Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1909 — SHEEP RAISING IN JASPER COUNTY. [ARTICLE]

SHEEP RAISING IN JASPER COUNTY.

[Paper by Robt. J. Yeoman of Newton tp., read at the recent Farmers Institute in Rensselaer.] The subject of sheep raising is one of vast importance to mankind. As the raising and tending of sheep has been one of the principal occupations of man for all time as recorded by both ancient and modern history, and at the present time, the breeding and feeding of sheep is the principal industry in which a large percentage of farmers and ranchmen in the United States are engaged. The size of their flocks ranging from a few head in the general agricultural districts up to many thousands on the vast ranges of the west. The caring for which gives profitable employment to an army of men, from the herder down to those who prepare the carcass for our tables and those wbq transform the fleece which He protected and graced the back of the sheep, into the raiment that protects our own bodies. Among the various states of our country engaged in a greater or less extent in sheep husbandry is that of our own great state of Indiana, In which perhaps there is to be found as fine flocks of pure bred sheep as in almost any state in the union. And among the various counties of our great state is that of Jasper which has been identified with this phaze of the live stock industry from the time of its organization as a county. In the early days of the history of our county almost every farmer owned a flock of sheep from the fleeces of which was procured the material with which he clothed his family. The fleece being removed with shears by hand. The wool being thoroughly washed in tubs and the remaining dirt and foreign substances separated from the wool by taking small bunches at a time and thoroughly picking it to pieces, thus allowing the dirt to silt out. and by so doing leave the fiber pure and clean. The wool was then carded or., combed and shaped into rolls from which the good housewife or her daughters with the old-fashioned spinning wheel spun the wool into yarn. This was afterward woven into cloth by the same wife and daughters in the old-fashioned loom and alter being well scoured w'as ready to be made into the various garments for the different members of the family. in those days the prime object in keeping a flock of a sheep was for the fleece produced and as every one looked upon a sheep as simply being a sheep and as wool was simply wool no difference was recognized in either sheep or their fleece and as the i arcass was of secondary consideration there was no general effort lade to improve the quality of the flock, by either breediug to increase the amount or quality of the wool or the siae and quality es the sheep for the production of muttons. Among the people generally at that time mutton was not considered desirable nor relished as a table meat and many considered it not lit for food, as they imagined it possessed a taste of the wool. From 1870 to 1890 or thereabouts, there seemed to be a lack of interest taken in the business.

Many who had formerly kept email flocks concluded to quit owing to a number of adverse circumstances, chief among which was the prevalence of disease, ant. the severe losses occasioned by the depredations of wolves and dogs. But since the county nas become more densely populated and the large drainage systems constructed together with their Innumerable laterals our county has become one of the best adapted to the raising of sheep In the northern part of the state, * By the drainage of the largo marches, their dense growtji of rushes and coarse grass, the natural home of the wolf has been destroyed and ha is no longer a menace to our flocks. Where once these night prowlers were to be heard is now rich pastures upon which (locks of the woolly tribe may graze In peace and safety. Not so with the worthless cur, he Is still with us. But we think he has caught some of the spirit of advancement, and as the old-style pot hound and coon dog has to a large extent gone the way of the wolf, the losses from this source have been reduced to the mlnumuni. We think as the number of our flocks Increase it will have a natural tendency to discourage the owning and harboring of a lot of worthless and nondescript,dogs, especially by those who take an Interest in their flocks. There are a number of diseases to which sheep are subject and which requires prompt and herioc treatment to stamp them out. One of the principal of these is a disease of the foot caused as generally supposed by a parasite growing in the cleft of the hoof. This causes an irritation and as the parasite multiplies, which it does very rapidly, the disease spreads over the entire foot and from that to the other feet. If not arrested it will eventually destroy the feet and so result in the death of the sheep. This disease is very infectious and the ailing sheep should be removed from the flock at once for if it is not the entire flock will soon be infected, and if the trouble is not arrested the entire stock will be destroyed. This disease may be treated and often cured by placing a trough containing a solution which will kill the parasite. Then drive the sheep through the trough and thus destroy the parasite and a cure would be the result. We think any of the coal tar preparations would be sufficient. The principal source of this disease is supposed to be from keeping the sheep on wet lands and in wet and filthy pens, as the parasite is supposed to be propagated under these conditions. Tlie most prevalent disease to which our flocks are subject is that of scab. It is infectious and is a parasite infection of the skin. The parasite becomes located close to the surface of the skin and causes small sores and irritation on the surface, and if not checked will soon spread over the entire sheep, causing the wool to fall off and in course of time kill the animal. This may be checked and edred by dipping occasionally in some of the many preparations to he had for the prevention and cure of this disease and for the ridding of the flocks from ticks.

Lambs are affected by what is known as grub in the head. This trouble we know very little about, having never had any experience with it in our flocks, and from what authority we have seen on the subject it is very difficult to treat. One of the latest ailments to which lambs and yearlings are subject and which seems to be comparatively a new disease, Is that of stomach worms. This disease seems to defy the skill of our best veternaries, and the giving of small doses of gasoline sweet inilk have so ar given the best reported results. But as an ounce of prevention is said to be worth a pound of cure, most, all diseases of sheep may be warded oil by keeping them on dry land, changing, occasionally- their pastures and feed lots, with plenty of good and wholesome food, plenty of salt and all the pure water they desire. And if this is done a didesire. And if this is done a dise:ised sheep will be a rare occurrence. As our county has for reasons given before gradually become better adapted to the heglthfulness and protection of our flocks, we have noticed during the past decade or two, that our farmers have been awakening to the fact that sheep husbandry was deserving of more attention than it had been receiving, and as a reult of this interest there are each season more men establishing flocks and each succeeding year there is noticlable more inquiry for breeding material in small numbers. As we have already noted, the time was when our sheep was only considered from the point of wool production. But that is by no means. at the present time, nor has it been for a number of years past, for the sheep of to-day is recognized as a dual purpose animal. And as the breeder of the Short-Horn cow is breeding for a lual purpose, namely: that for the production of the largest amount and of the best quality of beef and milk, so is the breeder of sheep today breeding for a dual purpose, namely: that for the production of an animal that will yield a large carcass of prime mutton and heavy fleece of fine quality wool.

■These results can only be obtained by care'ul selection of breeding material properly mated, and with careful and Intelligent management of the flock. Whether tt be by a novice or an experienced flockmaster, in the selection of animals for a foundation, the beginner should exercise judgment. And while in some instances it might be advisable to start with pure-bred animals, yet as a rule we would consider It good business for the inexperienced to start with a small number of grade ewes. The higher the grade the better, as they can be bought for a much less -price than the pure bred ones, and if mated with a pure sire the produce for practical purposes may be as satisfactory/ from a financial standpoint as if the foundation was purebred; and by retaining the best ewe lambs from year to year, and breeding In like manner, It would be but a few years until practically a pure bred flock would be the result. There is one thing the beginner should not lose sight of, and that is while a flock of healthy sheep handled under ordinary conditions will return a larger profit on the capital invested and feed consumed than any other farm animals, yet, on the other hand, if your flock for any reason should go wrong, you will be able to find the bottom dollar in the business about as quickly as you could find It in any other business. Hence, the advice, begin with a small flock and let it multiply as your experience increases. As the breed best adapted to the climatic conditions of our county, any of the Down breeds ought to give satisfactory results, or In fact any of the breeds giving satisfactory results in the central states ought to do well here.

It seems the farmers generally in this section have a tendency toward th Shropshire. But we think the breed is a mere matter of fancy. When one has determined the object he has in view r in establishing his flock, whether it is for the production of mutton and wool or that of producing what is termed the hot-house lamb—if the latter is the object perhaps the Dorset would be the most satisfactory. The lambing season is of much importance and this should be gov erned by the object in view, whether for the marketing of the early lamb or for the growing of sheep in a general way. In the latter case they should come during the early part of April, as at this season a larger per cent of the crop c-an be saved with less care and expense than earlier in the season. At about two weeks old the lambs should be handled and docked. These operation should never be neglected, as by being negligent in this matter often results in loss at the time of marketing. Every farmer in Jasper county if for no other purpose than neatness and eradication of noxious weeds, should maintain a flock of sheep, the size of which should be governed by the size of the farm, its adaptability to the handling of sheep and the time and care the owner would have to bestow on them. And further, there is no other aninmal kept on our farms which will return to our lands in the w.ay of fertilizer as much for the amount of food consumed and labor expended and that will build up our depleted soil as “the Animal with the Golden Hoof”—the sheep. In comparlsion with other live stock usually kept on our farms, we are satisfied from a financial standpoint, the sfieep, as bred and raised in Jasper county, will show a greater profit than either the steer or the hog. This is from the breeder’s side of the subject. The feeder is often up against an entirely different proposition.

In conclusion we would say, if not already the owner of a flock of sheep, now is a good time to begin. Ist. Get the best your experience and other affairs will justify. 2d. Give them the best of care. 3d. As your experience increases, increase your flock. 4th. As your flock increases the fertility of your farm will increase. sth. As your farm becomes more fertile it will be more productive and give greater yields. 6th. When you dispose of products you wTfi have more profits. 7th. When you get these profits you should be happy and come to our institutes and tell us how you like the sheep business.