Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1911 — PUREBRED SHEEP IN INDIANA [ARTICLE]

PUREBRED SHEEP IN INDIANA

\ \ BREED NUMBER VALUE Medium Wool SHROPSHIRE 6774 $81,433 OXFORD ... 1743 22,568 HAMPSHIRE 658 9,727 TUNIS 509 9,618 SOUTHDOWN.... 341 4,668 CHEVIOT 315 ..* 4,900 DORSET 160 2,151 SUFFOLK 12 104 Lone Wool COTSWOLD 1202 16,844 LINCOLN 21 265 UECESTER 1 20 Fine Wool DELAINE MERINO 1072 1*586 RAMBOUILLET 470 5,763 AMERICAN MERINO 70 1,870 Total 13348 ...$173,517

The United States department of agriculture states that there are about one and a quarter million sheep within the borders of the state of Indiana, representing a total value of about dz and a third million dollars. Distribution. Prom data gathered by Purdue university experiment station it is evident that these sheep are distributed on approximately one-third of the farms within the state, there being quite two-thirds of the farms with no * sheep at all upon them. It further appears that the number of sheep per farm varies widely, a farm of 110 acres reporting two ewes, and another farm of 360 acres reporting 150 ewes, the largest number reported from any one farm. The average number of breeding ewes per 200 acre farm reporting sheep was about 26 head. Were the total number of sheep reported distributed equally upon all of the farms reporting, including those from which reports on livestock other than sheep were received, the average number of breeding ewes per farm would be about 8.5 head. The size of the flocks of breeding ewes range on the average from twenty to fifty head. The great majority of farmers report that their flocks are an efficient aid In controlling the weeds of the farm, and that they return an income from triple sources, lambs, wool and manure. The state statistician in 1907-8, as a result of investigation by his office,

reported pure-bred and registered sheep in all except five of the ninetytwo counties of the state. There were at the time of his report a total of 13,348 pure-bred males and females in the state, representing a total value of $173,517. Of these, 10,512 of the medium wool breeds represented a value of $135,169; 1,224 long wools, a value of $17,129; and 1,612 fine wools a value of .$21,219. The Shropshire, the Cotswold and the Delaine Merino were by far the most numerous of Shropshire; the Cotswold and the Delaine Merino were by far the most numerous of the medium, long and fine wool breeds, respectively. The Shropshire exceeded in number by 200 head all other breeds combined, and represented approximately 47 per cent, of the total value of the purebred sheep within the state. This breed had pure-bred representatives in all except nine of the counties of the state. Most of the fourteen breeds of sheep within the state are represented by numerous individuals and flocks which by their winnings at the state and national shows have called marked attention to the fact that Indiana can and does produce sheep the equal of and better than any others in the world. In view of this fact and the small percentage of farmers now keeping sheep, it would seem that one of the greatest opportunities before the Indiana farmer is that of starting a moderate sized flock of pure-bred sheep on his farm.