Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 203, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1912 — GROW MORE SHEEP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GROW MORE SHEEP

dy C. F. Gobble, Animal Husbandry Department, Purdue University School of Agriculture. Purdue University Agricultural Extension.

Indiana needs more sheep. She stood thirteenth in number of sheep April 1, 1910, with 1,227,000 head. Her next door neighbor, Ohio, stood fourth, with 2,600,000 head. True, Ohio has perhaps more rough land than Indiana, but there is not enough difference in the soil of these two states to account for so great a difference in number of sheep. And it need not be from a patriotic point of view that we should have more sheep. Money can be made from steep, and farms need sheep. The particularly strong feature -of sheep rearing is the fact that sheep will gain more of their livelihood from rough feed than either hogs or cattle, and are the most perfect weed destroyers—eating 576 out of 6QO known varieties of weeds, and can be reared and sold in one season. The entire cost is low, returns come quickly, the wool will pay two-thirds of the’ maintenance cost of the ewes, and if the stock Is well handled the sheep will not only free a farm from most of the weeds, but will also utilize much of the feed grown on the farm that would otherwise be wasted. These factors are strong ones In favor of sheep raising, and there is no question but that a well-handled flock will return a good profit on all Indiana farms where the land is sufficiently, rolling or well drained to insure dry pastures. It is true that sheep require more care In feeding and management than either hogs or cattle, and for this reason a person who dislikes sheep should probably not go too heavily in the sheep business, but there are plenty of men in the state who could profitably handle at least a small flock. z How to Get Started. One of the cheapest and best ways

of starting a small grade flock Is to buy on the market a car load of western ewes. These will probably be less Infested with internal parasites than natives and can be bought at market price. If crossed with a pure-bred ram of one of the mutton breeds, good mutton lambs will result and the flock can be gradually improved by selecting the best ewe lambs and discarding the old ewes that are not satisfactory producers, until y<w have a high grade mutton flock. How to Buy. Care must be used in buying. Deal Only with a reliable commission flrm. Let them know exactly what you want and see to It that the ewes are not more than four or five years of age, have good teeth and undamaged teats and udders. It Is true that large numbers of western ewes are shipped to market because their period of usefulness Is over, but plenty of good young ewes can be bought. When to Buy. Buy about the middle of August to the first of September, so they can be “flushed” on a piece of rape and bluegrass pasture for a month before the breeding season. Breed about first to tbe middle of October for early March lambs. Practice Selection. As the ewes increase in weight, select the culls to be fattened at once for market. The next spring again cull out the unsatisfactory breeders. The young ewes from the best mothers will be retained and thus by always using a pure bred ram, and a definite system of selection, you will soon own a flock of sheep of which you may be justly proud and at the same time one that has made you a satisfactory profit