**+**+#****** I SHEEP MANAGEMENT BREEDS AND JUDGING *:* BY FRANK KLEINHEINZ MAIN L 1 BRAP FRANK KLEINHEINZ Completed 30 years of service in charge of the University of Wisconsin Flocks, April 8, 1920. SHEEP MANAGEMENT BREEDS AND JUDGING A TEXTBOOK FOR THE SHEPHERD AND STUDENT BY FRANK KLEINHEINZ ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FIFTH EDITION Published by the Author MADISON, WISCONSIN 1920 K- »ugh Canada and especially through Ontario and see how our Canadian friends conduct the business. While once in a while unfavorable conditions and environment may bring about trouble, in the ma- The Shepherd and His Calling. xvn jority of cases the fault lies with the shepherd him- self and is so often wrongly called "bad luck." If he does not care to handle his flock of breeding ewes during winter in such a manner as to assure the largest percentage of lambs, and is not willing to sit up part of the night during lambing time, he is not worth having around the flock. He must really feel proud of his success and must feel ashamed of things which have gone wrong through his fault. The best shepherds of today are not conceited over their success, but feel that there is still a little more to be learned. If a. shepherd cannot at any time agree with his employer he will never take the best interest in his flock. A shepherd who walks through the sheep-fold without the necessary sharpness to detect an ill sheep in the flock is by no means the right kind of a shepherd. Another one that sees an ailing sheep, but has not energy enough to care for it at once, is just as bad or worse than the first man mentioned. When a man docs not mind the bleat of a sheep or lamb that wants more feed, salt, or water, he has not the true spirit of a shepherd. Neither is he worthy of the name of shepherd if he does not do at once those things which should be attended to, but says he will do them tomorrow or some other time. The man who is not aware of the xviii Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. danger of sheep becoming infested with maggots during hot weather and fly time, when some poor innocent sheep may be eaten alive by these pests, must certainly be a very poor shepherd or flock- master. Another who does not dip his sheep and lets ticks or lice constantly annoy and feed on them is just as cruel to his flock as the one who starves his sheep to death. If a shepherd likes to be away from his flock as much as possible he is not the one who has the thrift and welfare of it at heart; such a man had better engage in some other line of work. Is it not good practice to go through the pasture once a day, where the sheep are grazing, to see whether a fine broad-backed ewe has not turned over on her back, with her four legs up, in a little depression in the ground, where she will die if she is not freed from' this position? The shepherd who does not care about the loss of a sheep or lamb should no longer have charge of the flock. The men who do not see the importance of keep- ing their sheep out of cold rains and storms in late fall, winter, and early spring often have to suffer the loss of one or more members of their flock. The shepherd who has not learned the necessity of keeping the hoofs of his flock in proper trim and shape will cause much trouble in his flock and will reduce his profits. If he is not careful to avoid The Shepherd and His Calling. xix feeding moldy and spoiled feed of any kind to his flock, he is not a true shepherd; neither is the man who feeds frozen roots or frozen corn silage, both of which often prove fatal. Whoever believes that the best results can be obtained by merely looking at a flock, and does not go to work, is badly mis- taken. If the shepherd does not supply his flock with fresh, pure water every day in the year, but shares the opinion of quite a number of men that sheep need little or no water, he should learn as early as possible that sheep require water just as well as any other farm animal. Where the flock is allowed to drink from old stagnant water pools, the shep- herd runs the risk of having his flock infested with all sorts of parasites. Failure to rub pine tar on the sheeps' noses during fly time, or to supply this in the salt trough, as is recommended elsewhere in this book, may result in the flock becoming in- fested with grub in the head. No flock-master can have the best results in sheep husbandry without providing some succulent feeds, such as roots, cab- bage, or good, sweet corn silage, for his flock dur- ing the winter months. The shepherd who is not aware of the serious danger of narrow doors in the sheep barn, which result in broken-down hips, pregnant ewes being induced to drop their lambs before they are due, xx Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. and young lambs getting squeezed, trampled down, and killed in the rush by the older sheep, and who does nothing to prevent this evil, lacks good judg- ment, and is responsible for any loss incurred in this way. If a shepherd fits sheep and goes into the show ring simply to be there among the other shepherds to keep them company, and if he is not possessed with the strongest desire to win the best prizes offered, he had better stay at home and save money for his employer. To make a long story short, a good faithful shep- herd looks to every detail of his work, and has his mind, heart, and soul with his flock at all times. He leaves nothing undone which promotes the thrift and welfare of each individual sheep. He likes to talk with other successful shepherds about sheep and tries to learn the better methods. He is loyal to his employer, and works for his best in- terest and largest profit. His happiest hours are spent among his flock, watching young lambs grow and old ones do well. Some of the greatest men in the Old Testament were true, faithful shepherds. Shepherd's Guide xxi Shepherd s Guide Careful flockmasters follow these simple rules ana practices to in- sure nealthy and profitable flocks. 1. Cull the flock, sell all broken-mouthed ewes, and any other ewes that have not proved good producers. 2. Get the ewe flock in good condition before breeding begins. This insures more twins. 3. To make service easy tag all ewes before turning in ram. 4. Use a good, vigorous, pure-bred ram and do not breed more than 50 ewes to him in a season. 5. Do not use a ram lamb for breeding unless circumstances necessitate and he is unusually well-developed. If used he should not serve more than 8 to 12 ewes. Never breed ewe lambs. 6. Remove ram from flock as soon as the breeding season is over. xxii Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. Shepherd's Guide — Continued 7. Exercise pregnant ewes as much as pos- sible. Keep them well-sheltered, how- ever, in wet or stormy weather. 8. Do not feed timothy or marsh hay. Clover or alfalfa are best (feed all that the flock will eat without waste). Feed corn sil- age or roots, 2 to 2 3/2 pounds a head daily, to supply succulence. 9. Do not feed mouldy or frozen silage or spoiled roots to sheep. It will cause much trouble and often kill the sheep. 10. Feed some grain at least a month before lambing, y^ pound of a mixture of equal parts of oats and bran a head daily is very helpful. 11. Give close attention to the ewes at lamb- ing time. It will save many lambs, and occasionally a mother which otherwise might die, if no help is given. 12. Pen ewe and new born lambs away from flock for a few days to prevent her from disowning them. Shepherd's Guide xxm Shepherd s Guide — Continued 13. Increase the succulent feed and the grain for ewes the third day after lambing. 14. Castrate ram lambs on a bright day when one to two weeks old. Dock all lambs about a week later. Docking pinchers are recommended. 15. Wean the lambs at 4^ to 5 months of age and do not let them wean themselves. Retain all best ewe lambs for the future flock. 16. Shear the flock just as soon as the weather is warm enough to cause them to suffer from the heat. Use paper twine for ty- ing wool. 17. Dip the whole flock about 10 days after shearing. This is very essential. Any of the standard dips may be used. 18. Feed the flock liberally. 19. Avoid parasites by changing pastures fre- quently. Do not allow sheep to drink stagnant water. xxiv Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. Shepherd's Guide — Continued 20. Be on the lookout for maggots in hot weather and fly-time. 21. Provide a patch of Dwarf Essex rape to furnish feed when pastures are short. 22. Good woven wire fences are necessary. Dogproof corrals safeguard sheep at night. 23. Never keep sheep on low marshy or very sandy land. 24. Provide shade for the flock in summer. 25. Supply the flock with fresh water and salt at all times. Give attention to all details and success is assured. (Refer to index to find a more complete discussion of these subjects.) CHAPTER I. ESTABLISHING THE FLOCK. THE VALUE OF SHEEP ON THE FARM. It is generally known that, when properly man- aged, sheep are most profitable animals on the farm. They do not require nearly so much labor as other farm animals, especially in the summer, when the farmer is the busiest, cultivating, hay- ing, and harvesting. Another advantage is that no expensive building is necessary for properly sheltering and housing them. Likewise the outlay of capital needed to start a flock of sheep is small compared with that required for other stock. With good prices for wool, a breeding ewe will pay for her maintenance during the year with her fleece, and will raise one or two lambs, or perhaps even three, which are net profit to the owner. With the steadily increasing demand for good mutton and the good prices paid for the same, it can easily be seen that sheep husbandry pays well, if handled in the right way. Sheep are economical producers, and require less feed for the production of a pound of gain than the average for other classes of live stock. They have no equals as weed destroyers, for they (i) 2 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. eat nearly all of the numerous weeds and grasses which grow on the farm. The manure from sheep is worth much more per ton as fertilizer than that of any other class of farm animals except poultry. Moreover, when on pasture, sheep spread their manure more evenly than other stock. Indeed, no spreader has as yet been invented that does such perfect work as the sheep themselves. These ani- mals never impoverish the land upon which they tread, but on the contrary build it up and improve it. For this reason the sheep is called the "Golden Hoof." In pointing out the advantages of sheep hus- bandry it is not the writer's intention to urge farm- ers to give up all other classes of farm animals and stock up with sheep, but he wishes simply to emphasize the idea that at least a few sheep can very profitably be kept on almost all farms which are located on dry land. Sheep, however, will not thrive on marshy land. A SMALL FLOCK FOR BEGINNERS. It would not be wise for anyone not thoroughly familiar with sheep husbandry to start in with a large flock, for many troubles and obstacles arise which have to be overcome, and the remedies must be learned by practical experience, as all of them cannot be found in books. Many people who Establishing the Flock. 3 started in the business too heavily have made a failure of it, and consequently have been com- pelled to drop the undertaking. The proper pro- cedure is to start in with a small flock and gradu- ally increase the number, as one's knowledge of the care and management of sheep enlarges. PLATE 3. Part of the University of Wisconsin flock on the campus near Agricultural Hall, right after shearing. One of the greatest drawbacks to sheep hus- bandry in many sections of the country at the pres- ent time is the dog problem. It is to be hoped, however, that in every state of our country laws will be enacted similar to the laws of some states, which will do away with many of the worthless mongrel curs that cause enormous damage by kill- ing sheep, and have frightened many small flock- owners out of the business. 4 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. THE SCRUB RAM UNPROFITABLE. Flockmasters should avoid the practice of using the grade or scrub ram, for wherever such a ram is used no improvement in the offspring can be expected. Indeed, in many cases the vitality, con- formation, and strength of a flock is reduced by using an inferior grade or scrub ram for breed- ing. Therefore, the scrub ram, like the scrub stal- lion, must be driven out of the country, and more scientific and intelligent breeding must be followed if present conditions are to be improved. It is shameful that there are so many flocks of inferior breeding and quality throughout nearly all parts of our country. Flocks of this type de- mand more feed and care than flocks of good breeding. Moreover, does not rearing good stock afford the farmer much greater pleasure and more encouragement than raising the inferior class com- monly called "scrubs"? Does he not also know that high grade animals will return far greater profit than scrubs? The writer has spent many of the happiest hours in his life in taking care of high class animals, but he would have found no pleas- ure in caring for inferior ones. It is thus evident that flockmasters should in all cases use a pure-bred ram. Not every one of these, however, is a good individual, although he may have a pedigree to his credit. Some registered Establishing the Flock. 5 rams are very inferior in type and conformation, and will not make any improvement in a flock. Breeders would improve the sheep industry if they would use the knife, and castrate all inferior buck lambs and sell them for mutton, as such rams do not uplift sheep breeding, but on the other hand degrade it. THE SELECTION OF THE .RAM. It has been demonstrated that the ram is half, or as some breeders say, even more than half of the flock. The writer fully agrees with this statement, as he has often observed surprisingly good results from using a first-class sire on the most common kind of females. It is doubtful whether in any other line of animal breeding such rapid improve- ment can be accomplished by the use of good sires as in the case of sheep breeding. The best sires are none too good. The first illustration in Plate 4 shows four Mon- tana ewes bought on the range some years ago for $2.25 per head. These ewes were very thin when purchased and were just "sheep," for they showed no evidence of belonging to any particular breed. By the use of the pure-bred Southdowrn ram, which is shown in Plate 5, the seven fine, well-built lambs were raised in one season from the four ewes. One of these lambs was good enough to win the second prize at the International in a class 3 PLATE 4. (a) Four Montana ewes bought on the range for $2.25 per head. (b) Seven lambs raised from these ewes in one sea'son. Their sire was a pure- bred. Establishing the Flock. 1 where 38 lambs were shown. These lambs show in a striking manner what great improvement can be made by the use of a good sire on the most in- ferior females. When selecting a breeding ram of a mutton breed, one should know and bear in mind the ideal of a well-built ram, possessing the right type, so as to be able at once to distinguish the good ram from the inferior one. The points of a good ram are as follows: He should possess lots of vigor and vitality, which is indicated by a short, broad head, large nostrils, bold eyes, breadth on the poll or top of the head, a short, thick neck, a wide and deep chest, broad, level shoulders — smooth on top, and a well-developed forearm. His forelegs should be straight and short, and set well apart. He should be broad and deep in the heart girth, which insures good constitution. A broad, straight back, with well-sprung ribs, is very essential. A smooth, wide, and thick loin adds greatly to the value of a sire. He should also have a long, level, and wide rump, with a full, deep twist. His hind legs, like his forelegs, should be short, straight, and wide apart, and the flank should be thick and low, form- ing a straight side line as well as a straight under- line. The skin should be of a pink color, and the fleece long, fine, and dense, depending, of course, upon the particular breed to which he belongs. 8 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. Style and carriage are other strong points in a good ram. The fact that rams of nearly all the middle and long wool breeds should be free from PLATE 5. Pure-bred Southdown ram. Sire of the seven lambs from Montana ewes. horns, stubs, or scurs, should not be overlooked. Dorsets and Cheviots are exempt from this rule. The ram should show masculinity in his head and have strong bone. Establishing the Flock. 9 Heavily fitted show rams have often failed to be breeders, or if they did breed, they produced small, weak lambs. Flockmasters are, therefore, warned not to purchase these too heavily fitted or "overdone" rams. A good, so-called "field" ram, in proper condition, generally gives the best re- sults in breeding. THE AGE OF THE RAM TO USE. A ram of the middle and long wool breeds is sufficiently developed and fit for service at the age of one and one-half years, being then called a "yearling." While it is common among breeders to buy yearling rams for service, it may be of in- terest to flockmasters to know that it has been found here at the Wisconsin Experiment Station, where every lamb is weighed at birth, that lambs sired by rams which were older than yearlings are heavier, on an average, than those from yearlings. Sheep breeders very often make a mistake by using a ram lamb for breeding. Such a practice is detrimental to their own interests and profit. A sheep makes its most growth the first year of its life; and hence it can readily be seen that when a lamb, only about six to eight months old, is bred to a lot of ewes, its own development is very much hindered. Ram lambs, when heavily used, have often proved to be non-breeders afterwards. 10 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. Therefore, the up-to-date sheep breeder never uses ram lambs for breeding, or at least only in rare cases. For instance, a breeder buys an exceed- ingly good ram lamb for a high price, which he intends to use as a yearling in his flock, and he may be very anxious to see the offspring from it. In such a case, it might be allowable to breed this ram lamb to three or perhaps even five ewes, but, of course, it would be better if the lamb is not used at all. The reason why so many ram lambs are used for breeding is that farmers can purchase a lamb a little cheaper than a yearling, but the few extra dollars saved in the purchase price are doubly lost at the other end. In the writer's opin- ion it is far better to buy a yearling ram instead of a lamb, because the yearling has nearly reached full development and with proper care will not change his form. In the case of the lamb, how- ever, its future development cannot in all cases be correctly predicted, as lambs often change markedly in conformation. Indeed, the best of lambs have often turned out to be poor yearlings. THE CARE OF THE RAM IN SUMMER. To let the ram run with the flock during the summer and fall is not the best practice. The ram is more or less restless when in company with breeding ewes, and ewes often become pregnant Establishing the Flock. 11 and give birth to lambs at times when it is not de- sirable to have them come. It is a much better plan to keep the ram isolated from the flock. He can be turned into a paddock or small field where he will find enough grass to keep him in good con- dition. It is important that the ram have shade and fresh water where he is kept in summer, and salt is also another requisite for him. Towards fall when the weather gets colder and chilling rains frequently make it unpleasant, the ram should be housed during the night at least, for many valu- able breeding rams have become stiff and rheu- matic at this season, disabling them at the time needed for service, and ruining them for life. THE RAM IN THE FALL. It is customary to turn the ram with the flock of ewes when breeding is to begin. Although this plan is permissible, a more satisfactory method, where time will permit, is to follow what is termed "hand coupling." In hand coupling the flock of ewes to be bred to one ram is brought each morn- ing to an enclosure where the ram is turned with them. The shepherd watches the ram closely, and as soon as any ewe has had one service she is turned out of the enclosure, so that the ram will pay attention to other ewes in heat. It is not ad- visable to allow the ram to breed more than three to a; v rt J3 .a £ *» +J ,4j •*•> «5 £ es re £ v £ v C ^ X! O 5 t-> D nc 2H| t « ^ I S S I-5 III aifl hs. «:h 2!i S'S"3 o .2 S '.3 a re III « X « K*s« « c S'g x n « o : s? ^ C8 'C W £ B5«S ^ £.S » > o * »§ -Q o T3 « £ a II •S "8 2H SI 1! != « I Prevention and Treatment of Parasites. 127 starts in sheep husbandry, is in earnest about it, and wants to do the best he can. The first summer he keeps sheep may be a very favorable one and everything may run smoothly throughout the sea- son. The next year the season may be much dif- ferent, but he fears nothing because he had no trouble whatever the first year. Some day he will find a stumbling block in his way, which he has not seen or heard of up to this time. He may find one or two of his sheep lying dead in the pasture. He makes an examination, and behold, what meets his eye? Thousands and thousands of little white maggots are having a feast on the dead sheep. He now begins to wonder what could have been the trouble with his sheep. It is a puzzle to him whether these maggots got on to the sheep after it had died, or whether they got on while it was still alive and then killed it. Only a few years ago a farmer came to this Station and asked for infor- mation concerning the cause of the death of thir- teen head of sheep, which he thought were eaten up by worms. The writer asked the question: "Where were the worms that killed your sheep, inside the sheep's body or on the outside?" The farmer replied that many little white worms, about half an inch long, were seen on the outside of the sheep. Evidently maggots were at work on his flock and he did not know it, as he stated that he had never heard of maggots killing sheep. 128 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. CAUSE OF MAGGOTS. Maggots on sheep are caused by blow-Hies. Fe- male sheep are more apt to have maggots than male sheep, although males also occasionally be- come infested. Sheep sometimes get filthy on their bodies, especially at the rear, caused either by their scouring, or in the case of females by the spattering of the urine on the wool. The so-called blow-fly comes along, feeds on this filth, and mean- while lays eggs there. These eggs hatch, forming tiny worm-like larvae, which grow fast, and bur- row into the flesh of the sheep. In a couple of days a large patch of full grown maggots are pres- ent on the sheep, more eggs are laid and hatch, and in the course of three or four days maggots are there by the thousands. On account of the rapid increase in number these maggots move forward and spread over the body of the sheep, and after six or seven days the sheep dies a lingering death. PREVENTION. In hot weather and fly time the conscientious shepherd makes it a point to inspect his flock in the pasture at least once a day. If he should notice any filthy portions of wool on any member in the flock he will quickly get a pair of shears and cut them off. He also will get a solution of some coal tar sheep dip, mixed in the proportions of one Prevention and Treatment of Parasites. 129 part of dip to seventy-five parts of water, and cleanse the filthy portions thoroughly. It may be added here that if no dip is left over after sheep dipping time is past some more ought to be se- cured for use during the summer. The odor left on the sheep by this solution will keep the flies away for quite a long period. When proper at- tention is given the sheep, maggots will not find their way onto any members of the flock. TREATMENT OF MAGGOTS. When sheep are already infested with maggots the same treatment should be used as is used to prevent maggots. The wool must be cut away as close to the skin as possible and as far as these miserable pests are lodged. The infested por- tion should then be washed with a solution of dip consisting of one part of dip to fifty of water. As the maggots are unable to withstand the odor of the dip they will then fall to the ground. Some- times they will already have made large holes in the body of the sheep, in which case care must be taken to cleanse these thoroughly and remove all maggots. It is a good plan to smear some pine tar in these holes after all the maggots have been cleaned out. Many sheepmen use turpentine to kill maggots. The writer, however, does not favor its use for 130 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. the reason that it is too strong and sharp and bites the skin of the sheep, making it very raw and causing the animal severe pain. A solution of Zenoleum or Creso dip are mild on the skin, are disinfectants, and at the same time have a healing effect. CHAPTER VII. SUMMER FEEDING AND CARE. After the winter and early spring work is all done, the flock is put out on pasture to enjoy the young, juicy grass. The shepherd should be care- ful to provide pure, fresh water, salt, and shade for the sheep on pasture, in order that the flock may thrive properly. At this time he is relieved more or less from the restless hours and worry of lambing, shearing, and feet trimming, and is en- joying a little rest. He must now, however, begin to think about work that may be done in the field to provide some kind of forage to help him out with his flock at the time when pastures are gen- erally short and scanty on account of the dry weather of midsummer. He must also bear in mind that when the time comes to wean lambs he should have a fresh piece of pasture for them away from the older sheep. In some cases the lambs may be grazed on a field from which the first crop of hay has been taken. Even if such a pasture is available a piece of rape should be sown in the spring early enough to be ripe July 25 to August 10, the usual time for weaning lambs, for rape is an excellent fodder for lambs. Indeed rape has (131) Summer Feeding and Care. 133 an unusual value for feeding all classes of sheep, and a great amount of feed can be obtained from an acre. It may be sown broadcast, or it may be drilled in. If time permits, it is far better to sow it in rows thirty inches apart, as much more feed can then be grown on an acre and the crop can also be cultivated, thus holding the weeds in check. Sheep will then waste but little of the rape when turned into it, as they will walk between the rows and eat on both sides. Roots, such as rutabagas and turnips, should also be sown for late fall and winter feeding. Good roots are just as well liked by sheep in the win- ter time as cake and pie are liked by man. They should be kept in a well-ventilated cellar where they will not freeze or rot. Cabbage is an excel- lent feed for all classes of sheep, but is usually too expensive to feed extensively. However, where large fields of cabbage are grown for the market, sheep can well be fed the leaves and unsalable heads which are left after the crop is harvested. SUGAR BEETS AND MANGELS A DANGEROUS FEED FOR RAMS AND WETHERS. For many years sheep breeders in this country as well as in England have been aware of the fact that sugar beets and mangels are dangerous for ram and wether feeding. Trials covering five years 11 134 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. at the Iowa Experiment Station have shown this to be true. The writer in his earlier years, not having had as much experience as he should have had, learned costly lessons by feeding these roots to rams and wethers and consequently losing a number of good, high-priced animals. Mangels and sugar beets contain some alkali substances which affect the kidneys and form gravel stones in the kidneys and bladder, stopping up the passage of the urinary canal. When this passage is blocked, rams and wethers suffer terribly and die within forty-eight hours, at most, on account of the burst- ing of the bladder. While these roots have proven so fatal to rams and wethers the writer has fed mangels and sugar beets extensively during many seasons to breed- ing ewes and has never experienced any trouble therefrom. This is probably due to the fact that in rams and wethers the urinary canal is no more than about one-sixteenth inch in diameter, and the small stones forming in the bladder cannot pass through the canal. The ewes, however, have a much larger urinary canal, permitting the escape of the stones. FLUSHING THE EWES. A breeding ewe, if expected to uphold her vital- ity and vigor, needs a vacation once a year. She may have been a good mother, a heavy milker, and Summer Feeding and Care. 135 have raised one, two, or perhaps even three lambs. Although she has had good care and pasture she will naturally be run down somewhat in condition, because the greatest portion of the feed she has consumed has been utilized for the production of milk. She therefore needs a rest before she is bred again, and the time for her vacation will be be- tween the weaning and breeding periods. During this time the breeding ewe ought to be what is commonly termed "flushed." Flushing means bringing the ewe from a thin condition into a good, strong, vigorous condition in a short time. When this is done the breeding ewe will be in the proper condition to assume her duty again when the breeding time arrives. Flushing is highly recommended, for it has sev- eral advantages. How can a ewe which has been suckling her lamb all summer be brought into proper shape to take up her new burden at breed- ing time unless her lamb is weaned and she is flushed before she is bred? If bred in a thin, run- down condition she must resume work again im- mediately and will probably be brought into win- ter quarters thin and weak. In such condition she will be subject to many more diseases. She will be so delicate that any little cold which may at- tack her in this condition is liable to cause her death, while another ewe in good condition will resist the attack. 136 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. Another benefit that may be of interest, which is derived from the practice of flushing ewes, is the fact that to a certain extent the flockmaster fol- lowing this practice has control over the percent- age of lambs dropped by his ewes the following lambing time. It has been found that whenever ewes and rams are mated that are both in a strong, vigorous condition and full of vim more twins and triplets may be expected. These results can, how- ever, only be obtained when both sire and dam are in good condition. If the ram is in good condition and the ewe is thin, or if the reverse is the case, then these results cannot be accomplished. Both ram and ewe must be vigorous and strong. Another point in favor of having the ewes flushed before breeding is the fact that when prop- erly flushed the flock of ewes will all breed within a shorter time, thus shortening up the lambing period. This will save the shepherd much loss of sleep. The writer does not know of any feed that will flush ewes better and more cheaply than rape. This plant, when fully matured, will not lead to bloat in sheep. When the lower leaves on the stem begin to turn yellow, as well as the tips of the upper leaves, the rape is ripe and matured, and it may now be fed with safety. The rape seems to stimulate the inner organs of the sheep, making Summer Feeding and Care. 137 the ewes vigorous and strong and causing them to regain flesh. If, however, no rape has been grown for this purpose the next best feed is grain, which is of course more expensive. Oats have proved satisfactory, and cabbage may also be recom- mended. CULLING THE EWE FLOCK. Before breeding is to begin in the fall, the flock ought to be culled. All ewes that have not proved to be good producers and do not furnish enough milk to raise at least one good lamb should be the first to be culled out. All other ewes that have broken mouths, or whose udders or teats have ac- cidentally become spoiled, should be sold to the butcher while still in a fleshy condition. At this time the shepherd must judge as to which ewes ought to be disposed of and which ought to be re- tained. He knows every individual and knows their records of production perhaps better than the owner of the flock himself, who may make it a point to inspect the flock but once in a while. Such men make mistakes very easily as they generally select the best looking ewes to be retained and dispose of the thin looking ones, not knowing that the fat ones did not give much milk, and conse- quently are in fine trim at this time. Let the shep- herd, who knows each ewe and knows what she 138 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. has done, do the culling, rather than someone else who is not so familiar with the flock. CULLING THE LAMB FLOCK. Later in the fall the lamb flock should also be culled. For the further improvement of the flock all the best ewe lambs should be reserved each PLATE 44. A 7group of yearling wethers fitted at the University of Wisconsin for classroom demonrtration, 1898. year, to take the place of the ewes that are culled out and sold. We often hear of men who sell their best ewe lambs and keep the inferior ones, simply because the butcher pays a cent or so more per pound for those of the more desirable class. This is poor policy, and the owner is the loser in the end. All other spare lambs may be sold when the market is good and the prices high. Summer Feeding and Care. 139 CARE AT BREEDING TIME. The proper time to breed in the fall depends entirely upon the judgment of the flockowner. If he has warm quarters for early-born lambs, ewes may be bred early; if such quarters cannot be pro- vided, it is better not to have the lambs come so soon. Another factor which determines the time of breeding is whether lambs are to be sold for early or for late market. The breeder must suit himself, and should act according to existing con- ditions. Before the ram is allowed to come to the ewes they should be nicely tagged. This means clipping all surplus wool off from the end of the tail, which materially aids the ram in mating with the ewes and saves his vitality. It also insures less barren ewes in the flock. The general appearance of a flock of ewes is also greatly improved if they arc properly tagged. NECESSITY OF SALT. It has been stated elsewhere that sheep should have access to salt at all times of the year, for salt is an absolute necessity for them and when they are deprived of it great loss sometimes results. Salt furnishes chlorine for the digestive juices of the stomach and is also required for the proper functioning of many of the body organs. If salt 140 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. is not supplied the digestion of the sheep will be impaired and serious consequences will follow. Sheep crave salt, and when it is given to them only once in a while they will usually eat too much at one time. They will then drink excessive amounts of water, which will upset the digestive organs and often cause severe scouring. If salt is sup- plied in abundance at all times, at no time will the sheep consume an excessive amount. There- fore, if all is to go well in the flock, one must not fail to provide salt every day of the year. KEEP DOWN BURDOCKS AND SANDBURS. Burdocks and sandburs are bitter enemies to the watchful flockmaster. When he notices that some of the sheep have collected any of these mean burs, he becomes alarmed, knowing that the appear- ance of his flock is much injured. But this is not all. He also realizes that the value of the wool is lessened when it comes to selling it, since buyers greatly object to wool in such a condition. Again, suppose the shepherd wrants to show some of his sheep at the county fair. Can he do it when their fleeces are matted together with these burs? He may show them but they will not win any prizes, as the fleeces of prize winners must be in good, clean condition. The judge will not injure his hands on such sheep by handling them, instead ht Summer Feeding and Care. 141 will pass them by. The writer has seen such sheep at county fairs, but he did not prick his fingers by handling them. If a shepherd wants to trim his sheep a little, how can he do it if these burs are present in the fleece? It may be done by spending a great deal of time picking them out, but this is a very slow and unpleasant job, and after much picking the shepherd cannot even then get the fleece into proper shape, to say nothing about spoiling his sheep shears. When the first sheep is noticed carrying some of these pests a thorough search should be made over the field in which the sheep are pasturing, and wherever these miserable weeds are found they should be cut down and burned, and should then be fought to a finish until they are all destroyed. The writer has never believed in Sunday work, ex- cept performing the necessary chores, as the day belongs to God and in the writer's opinion no man has ever gained much by doing work on Sunday that should be done on Saturday or Monday. How- ever, if on walking through the sheep pasture on Sunday he should see a clump of burdocks, he would immediately take out his jack-knife and destroy them, because he despises them so much. Of course, if there were many of them he would not meddle with them on Sunday, but would go after them on Monday morning before breakfast. 142 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. DANGERS OF DEAD FURROWS. The writer wishes to call the attention of the beginner in the sheep business to the fact that when the sheep are turned out on pasture it is a wise PLATE 45. Pure-bred Southdown~yearling wethers. The one at the lett won first prize and championship and reserve grand championship. The one at the right won third prize. Shown by the University of Wis- consin at the International, 1916. plan to look over the land to see if there are any traps for them, that is, whether there are any shal- low depressions, such as dead furrows, in the field where the flock pastures. In such depres- sions sheep like to lie down, especially over night. Summer Feeding and Care. 143 These little hollows are exceedingly dangerous, especially if they are not much wider than the sheep, because sheep when lying down will some- times roll over on their backs and on account of the small space will find it impossible to turn back again. The ground on both sides is higher, thus affording the sheep no chance of getting up again, and after lying in this position for two or three hours it will die. Dead furrows in fields are per- haps the most dangerous places for sheep to be trapped this way. It is discouraging to find a plump, broad-backed c\ve or lamb lying dead in one of these ditches or dead furrows, with its four legs standing straight up in the air. One will never find a thin, narrow- backed sheep lying on its back, but in every in- stance it is one of the very best in the flock. It is taken for granted that older flockmasters need not be warned to be cautious in this respect, for they have probably long ago learned through experi- ence the danger of such dead furrows and ditches. It is an old saying that experience is the best teacher. True enough, but the lesson learned through self-experience is very often the most ex- pensive one. How can the beginner with sheep be expected to know all about small details if he has not been warned by some one who has gone through the mill and has paid for his grinding? 144 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. If men who have had long years of experience and who take all the necessary precautions, sometimes stumble, how many more mistakes must the be- ginner make? NUMBER OF SHEEP TO THE ACRE. The question is often asked as to how many sheep can be pastured on an acre. This is difficult to answer since some acres produce three times as much feed as others. It is generally admitted that where one cow can be successfully pastured throughout a season, from five to eight sheep can be pastured. Since the larger breeds require more feed, from five to six head could be pastured on this area, while of the smaller ones as many as eight could find sufficient feed. However, no posi- tive statement can be made in this regard. CHAPTER VIII. FEEDING SHEEP FOR MARKET. Feeding sheep for market has proved very prof- itable to the men who have followed it extensively for a number of years. Some men, however, when newly starting in the business, struck one or two seasons that were not profitable, and consequently gave up this work in disgust, declaring it a failure. Many men, when they see others making money in any line of business, will jump into the same work, with the wrong idea that they are as well qualified for the undertaking and are just as capable of solving the problems as those who have learned the business through years of experience. Those who know the ups and downs through prac- tice have reached the point where they can obtain a handsome profit almost any season by sheep feeding. Some years there is a large margin, and others a smaller one, but, on the average, men feeding sheep for market have made considerable money, and some have acquired great wealth from this source. However, the profit that can be de- rived from the undertaking depends largely upon the purchase price of the sheep, the prices of feed, and last but not least, the kind of market. If feed- (145) 146 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. ers are very high-priced in the fall one cannot ex- pect a large margin over the purchase price, feed, and labor, unless high prices for finished mutton are realized. In the Eastern and Middle States not as many sheep and lambs are annually fed as in the West- ern States. Michigan perhaps leads in the East, while Colorado is foremost in the West. However, smaller numbers of them are fed for market in nearly every state. Since the writer cannot dis- cuss the large feeding operations in the West from personal experience, he will confine his discussion of the subject to the home industry where sheep are fed for market on a smaller scale. In many sections of the country a considerable number of men feed one or two carloads each winter. Oth- ers may just be starting in, and it is to these that the writer wishes to speak in particular. AGE OF SHEEP TO BE FED. It is generally admitted among feeders that lambs bring more profit when put in the feed lot than older sheep, for the simple reason that it re- quires less pounds of feed to produce a pound of gain in lambs than in yearlings or still older sheep. The lamb in the feed lot is not only putting on flesh, but is at the same time growing in size, while the older sheep though spreading and developing Feeding Sheep for Market. 147 more in width of body and also putting on flesh, is actually not growing in size any more after it reaches the age of two years. Wherever practi- cable, it will pay the feeder to secure lambs for feeding, unless, of course, he can get yearlings or two-year-olds at a very low cost, which will enable him to realize a good profit from his investment. Fat lambs are in greater demand on the market than older sheep, and are therefore generally higher in price. SELECTION OF FEEDERS. In selecting feeders one ought to be very care- ful to get sound, healthy sheep and not buy a lot that is probably infested with internal parasites, as stomach or tape worms, or with scab or foot rot. If the feeder is not watchful he will cut his profit down right at the beginning by losing some of the sheep which were unsound when bought. He should therefore examine their eyes and skin, as has been explained in a previous chapter of this work, in order to make sure that they do not have parasites. Many feeders prefer range sheep to natives, since range sheep are generally free from internal parasites. If they are only infested with ticks or lice they may easily be freed from these pests by dipping them, but it will be a more diffi- cult task to cure them of skin diseases or internal 148 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. parasites. It is also unprofitable to meddle with sheep that have old, broken mouths and are there- fore unable to chew their feed properly and hence must have all the grain ground for them. It has further been learned that sheep or lambs that are in pretty fair condition when they are placed in the feed lot make better gains than those that are in too thin a condition at the time. In a trial at the Wisconsin Station, lambs accustomed to grain from the time of birth were able to make a weekly gain of 3.8 pounds per head for a period of twelve weeks feeding. Other lambs, not receiving any grain until they were put in the feed lot in the fall, with the most judicious care and feeding only gained 2.5 pounds per head per week for the same length of time. The first lot made a net profit of $1.40 per head, while the others made only $.80 per head. In all cases a class of sheep should be obtained that have good, wide body frames, that are broad and low-down to the ground, and that have broad heads. Pay no attention to the long-legged, nar- row-bodied, long-necked, and slim-faced class, as they require more feed to produce a pound of gain in weight than the right class will, and are there- fore less profitable to feed. Of course, it is well understood that the feeder cannot always get ex- actly what he is striving to secure, but he should Feeding Sheep for Market. 149 not be satisfied to obtain a class that will not give him the largest net returns from the feeding opera- tion. When purchased by a carload or more, some of the sheep or lambs will be larger than the others. The larger ones generally take advantage of the smaller ones at the feed trough and push them back, and in this way get more than their share of the feed. To give them all an equal chance a good plan is to group them in two or more lots, each size by itself. They usually do much better in smaller lots than when too many are bunched together. THE PRINCIPLES OF FEEDING. Some feeders do not obtain as good results as others, simply because they have not yet learned the few underlying principles which, when care- fully observed, lead to success. 1. Gentleness and patience. — A sheep is fright- ened very easily. Therefore, the feeder in charge must not be one of the coarse, rough men who will make his way into the feed lot by kicking and pounding the sheep that get in his way. Gentle treatment counts for a great deal in this line of work, since sheep make more and cheaper gains when treated kindly. Many a time the writer has had his cap or hat pulled off from his head when 12 150 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. stooping clown to clean out feed troughs, but nevertheless the lambs were not abused for so doing. On the contrary the feeder rather enjoys this playfulness, because he feels that the lambs have full confidence in him and fear no harm. The good feeder should also be patient. It often happens that an inquisitive lamb will stand with its front feet in the trough and perhaps soil it some- what, just after it has been cleaned out nicely be- fore feeding. The patient feeder in this case will not run after the lamb and try to make it under- stand that this act was wrong. He will reclean the trough and say nothing. Sheep will always well repay the kind treatment that is shown them. The man who rushes into the feed lot without warning the sheep of his approach by speaking to them, so that they will not become frightened and run for doors and windows to get away from him as far as possible, is and will always be a poor feeder until he begins to change his ways. Any man who does not care for sheep should never be allowed to feed them, as he will certainly not make good. 2. Cleanliness. — At all times it is necessary to practice cleanliness. Sheep dc not require as much feed as other classes of live stock, but this com- paratively small amount must by all means be clean, for sheep are more particular as to what Feeding Sheep for Market. 151 they eat than most farm animals. It will never do to try to make them eat grain that has been scratched over by the chickens many times and is soiled. Nor can they under ordinary circumstances be forced to eat some of the commercial feeds, or hay that has a bad odor. The feed troughs must, furthermore, be thoroughly cleaned out before each meal and must always be kept in a sweet condition. Have you ever noticed that wherever there are a few droppings of a sheep in the feed trough sheep will eat all the clean grain around this place, but will not touch the soiled grain that is on or near it? It will certainly pay any feeder to practice cleanliness, as the sheep itself is a clean animal. 3. Punctuality. — By punctuality we mean in this case that a certain time be scheduled for feeding each day, and for each meal in particular. This time should be fixed definitely right at the start. Brother feeder, have you ever stopped to realize the importance of punctuality in sheep feeding? Have you ever considered how much better and cheaper gains can be made in feeding when the time set for each meal is strictly adhered to? Visit a good feeder, get into deep conversation with him on some important subject, and try to make him forget the time for feeding his sheep. You will notice him pulling out his watch every IS O & -^ > S Feeding Sheep for Market. 153 little while to see whether the time for feeding has come, and when the hour has arrived he will un- doubtedly ask to be excused so that he may do his feeding. He is aware of the fact that his sheep are accustomed to getting their meals at a certain fixed time, and that when the feeder fails to be on hand the sheep begin to bleat and worry and won- der what could have happened to their feeder. The longer the delay after the regular feeding hour, the more flesh they worry off, instead of putting on. Remember that your profit will de- pend a good deal on the value and importance you place upon punctuality in feeding. Another point of great value is that the feeding should be done as quickly as possible. Grain, the feed which is eaten up the most rapidly, is gener- ally fed first. Roughage is fed last of all, in order to give the sheep ample time to pick it over and allow the feeder to get through so that he can per- form other urgent work. It would certainly not be very wise to give them their grain ration, which is eaten up in a short time, and in the meantime go away and forget all about giving them their next ration. Such action would be absolutely unprofit- able. Feed them their grain, if so planned, and when this is cleaned up, the next ration, and so on until all is given them that is to be fed at one meal. After they have eaten their full ration allow them 154 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. to lie down and rest undisturbed until the next meal time. This will give them plenty of time to chew their cud and properly digest their meal. It has been found at the Wisconsin Station that feed- ing fattening lambs only twice a day is sufficient, and is even more conducive to rapid growth than feeding three times daily. As sheep are mostly fattened in the winter time when the days are short it is well to begin feeding about six o'clock A. M. and again at four o'clock P. M., making it entirely unnecessary to feed them at noon. 4. Judgment. — The person who does the sheep feeding should be one who likes sheep. There is no sense whatever in trying to have a man feed sheep who dislikes them or who possesses no judg- ment. The feeder's ability and judgment are shown in every case of success or failure. The careful feeder watches all the members in the lot of sheep closely, studies their appetites, and feeds them just enough so as to prevent overfeeding at any one meal. He begins lightly and gradually increases their feed, for if they are overfed at one meal they will often scour and may then lose as much in live weight in three days as can be restored in the fol- lowing two weeks. Scouring will also make the wool filthy, thus greatly injuring the appearance of the sheep and reducing the price of the wool. The same person should always do the feeding. If by accident an unfamiliar person who is not ac- Feeding Sheep for Market. 155 quainted with the capacity of the sheep in his charge and the proper allowance to be given them is allowed to do the feeding at any time he is apt to upset the whole lot. One feeder also may be able to feed economically, while another may be wasteful. For example, sheep make their best gains in fairly cold weather when the temperature is nearly down to zero. If they are then on full feed they may be pushed along steadily. But if now all at once warm weather sets in the well- posted feeder will cut down on the grain ration, because he knows that sheep, especially lambs, cannot stand as much grain in warm weather as in cold weather. On the other hand, the feeder who is ignorant of this fact will feed the same amount with the result that he gets them off feed, and it is a difficult matter to have them regain their appetite when once it is lost. Not much can be accomplished when the same person does not do the feeding each day, as the one is liable to spoil what the other has accomplished. In all cases feeding grain must be begun lightly in order to avoid overfilling and scouring. LITTLE EXERCISE FOR FATTENING SHEEP. It has already been stated that too much exer- cise cannot be given to pregnant ewes. Sheep when being fattened for market do not, however, 156 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. need much exercise. They may be given a little exercise now and then, but in general they gain faster if not allowed to run about at all, but if kept closely confined to their quarters. - PLATE 47. First prize and champion Cheviot yearling wether at the right; first prize and champion yearling Rambouillet wether at the left, at the International, 1916. Shown by the University of Wisconsin. Feeding Sheep for Market. 157 HAND-FEEDING OR SELF-FEEDERS. Where a large number of sheep or lambs are fed at any one place and good feeders of sheep are scarce it is perhaps feasible to employ self-feeders, for by the use of self-feeders a great deal of hand labor is saved. Where smaller lots are being fed, however, hand-feeding can be much more highly recommended, since sheep are greedy, and when they have free access to the grain they often eat too much of it. In many instances a large number of lambs have been lost on account of overloaded stomachs caused by eating too much grain. The writer at one time visited a large feeding plant and counted as many as eleven dead lambs one morning. When the man in charge was ques- tioned as to the cause of death, his reply was that the self-feeders had killed them by allowing them to eat too much grain. The writer was informed that out of the two thousand lambs in the feed lot some were lost every day through the use of self- feeders. The danger of eating too much grain is prevented when hand-feeding is practiced. Where large numbers are fed, and labor is high, however, the large operator cannot be blamed for using self- feeders. SHELTER. Whenever possible, shelter should be provided for the fattening sheep. Yet at many western feed- 158 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. ing yards no shelter whatever is given the sheep. But when sheep are not sheltered their fleeces at times become soaking wet from rains or snows, and the result is lung trouble and pneumonia. They do not, however, need a warm or very costly place. All that is necessary is a simple roof over them to keep them dry. Do not allow feeding sheep or any others to wade or sleep in a yard where the mud is perhaps knee deep. Any kind of sheep like to have it dry underneath them, and comfortable dry quarters help them materially to put on flesh. GRAIN FOR FATTENING. Many large feeding operators have used wheat screenings chiefly as the grain ration. The writer is unable to say anything relative to the feeding value of wheat screenings, as they have never been used at this Station for the reason that they con- tain large amounts of weed seeds, which will get into the manure in spite of the greatest care and be brought into the fields, there causing havoc. The best and cheapest returns in different trials con- ducted at this Station have been obtained by feed- ing shelled corn, provided corn is available at a normal price. Dried beet pulp also has given very satisfactory results, and stands almost equal to corn in feeding value for sheep, besides being much cheaper. Oats, when used as the sole grain, Feeding Sheep for Market. 159 have never given much profit in fattening sheep or lambs. In every instance the cost price of the different grains must be considered as well as their actual feeding value. As already stated, nice corn stands about first in rank in fattening sheep. Sheep will soon get tired of pure corn feeding, however, and the best feed- ers do not therefore find it an easy matter to feed it alone for any great length of time, and have the sheep progress as they should. For this reason it is advisable to mix a little oats and bran with the corn, in order to have a more balanced ration. Where the grain for fattening sheep is grown on the farm no better ration can be recommended than a mixture of four parts of shelled corn, one part of oats, and one part of bran. Toward the last three or four weeks before marketing, a little oilmeal may be added to finish them off. Barley is likewise of great value for this purpose. Throughout the Western range district, where corn is not raised in large quantities, barley is ex- tensively used for fattening sheep and lambs. Trials conducted at the Montana and South Dakota Experiment Stations show that when fed as the only grain allowance to fattening range lambs whole barley was only slightly less valuable than corn. 160 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. Wheat should not be fed to fattening sheep ex- cept when off grade or extremely low in price, as it tends to produce growth rather than fat. Trials at the South Dakota Station show that durum or macaroni wheat has about the same value as bread wheat. Like wheat, oats tend to produce growth, and therefore it is not best to use them as the sole grain for fattening. As already stated a little oats will help to balance up corn or barley. Owing to the greatly increased production of emmer, or speltz, in the Western States, this grain has gained some importance as a feed for fatten- ing sheep and lambs. Trials at the South Dakota Station showed that with prairie or brome hay emmer was much less valuable than corn. In a trial at the Colorado Station, however, emmer made unusually economical gains when fed with good alfalfa hay. Feeds which are rich in crude protein, such as linseed meal, cotton-seed meal, field peas, and soy- beans, may sometimes be profitably mixed with corn or other grains for fattening lambs or sheep. Care must be used in feeding these heavy rich feeds. ROUGHAGES FOR FATTENING. The legume hays furnish the best roughages for fattening sheep. In the East flockowners may raise Feeding Sheep for Market. 161 clover or alfalfa, those in the South cowpeas and perhaps alfalfa, and those in the West alfalfa. In Colorado, where in 1907 two million lambs and sheep were fed, the standard ration is alfalfa hay and corn, these feeds forming about ninety-five per cent of all the feed used. Good pea straw, and also bean straw, are relished by sheep. Of recent years a few sheep have been successfully fattened on pea-cannery refuse, to- gether with grain. In some sections of the West, especially in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, many lambs and sheep are grazed on field peas. The sheep are turned on the peas as soon as they ma- ture, and without other feed are fattened in from 70 to 120 days. As before stated, timothy or marsh hay should never be offered to sheep if other roughage can be secured. Good, bright, fine oat straw is preferable to either of these roughages. SUCCULENT FEEDS. Succulent feeds, such as roots and corn silage, are valuable in feeding sheep for market. In the writer's experience roots not only keep the digest- ive organs of sheep in good condition but also make considerable gain and increase the yolk in the wool to quite an extent. Not much additional gain can be expected from feeding corn silage to lambs, Feeding Sheep for Market. 163 but this feed also is valuable in keeping the digest- ive organs in good condition. Near beet sugar factories wet beet pulp has proved to be satisfactory for fattening lambs when fed with such feeds as alfalfa hay and corn. RAPE FEEDING PREVIOUS TO FATTENING. From trials carried on at this Station it has been found that very cheap gains have been made by feeding rape previous to placing the sheep in the feed lot. If a piece of rape is sown not later than July 1 it will come in handy to turn the sheep onto before .they are placed in the feed lot. In an ex- periment conducted at this Station lambs pastured on rape, but fed no grain, made as large gains as others on good grass pasture and fed one pound of grain daily but no rape. In other words one pound of grain was saved by each lamb daily, and the lambs on rape made just as much gain as the other lambs that received one pound of grain. It was further learned when finishing both lots off on dry feed that the lambs which had received rape previously did considerably better than the other lot not receiving rape before being put into the feed lot. The writer must say that he has al- ways placed great faith in rape as a cheap and valuable feed for sheep. 164 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. BEST TIME TO MARKET. Lambs are generally fed from sixty to ninety days before marketing, depending upon the condi- tion they are in when put into the feed lot. The prices on the market must also be taken into con- sideration. If lambs are to be marketed early in the season the feeding should be commenced early, so that they may be ready just about the time when the rush to market in the fall is over. There are times when there is a notable scarcity on the market, one of which is between the mar- keting of the grass-fed and the winter-fed lot, from about December 10 to January 10. At this time lambs usually sell for high prices, since the grass lambs have all come to market and most of those put in the feed lot are not ready for market. By having the lambs ready for market at this time strong competition may be avoided. If a late mar- ket is decided upon the feeding may be started late, so as to get the lambs on the market when most feeding yards are exhausted, namely in the latter part of March and April. Although a high- priced market cannot be guaranteed for these times every year, still, on the average, compara- tively high prices are paid at this period of the year. Always try to bring your stuff to market when the other fellow is not there, so as to avoid competition. Feeding Sheep for Market. 165 Feeders often make a mistake in marketing their lambs before they are fat. Sheep or lambs that are not in a fat condition when brought to the market, or so-called "half-fed" stuff, are often sold at a sacrifice. Butchers are willing to pay high prices for prime animals, but are just as unwilling to pay much for stuff only half fat. This class of sheep suffers from depression in price at nearly all times of the year. Large, heavy ewes are invariably considered a drug on the market, while lambs weighing from eighty to ninety pounds and in prime condition are readily sold at good prices. The eighty-five pound lamb is in greater demand on the market than the one hundred pound lamb. Packers claim that the one hundred pound lamb is not as profitable to them as what is termed the "handy weight" lamb. In a lot of fattening lambs some will always thrive better and put on flesh more rapidly than others. Therefore, when some of them have been properly fattened and prices are right, these should be selected and shipped and the thinner ones should be retained and fed until they also have become fat. Before marketing lambs clip all loose locks of wool off from their sides and necks, caused by rubbing against each other on the feed troughs or crowding each other at meal time. Also tag them 13 166 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. nicely around the tail. When this is done at least ten per cent will be added to their selling price. Expert buyers do not judge by looks alone, and they thoroughly handle the sheep before bidding on them. Yet the clean, broad, and square appear- ance of a lamb at its rear adds greatly to the sell- ing price. Never forget that a good looking bunch of lambs or sheep on the market will always at- tract the eye of the buyer. HOW TO FEED BEFORE SHIPPING. It is a very foolish practice to fill lambs up on feed to their utmost capacity before loading them for market. Some feeders believe that they will gain by stuffing the lambs before loading, but this is not the case. When they are filled up in such manner, many will begin to scour before reaching the market, and will have a very disagreeable and filthy appearance when they arrive. Such lambs will also shrink more in weight than those fed only their regular ration, or even less. Even with proper feeding before loading the shaking they get in transit in freight cars, and the puffing and the noise of the engine, — quite a change of conditions from the quiet home from whence they have come, —is sufficient to upset their stomachs, and if they are overloaded with feed beforehand matters are much worse. They will look cleaner, brighter, and fresher when coming out of the car if fed only on Feeding Sheep for Market. 167 dry feed before being loaded, and not even a full meal at that. When fed lightly they will drink water upon their arrival at the stock yards and will look just about as good as they did at home, and the shrinkage will be comparatively small. Another mistake that is very often made is crowding too many lambs into one car. What is the result? First, it is hard on the animals, and second, it means another loss to the shipper. When there is not sufficient standing room in the car and the lambs are packed together like sardines, the larger and stronger lambs will free themselves by jumping on top of the others, but what becomes of those underneath? They will patiently bear the load as long as possible. Their strength, how- ever, gives away before they reach their destina- tion, and they sink to the floor and suffocate. More than once the writer has seen stock cars opened at stock yards in which from three to seven lambs were found dead, due to overcrowding in the car. Is there any profit in this? Is it not cruel to subject poor, innocent lambs to such a terrible death? No intelligent feeder or shipper will allow himself to be guilty of such actions. > '' -x •N/ S ^ I 0) G ^ /Rump