees 32 RENCCICON & 3.0. 6 o%ck » 87 EDT pada: Metal Mee cea ae 87 Gormitodger st 505 <<: 183 a Bul, 113. "Rept. 1896. Page Thirty-Two Wisconsin Experiment Station. ? Corn and Corn fodder Lbs. Av. wt. of Lambs fed... 76 Daily. gain’ 5... ee 527, Shetled corm 22 09-23 154 Corn fodder 2.22.33 188 Michigan Experiment Station. Corn, bran and clover hay Av. wt. of lambs fed... 80 Daily. cain: 2. $2. coer. 25 Sneed Cras. coc. tee 81 rat? ce as Seca 81 Clover hay, .'2. {ote aece 107 Wisconsin Experiment Station. ? Corn, oais and hay Av. wt. of lambs fed... 89 Daily gains. eee .38 Shelled: sont. 3) cous 04 OBts ise chcak cee 04 Plays ic. cielo & ae 05 Michigan Experiment Station. 4 Oats, hay and roots Av. wt. of lambs fed... 83 Daily eats). Hee Ho ee ae AES. 6 cca foc. ets 164 Clover hay...:... Moet 140 Ruta-basas’ sf Fevee se 100 sBul. 128. 4Bul. 107 ParOoGRESSTVE SHEEP RAISING Minnesota Experiment Station. ! Wheat screenings and timothy hay Lbs. Av. wt. of lambs fed... 74 ITN RIEL 5. 6ilag sic x! se’ .29 Wheat screenings...... ZL Mmmotiy hays 5.33 72 Minnesota Experiment Station. Barley, oil meal and timothy hay Texas Experiment Station. * Cotton-seed meal and cotton-seed hulls Lbs. Av. wt. of lambs fed... 62 Datlhyieaini seca 3 Fea P2e Cotton-seed meal...... 97 Cotton-seed hulls...... 97 Colorado Experiment Station. ® Av. wt. of lambs fed... 76 Cracked corn and alfalfa hay Daily aati. OS ess .33 Av. wt. of lambs fed... 89 ay ay Be Sea eae er 170 Way seins rl. Baoase's .29 beat eo. Mee cs oale &s 19 Pilfatta hay. oie ae% 290 Mumothy hay)... 22.2 72 RI fe hi a3 8 wares tes 67 Barley, oats and corn were the cheapest concentrates in the growth of market lambs. Barley is easy to grow and sufficient attention has not yet been given to it in this country as a food for sheep. It is especially good in climates where winter wheat is likely to be winter killed. In order to calculate the exact cost of producing a hundred pounds of tive weight, one has only to refer to the daily papers and see the price of the materials he is selling, or to be even more practical, calcu- late the price of feeds by the prices we are getting on the market. The legal weight of grains is different in different states, but the following is accurate enough for practical. purposes : Calculating Feeding Costs PEOEREAI CAG ie ceo ek gots Ue ee aise eis 70 lbs. per bushel pre SHENEC: ath4: Fay Sa Feed e aoe, « 56 lbs. per bushel Mamie oP Ua a iste a oe ete 48 lbs. per bushel Pin en en emesis NS AE esd 60 Ibs. per bushel Re ae UN ek oe is algae has ges 48 lbs. per bushel Bee Pee a A ate eeeo niet a Ne why’ s da aon,» 56 lbs. per bushel Op i need Acts BORNE oe Ot 32 Ibs. per bushel IBul. 113 *Rept. 1896 sBul. 128 Page Thirty-Three P°R’O'G RUE SSS Pe VeE eS Bebe ee een G Woll, in Productive Feeding of Farm How to Animals (Lippincott), gives a series of Faiten Sheep formulas to be used in combination for finishing sheep for market, and they are so good and so representative that we reprint them here, giving them in the order in which we find them. The amounts are to be given daily to each animal weighing about one hundred pounds at the beginning of the finishing period: 1. Two pounds clover hay, one pound wheat bran, one and a half pounds corn. 2. One and a half pounds of hay, one and a half pounds roots, one and a half pounds of oats and wheat bran, equal weights. 3. One and a half pounds clover hay, one pound roots, one pound corn, one-half pound wheat bran. 4. Three pounds alfalfa, two-thirds pounds corn. a One pound each cotton seed hulis and cotton seed meal. 6. One and a half pounds clover hay, one pound corn, oo eae pound wheat bran, one-half pound gluten eed. Combination hay and grain rack which may be entered by attendant when feeding grain. (U. S. Farmers’ Bul. No. 810) Page Thirty-Four meee GakeSssivVe SHEE Pt RADS ENG 7. Two pounds alfalfa hay, two pounds ground corn and oats. 8. Two pounds clover hay, one and a half pounds soy beans, one-quarter pound wheat bran. Substitute These combinations can be mixed in Barley for large quantities for flocks, and then Wheat given out by totals—the number of pounds to each sheep multiplied by the number of sheep to be fed. Barley makes a good substitute for oats or wheat in any one of the combinations, and may also be used in the place of corn. Barley is easily grown in the more northerly climates and is sure to come into more general use as a feed. It can be planted in spring and the crop is to be counted on. Any farmer can take these combinations and alter them to suit his own locality and finish sheep for market with no risk whatever. It is only a matter of care if the right combination of feeds is given. Combination hay and grain rack, with grain troughs so con- structed that they may be pulled to back of rack and grain placed in them without entering the pen. (U. S. Farmers’ Bul. No. 810) Page Thirty-Five he Bop — - (Ege et a vl POR O1G RB: EB. 8:8) EVES Eee BP ea NGS The owner of a flock of sheep can do nothing more im- portant than to make a study of these feed combinations and adjust them to suit his own climate and crop conditions. Success is sure to follow a careful and accurate observance of these results. The Wool Pays When sheep are properly cared for it Feed Bill is estimated by western sheep breeders and feeders that the wool pays for the feed and the carcass is clear profit. This estimate is based on the assumption that the flock receives the proper attention from the dropping of the lambs to time for marketing. Self Feeders Sheep breeders often inquire about Should not self feeders for sheep. We cannot urge be Used too strongly that farmers should not use self feeders. The death rate is far higher and the gains are never as satisfactory. Lamb creep with rollers for uprights. (U. S. Farmers’ Bul. No. $10) Page Thirty-Six Peis a Oo SEV BSE EP RAYE S TMG Good Pastures a Basic Crop HE luxuriance of the pastures of a farm is a measure of its fertility. Pastures are frequently neglected as factors in agricultural prosperity. They should be regarded as a crop, the same as wheat or corn, and made to yield abundantly. “IT cannot spare the space for sheep raising,” says one farmer. “I need all my land for money crops.”’ In the first place, land devoted to pastures, if it is made to yield abundantly, is not “‘spared.”’ It con- stitutes a valuable crop which yields a profitable return on the investment, and if it is in leguminous forage, it is contributing, at the same time, to the necessary fertility for future crops. Furthermore, the animals grazing upon it, also contribute to the maintenance of soil fertility. The reader will no doubt remember John J. Ingalls apostrophe to grass, in which he says: ‘Should its harvest fail for a single year, famine would depopulate the world.” The truth of this statement, once impressed upon us, forces us to respect the economic importance of this lowly herb. What Senator Ingalls really meant was that our live stock could not exist without grass and that we could not exist without the livestock. Poor pastures should not, and need not be tolerated, but this form of inefficiency is far too common. Losses through poor pastures are very apt to be ascribed to the sheep or other live stock which cannot thrive upon them. Unless sufficient fertility is maintained in the soil to nourish grasses, and the grasses actually raised, sheep cannot be expected to prosper any more than any other crop. Page Thirty-Seven PROGRESS TV ESE Ee Pree NG Sheep are naturally grazing animals, Good Pastures and unless they have adequate pastures Important they will not thrive. We have said before that they eat 90 per cent of all the species of weeds commonly found on the farm. Furthermore, they will clean up the hedgerows and the fence lines. But this should not be taken to imply that they can as well do without better pastures. Sheep deserve and need the best pastures we can make and will thrive in proportion to the quality of forage they get from the pasture. For sheep, grass should not be per- Value of mitted to grow too high, however. Native Grass Sheep need short sweet grasses. Wing says that the wild pasture grasses are best, and should be developed as much as possible. He also says that there are many kinds of pasture plants we can use to advantage, some of which are discussed in the following paragraphs. Rye is a sweet succulent pasture Rye Goodand and is easily grown. It is not rich in Easy to Grow food value but is very wholesome; and because of the ease with which it can be grown, is popular in all parts of the country. If the spring grain fields are put into winter rye, this will provide good feeding for the flock until time for planting the spring grain crop. Rye can be planted in any kind of waste place with good effect and will always pay for the trouble and cost. If the land is suitable, hairy vetch Vetch can be sown with the rye and the two and Rye will make a good food combination in spring. This will make a longer season for grazing and a better food, but cannot be so closely grazed in winter. A good plan will be to put part of the land into rye, and part into vetch and rye, and have a movable fence for a partition. Page Thirty-Eight reeov okie SSIVE* SHEEP RATSING For late spring and early summer Alfalfa grazing, oats and alfalfa are good. and Oats Sow these crops on good soil and fertilize well if you would get good results. Sow them early and use liberal quantities of seed, about two bushels of oats and fifteen to twenty pounds of alfalfa seed to the acre. To graze these crops successfully, let the sheep run on them until eaten down close, then turn into other pastures or rotate with movable fences until a growth of oats and alfalfa gets started again. This can be repeated as often as the pasture is suitable for grazing. The The clovers are among the best pas- crs ture crops, first because they are rich in food value for sheep and second, because they enrich the soil they grow on. Sheep that have these for the annual pasture are also less troubled with diseases. They nibble off the upper leaves, and get cleaner food. These plants, however, are rich in protein and would be too rich if grazed alone. When sown for pasture, orchard grass should be mixed with them. If grasses are to be had the animals will not overeat the richer foods. ' Wing observes that pasturing on Do Not Graze clover “0 never absolutely ce but Clover Too the observance of a few simple rules | Young will go far to insure safety. Do not graze young clover plants. Wait until they are almost to the blossoming stage. Do not graze hungry sheep on clover. Allow them to get almost filled up on other feeds before putting them into the cloverfield. Give them salt as soon as they are put upon pasture. Page Thirty-Nine PROG R.ES SU ViEst SHEE eee 1 NG Rape belongs to the cabbage family, Rape and all branches of which fit well into the Cabbage diet of sheep. It yields well in food as Feeds value compared with other plants, but must be eaten green. Rape is gen- erally better for autumn, and will afford good pasturage after other pastures are gone. Sheep fattened on rape will require some grain to finish them solid. Dwarf Essex is the most popular variety. Cabbage makes a good feed, and where it can be grown successfully proves to be a cheap feed. Supple- mented with a small amount of grain it will be found useful in getting breeders ready for market. } Every permanent pasture should Trees in have a few good shade trees in it for Pasture shelter from the sun in hot weather. Few breeders realize how much this means to the flock. Plenty of cool clean water is also important in the pasture. pe ay me | Panel and braces for making Nox a portable sheep fence. (U. S. Farmers’ Bul. No. 810) Page Forty ‘OI8 ‘ON Ule[Ng SsowIey “§ “M Ul punofz oq Aeul ‘[veEwis 10 ssie] ‘sureg daayg 10} suet “LIGI ‘Ale 2323S EMO] ‘Uol}e1]SUOWIIG SulBsYys [eIuULyIs Peo GRE SSIVE SHEEP RAIS ING General Care and Management As has been stated above, sheep are Care of Sheep primarily grazing animals and must have pasture if they are expected to make reasonable returns. Open fields are not sufficient. Some permanent grasses must be available. Suitable houses should be provided, and feeding pens sufficient to give plenty of room without crowding. Plenty of fresh, clean water should be convenient at all times. The owner should mingle daily with the flock. He must know his sheep and let his sheep know him. Small amounts of feed should be given them daily even when they do not need it. This will keep them in better condi- tion and health and in good training. Do not forget to salt the sheep often. It will insure better health and greater returns at the market. Some feeders mix salt in with the feeds and find that it pays. Salt is not costly, but many feeders overlook its im- portance. Too much attention cannot be given to the flock at lambing time. A slight change in methods of feeding and housing may spell the difference between success and failure. The ewes should be dealt with gently and the lambs cared for from the time they are dropped. Dogs should be kept away from the flock at this time.. Ewes frequently give birth to dead lambs because of fright from dogs. | P All ewes do not pay, and some of Culling the them must go to the block. Some of Flock them wili prove non-breeding, .others poor milkers, and still others light shearers, and any one of these defects will prove sufficient for condemnation. This weeding out process or culling is very necessary in order to build up a paying flock. Page Forty-One PROGRES S31 Vik SH Ee EB Pewee oS It is also well to sell ewes before they are too old for the butcher. For mutton sheep this is usually about the fifth year of their age. After that they are not very profitable as breeders nor well suited for the block. Sheep are kept for wool, even the Shearing mutton breeds, and must be sheared once a year just at the opening of summer. The old hand shearing is a thing of the past, except in certain places in the West and in the case of the small farmer who keeps only eight or ten head and does not have access to a mechanical shearer. F. R. Marshall says: “‘The tags or dung locks should be removed from the fleece, and then it should be rolled up, not too tightly, skin side out, and tied with paper twine. Wool buyers prefer this method of tying to that done with wool boxes.” Docking Docking is the removing of the tails of lambs and is an operation that every of Lambs good sheep breeder attends to promptly and without fail. It is essential for lambs that are to be marketed. The tail is only a lodging place for burs, maggots and dirt and is sure to become a dead-weight and a drag upon the vitality of the growing animal. In fact, undocked lambs are discriminated against in the market. The operation is performed by means of a knife, chisel or hot iron, and should be attended to about a week before the work of castration. Cut the tail off about one inch from the body. Marshall says in Farmers, Bul- letin No. 840: “The lamb should be held with the rump resting on the top of a panel or pen partition, or upon a board if the hot irons are used. When docking with the hot iron the operator should work with the right hand, holding the tail in his left and pushing it toward the body. This will leave loose skin above the cut to close over the wound. Pine tar may be applied if flies are bad.” Page Forty-Two feo GRES STEVE: SHEEP: RATS ING Castration Castration is an operation in lamb of Lambs production that is neglected only by the most careless or indifferent sheep raiser. Many uncastrated lambs still find their way to market, but principally from the small farms where up-to-date methods are not followed—never from the large farms or ranches where sheep raising is recognized as a business. These are discriminated against rather severely at times by buyers, whereas if castrated, they would have stood a fair chance of topping the market. Castrating should be done on a nice day, when lambs are from seven to fifteen days old. The lower third of the scrotum should be cut off and the testicles pulled straight out. If both testicles cannot be felt the operation should be delayed. There should be no further difficulty except in unusual cases. A mixture of tallow and turpen- tine may be applied to stay off soreness that might otherwise develop. ~ The proportions of tallow and turpentine should be such as to leave the mixture a soft paste or heavy liquid. Only a small quantity should be applied and that immediately to the wound. It is estimated that there are about The Dog twenty-five million dogs in the United a Great States or one to every four persons, Hindrance and one for every two sheep. If dogs are properly guarded and kept closed | in, they do not prove a menace to the sheep industry, but they are not kept confined as a general thing. Many a farmer who has waste land, and who formerly kept sheep to crop it has actually abandoned sheep raising because he felt that he would rather sacrifice this source of profit than try to cope with the dog nuisance. Many keepers of sheep have found a real field of use- fulness for the trained Collie. We do not go so far as to say that such a dog has no place in our economic scheme, even in times like these, when non-essentials in every form Page Forty-Three PROG: RES Ss MIE SoS eh Bie iP 2 ee a NS are being sacrificed to the great objective and in support ofthe war. What we do urge is the passing of constructive legislation that will protect the few useful dogs as well as outlaw the great majority which do not and cannot serve any economic purpose, and which are a constant liability to the sheep-raising possibilities of the country. It would be an easy matter to con- Why Not Have trol this nuisance if public sentiment Dog Laws were in favor of a national dog law, whereby the owners of dogs would be required to pay for all damages done to livestock, but farmers have not yet asserted themselves in a co-operative way and in sufficient number to make their voices heard on this subject in the national capital. “Only one in seven farms of over twenty acres now supports sheep,’ says the Secretary of Agriculture in his annual report for 1916, ‘with an average of one sheep of shearing age to three acres of land.” In proportion as the small farms in any community are stocked with sheep, the obvious necessity for state dog laws will manifest itself, and there is no reason to believe that sentiment in favor of pet dogs will outweigh the practical requirement for more sheep and wool in a time like this. New York State has passed such a law and we are informed it works well in most cases. Com- plaints have been adjusted in the majority of instances without legal procedure. It would be well for those interested to write to the State Department of Agriculture, Albany, N. Y., and secure a copy of the law. e In Farmer's Bulletin 935, United A Uniform States Department of Agriculture, Dog Law entitled ‘“The Sheep Killing Dog,” we find valuable suggestions for a uni- form dog law, which should command the attention of our legislators in the various states. A reasonable tax is suggested, and certain definite legal rights to deal with Page Forty-Four ee sa hoy ee) ol BE EP. RAJU S ENG dogs known to kill sheep. It requires that all dogs be confined at night. This is a wise provision since it is so well known that dogs do most of their mischief at night. A world of sentiment is bound up Sheep with the history of the sheep industry. Husbandry A flock grazing on a hillside is a poem within itself, and it is to be hoped we will never lose the faculty of enjoying this beautiful sight. That modern commerce has helped to eliminate much of this original sentiment from the happy associations of the shepherd and his flock we must admit, but there is no doubt that the shepherd has more enjoyment from watch- ing the flock than any of us can ever have from the busy life as found in our centers of commerce. Page Forty-Five PROGRESSIVE SHEEP RAS ING Diseases of Sheep All animals are subject to certain diseases and this fact must be recognized by the owners of sheep. To deal with disease successfully one must keep advised of the latest remedies, and should, from time to time, write to his Experiment Station for such information. Wing in Sheep Farming in America—page 311 classifies diseases among sheep as follows: : "First, there may be some external Sheep Diseases parasite, as the tick, louse, scab or foot- Classified rot (which is in a sense an external disease). ‘Second, there may be some form of internal para- sitism. ‘This may be worms in the stomach or intestines, in the throat or lungs, or encysted worms making a bladder in the brain. And one or another of these internal para- sites is the cause of most of the sickness among sheep. “Last, there may be some derangement of the digestion due to improper feeding, no feeding at all, or gorging with grain. And in some regions, among the class of sheepmen who feed sheep in winter, nearly all diseases are of this origin. External ‘Now as to the chance of cure: For Ee external parasites cure is easy and cheap. For scab, lice, and ticks there is the dipping bath. Foot-rot is also of rather easy treatment. ‘These things are matters requiring timely and prompt treatment and are no cause for alarm whatever except as scab breaks out in the winter time in the middle of the feeding season, when it is costly to dip and the sheep have serious setback therefrom. Indeed, it is not just proper to class these external parasites as diseases, any more than fleas on a dog’s back, though they produce disease if left unchecked. “The matter of internal parasites is much more serious.” Page Forty-Six eee ei oD VE SHE EP RATS ING Stomach The two most common. internal Worms troubles we have to deal with in sheep are the stomach worm and the nodular disease. ‘These are hard to cure, but rather easy to prevent if one goes about it in the right way. The stomach worm is dropped on the pasture in the feces, and in that way scattered through the entire flock. If it once infects a pasture, the pasture should be rotated about every year or two, and necessary remedies applied to clear the flock of the disease. If the skin about the eyes and mouth is thin and pale and paper-like, the lambs very likely are infested with this worm. ‘The treatment is a tablespoonful each of gasoline and raw linseed oil in about six ounces of cow's milk for a lamb, and half as much again for a sheep. Three doses must be given to effect a cure—one a day for three days on an empty stomach. See Kleinheinz’ “Sheep Management,” page 111. The rotation of pastures is imperative. Nodular The nodular disease is indicated by Disease a cough, a drooping head, and thriftless or greaseless wool. Lambs become thin and shiftless, and the ewes lose weight and fail to respond to feeds. Medicines are not effective and cleanliness and rotation are necessary together with a thinning of the flock till all the disease is gone. Treating Constipation is indicated by strain- Internal ing and distress in the attempt to pass cencos feces, or dung. Injections of luke- warm, soapy water should be given, and it will help if a tablespoonful of castor oil or milk of mag- nesia (hydroxid of magnesia) is given. White scours in lambs are caused by digestive disorder which usually result from mistakes in feeding the ewe, and hence are to be avoided largely by giving the ewe clean, wholesome feed and not changing the ration ab- Page Forty-Seven PROG RES 8-1-9 Bi Sa EE Pe eee G ruptly. A lamb having white scours should be taken from the ewe and allowed only a little of the milk. This can best be accomplished by milking the ewe out before letting the lamb nurse. Milk of magnesia given as sug- gested for constipation will help to correct the disorder. Acute Indigestion sometimes seizes young lambs. It is marked by great distress and frothing at the mouth. Castor oil (a tablespoonful) is a good remedy. For Sore Eyes put a drop or two of a 16-per cent solu- tion of argyrol in the eyes once each day. This should be done with an ordinary medicine dropper. Navel Ill should be avoided by dipping the navel cord in a cup of the tincture of iodine soon after the lamb is born. For Scabs or Poc-like Sores on the lips and nose, apply a fairly strong solution of sheep dip after the sores have been rubbed open. Sheep, like other domestic animals, Dipping become infested with vermin—lice, ticks and other skin parasites—and must be constantly looked after. They should be dipped very soon after they have been sheared. Marshall says they should be dipped on the morning of a fair warm day. Sheep are delicate animals and will develop cold if they lie down at night wet and cool. Any standard dipping solution can be used as per directions given with the material. If the sheep have ticks they may require two dippings. The second should come about a month after the first. If sheep are allowed to graze too Avoid Bloating freely on alfalfa, they are apt to bloat, which often proves fatal. They thrive on pastures of native grass with heavy sprinkling of weeds or lespedeza and burr clover in more southern climates. Page Forty-Eight ‘UOTJE[MUIA PadIOJ pue SJay1OM JOF SYZeq JaMOYS pue SIOHIOT 91B 9ISY4L *‘Pp[JOM ay} Ul pULy S}I JO ySasrTey OY} St oseoIyD }e SUIp[Ing sul[Iy-desyg inowly mou oy] ‘SYIOM aN {Ss 9y} O} SSUIUIWTI? Pue 9}SBeM 9} ‘SOTIDUUL} OY} O} SUTHS JY} ‘SIOINJIVJNUPUT YIOTI OF $903 [00M 94 "SUIYS 000'SS SI YaeM a[Suis eB 1OF H1eW ysiy ayy “sesnoy [OOM INO JO 9UO jo P10d9I 94} SI ABP a[suls e Ul SUIYS QOO'OT Worl [OOM ‘“Sul[Nd pue Suljeo1} ‘sulueald JO} 9SNOY [OOM a} O}F og SuLys que, pue daeyS ‘LNANLAVdaAd TOOM AHL NI SMAIA fees Rs oS SVE SHEEP RAISING By-Products of the Sheep HE inedible by-products of the sheep, as completely utilized by Armour and Company, are more valua- ble than those of either the steer or hog, considering their proportion to the carcass. Sheep pelts, of course, come first in value. This in- cludes the wool, which is valued not only for its fineness, but also for its length. Sheep skin is more generally used than any other one class of leather. It is used in shoes almost as much as calf. Chamois skins are today entirely made of sheep skin. The leather is used for bookbinding exclusively, for gloves, hatbands, suit cases, and a wide range of other articles. In the Armour wool houses the full length of the wool is saved by taking it out, roots and all, by means of chemicals instead of by shearing. This wool is hand sorted according to length, fineness and color into more than fifty grades. It is then scoured to remove dirt and grease, after which it is dried, baled and sold as ‘scoured pulled wool” direct to manufacturers. In the process of scouring lanolin is obtained. This is a fatty substance largely used in face creams and ointments because of its soothing effect on the skin. Musical strings, clock cord and surgical ligature for sewing up wounds, as well as casings for little sausages, are made exclusively from the intestines of the sheep. There is no such thing as catgut violin string, that being merely an arbitrary name for the product of the sheep. Suprarenalin, the active principle of the suprarenal gland, just above the kidney, is extensively used in medi- cine. More than 130,000 sheep are required to make a pound. Page Forty-Nine PROG RIES SVE Sb BP eee. Tee Pancreatin, another medicine, is made from the pan- creatic gland, and still another from the mammary glands. The thyroid gland (seat of goitre in humans) yields an important medicinal product. A class of oleo oil is made from the better grade of ‘mutton tallow, and enters into the manufacture of oleo- margarine. Inedible greases are used in soaps. An important by- product of soap-making is glycerin, which is in great demand for the manufacture of nitro-glycerin and other explosives and war munitions. The blood, dried and ground, makes calf feed and fertilizer. Hide trim- mings make glue. Bones and other waste make tankage and fertilizer. The complete utilization of all by-products of the sheep and other meat animals has been found practicable only in the largest packing plants, and is one of the triumphs of large-scale operation. It is made possible by two con- siderations—the comparatively recent development of large-scale refrigerative control of highly perishable by- products and the enormous volume of those by-products handled. This wholesale utilization of by-products brings about a number of important economic results of benefit to the whole country, among which may be mentioned: 1. The increased price which the packer is able to pay the farmer for his sheep and other live stock; 2. The more uniform and perfect meat which the large packer is able to sell the local butcher at a lower cost than that at which he could buy and kill it locally for himself; and 3. The employment of thousands of persons in the manufacture of these by-products, many of which would otherwise be discarded as of no value by the farmer himself or local butchers, who are even yet throwing them away as of no commercial value. Page Fifty fee RE SST VE SHEEP RAISING Table of Receipts at Seven Markets In Round Numbers at Chicago, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, St. Joseph, Sioux City and St. Paul for 1917 and 1916. MonTHS GAIN Loss AT oS os ngs Bt 700. “hy. See, Pebruary.......:.. BETO. Pole edhe Pelaren 6k es BR AOGE NS ett, atta a era ZOO Ao er. ewer... ss ws] 4g 7.c0O | Gez,100 1... . bic sind! ABS OO See ty EOL ZOO | FP2.AGO |... de 206, 100 MEE. oe os RECO E “FOB, TOO)... eo. 133,500 Pees. fs.