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Show Wool Growers Are Urged To Use Care In Culling Ewes For Breeding' Systematic culling and selection of ewes prior to the breeding season will bring profitable results to wool growers throughout the state, Alna C. Esplin, professor of sheep husbandry at the Utah State Agricultural Agri-cultural college, states. The ewes to be kept in the flock should be selected according to types, health, teeth, vigor, deep, wide roomy bodies, soundness of udder, their record of production and the weight of the fleece. The ewes that are culled should be sent to market. When selecting the ewes for the winter herd, the heaviest wool producers can be branded for breeding to Rambouillet or Columbia Co-lumbia rams. The ewe lambs from these matings can, in turn, be kept for herd replacements. This selection will increase the wool production from 10 to 20 per cent in a few years if followed, Professor Pro-fessor Esplin explains. Ewes which are given liberal amounts of nutritious food and are gaining weight during the breeding season are more apt to produce twins and triplets than those in poor flesh. Dr. Esplin further points out that there is an advantage in getting the ewes to breed approximately the same time because lambing next spring will come within a short period. This will result in a saving since lambing crews are kept on the job day and night during the time. The ram should be a well-built vigorous individual for good breeding breed-ing and then cared for and so fed that he will start the breeding season in good condition. He should be fed one pound of grain each day, oats being especially good for this purpose. Flock management man-agement is another important point to be considered. The ewes should be given proper feed and care during the winter before and after lambing. Providing Provid-ing plenty of good pasture during the growing season, controlling parasites, and producing the kinds of lambs that are in demand and having lambs ready for market at the time of the year when prices are high and important factors in herd management, Professor Esplin Es-plin concludes. |
