| Show i F SHEEP RAISING IS PATRIOTIC wool from twenty animals necessary ry to clothe and equip one soldier for fop war service prepared by the uni united ted states department of agriculture war has given the sheep and wool industry a stupendous task there must be 20 sheep back of every soldier to clothe and equip him this need has made sheep raising a patriotic as well as a profitable undertaking sheep require little littie bread grain and as both wool and mutton are in strong d demand L the development of the industry will contribute materially to the nations food and clothing supply farm sheep raising for beginners farmers bulletin a recent publication li of the united states department of agriculture contains all the general directions needed to make a starl another recent publication of the department entitled sheep and intensive farming yearbook 1917 separate will also be found helpful for the present season wool has about trebled in price and the price of cambs iambs has about doubled the gross annual returns from ewes of breeding age may be expected to range from 8 to 15 it a head depending upon the percentage of lambs raised the weight of the fleeces and the values for those these products the lamb find and wool yield depend largely upon the breed selected so the choice of a breed Is a very important matter there are 12 breeds of improved sheep which are well established in the united states and a number of others are paining gaining in popularity these breeds differ widely in their special points of usefulness sef ulness for various sections and systems systems of management these points tire are carefully developed in breeds of sheep for the farm farmers bulletin 56 sheep require a very much smaller proportion of grain than Is required by other meat animals as they get v Z u J 7 W h i y aik oik ay iy A x i J i w A J 3 4 1 2 gi K ka high class flock of southdown ewen ewaa on a vermont farm much of their nourishment from rough permanent posture pasture and at the same time they keep down the weeds which Is nn an improvement to the pasture ihla information with much else of interest and value Is to be found in the place of sheep on new england farms farmers bulletin sheep raising does not require expensive equipment or heavy labor in n mild latitudes little housing Is needed important features of buildings for sheep drawings and bills of materials for barns feed racks etc are given in equipment for farm sheep raising farmers bulletin in any sheep enterprise provision roust must bo be made for the guarding or fencing ln in of the flock for not only are the animals prone to stray from home pastures but they are arc favorite prey for dogs which annually inflict great losses on the industry winter care must be provided for and feed and sheltered quarters must be available in cold weather persons who desire to raise sheep are advised to enter the industry with a view of staying for several everal years at least the useful life of a sheep Is about six years |
