Glass. r m Book- •■S ^3 PRESENTED BY Sheep Husbandry in minnesota. BY THOMAS SHAW, II Professor of Animal Husbandry at the Zhiwersity (innesota. /Ny RECEIVED • V "^ IvlAR 10 1904 .ffRlODl' EDITION. 10,000 Copies Authorized by the Legislature of Minne- sota Thirty Second Session. AUTHOR OF 'Public School Agriculture." "Weeds and How to Eradicate Them." "Forage Crops, Other Than Grasses." "The Study of Breeds." Soiling Crops and The Silo," Etc. ST. PAUL: WEBB PUBLISHING CO. 1901. ^ J COPYRIGHT. 1900. by WEBB PUBLISHING COMPANY. P. UMr'04 To the Farmers of Minnesota, and also to their Sons and Daughters, the coming hope of our magnificent state, this work is most respectfully dedi- cated by the author. University of Minnesota, 1900 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The Author desires to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Clias. P. Taylor and Mr. W. C. Palmer, of the University of Minne- sota, for assistance given in furnishing the sketches used and also in various other ways while the book was being prepared. THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. This book is written in the hope that it may prove helpful to the farmers of our state. The author is con- tinually receiving letters from those engaged in sheep husbandry asking for information bearing upon every phase of the industry. Many of the letters thus re- ceived ask for a book that will cover the subject from the standpoint of Northwestern conditions. Such a book has not previously been written, and the work is intended in some measure at least to supply the need. In writing it the author has endeavored to produce a book that will enable the farmer who has never kept sheep previously to take up the work without the hazard of making mistakes such as are so frequently made by beginners. The measure of the success attained must be left to the judgment of a fair-minded public. The book is donated to the farmers of Minnesota in the hope that in some degree at least it will help to make our state what it may and ought to be, viz., the greatest sheep-producing state in all the Union. Minnesota University Experiment Farm, St. Anthony ParJc, Minn., 1900. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Fig. Page. 1. Students Judging Sheep at the Minnesota University Experiment Station Frontispiece 2. Typical Rambouillet Ewe 26 3. Group of Typical South Down Rams 28 4. Typical Dorset Ewe 30 5. Typical Shropshire Ram 32 6. Group of Typical Suffolk Sheep 34 7. Typical Oxford Down Ewe 36 8. Typical Cotswold Ram 40 9. Sheep Pasturing on Winter Rye 54 10. Sheep Pasturing on Sorghum 56 11. Rape Grown for Sheep Pasture 58 12. Sheep Pasturing on Oats and Peas 60 13. Sheep Pasturing on Soy Beans. 62 14 Plan of Sheep Shed for Breeding Flock 82 15. Ground Plan of Sheep Barn at Minnesota University Experiment Farm 84 16. Section Showing Frame of Sheep Barn 86 17. End Section of Feeding Rack 88 1 8. Sheep Barn at Minnesota University Experiment Farm 90 19. Plan of Sheep Shed for a Large Flock 92 20. Plan of Sheep Shed for a Good-sized Flock 94 21. Section of Movable Fence 102 22. Feeding Lambs Selected for Fattening at Minnesota University Experiment Farm 146 23. Lambs Fattened at Minnesota University Experiment Farm for Market 154 24. Wool Box 170 25. Small Home-made Dipping Tank 200 26. Hog-House and Dipping Tank Combined 202 27. Side View of Draining Pens, Dipping Tank and Load- ing Platform 204 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Page. Benefits from Sheep Husbandry 9 CHAPTER II. Minnesota Eminently Adapted to Sheep Husbandry 15 CHAPTER III. Breeds Adapted to Minnesota Conditions 23 CHAPTER IV. Foundation Flocks 41 CHAPTER V. Pasture for Sheep 53 CHAPTER VI. Fodders for Sheep 70 CHAPTER VII. Shelter for Sheep 78 CHAPTER VIII. Fencing for Sheep 95 CHAPTER IX. Management of Lambs 105 CHAPTER X. Management of Ewes 114 CHAPTER XI. Management of Rams 124 CHAPTER XII. The Flock in Winter 130 CHAPTER XIII. The Flock in Summer : 137 CHAPTER XIV. Fattening Sheep and Lambs 144 CHAPTER XV. Growing Winter Lambs 157 CHAPTER XVI. Shearing Sheep 165 CHAPTER XVII. The More Common Diseases of Sheep 174 CHAPTER XVIII. Dipping Sheep 195 CHAPTER L Benefits from Sheep Husbandry. The benefits from a wisely conducted system of sheep Iiusbandry are many and they are also important. Prominent among them are the following : 1. Returns are secured twice a year, first, in the lambs and second, in the wool. 2. Pasture is utilized that would other- wise be wasted. 3. Weeds are destroyed in great num- bers. 4. Fertility is maintained in the soil more per- fectly than it can be so maintained by any other class of live stock kept upon the farm, and 5. There are in- cidental benefits, such as the food furnished for the farmer's table, the added neatness given to the farm and the salutary influences which tending sheep exerts upon the youthful members of a family. Beturns Twice a Year. — Grain husbandry, and par- ticularly wheat husbandry, produces but one harvest in a year. Sheep husbandry produces two ; that is to say, a harvest of meat and a harvest of wool. The wheat harvest is attended with considerable hazard. ISTot in- frequently it measurably fails. Sometimes it is a great failure. The harvest from sheep never fails where the sheep are properly managed. It may fluctuate, but it does not fail. A few days' adverse weather when the grain is apj)roaching maturity may cut down the hope of the wheat grower. Through no fault of his it may be smitten with rust or blight. Sheep husbandry is not 10 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA thus SO dependent on the weather, since sheep may and ought to be fed on a variety of foods, some of which may be expected to grow in reasonably good form what- ever may be the character of the season. The wool crop alone, which is as unfailing as the sea- sons, should pay for the food consumed in maintaining sheep under existing conditions in the Northwest, and the returns come in at an opportune season; that is to say, in the early summer, when money from other sources is not usually plentiful on the farm. The lamb ci-op can be marketed at various times according to the mode of management, but in any event it brings in a second installment every year to reward the flockmaster. And, owing to the early season at which sheep breed and to the large increase relatively, large flocks may soon be secured without oreat outlav for the foundation ani- mals. ' Utilizing Sundry Pastures. — On every farm where sheep are not kept much pasture goes to waste every year: This is true in some degree of pasture in almost every field on the farm. Grain shelled while being har- vested produces much pasture every autumn. Grass grows up in by places, such as lanes, around fences, along the borders of forests and within parks. Weeds grow up in the grain and mature innumerable seeds after the grain has been harvested. There is no other class of live stock that will gather such food with the same ease or certainty as sheep, nor is there any that will turn it to such good account. Almost everything in the form of vegetation they will consume and turn into' meat and wool if allowed access to the same while BENEFITS PROM SHEEP HUSBANDRY 11 it is yet green and succulent. When thus maintained, sheep are in a sense scavengers, living in a considerable degree on vegetable products that would otherwise go to waste; and when thus allowed to gather food, the va- riety secured is so well suited to their needs, that when allowed to graze thus freely, they usually maintain themselves in a good condition of thrift. In this way a small flock of sheep could be maintained even on a dairy farm, without any real outlay in providing food for them during the entire period of grazing. Destroying Weeds. — There is scarcely a variety of weeds found in the Northwest that sheep will not eat with avidity if they can have access to the same while still young and succulent. There are many kinds that they will eat more readily than grass, even in the early stages of growth, and for the reason chiefly that they are more tender and succulent, but as weeds become more and more woody, they will more and more refuse to eat them. These discriminations should be duly con- sidered when the aid of sheep is sought in the war against weeds. Sheep will also search diligently for nearly all kinds of weed seeds, and when they feed upon them the dan- ger need 'xot be feared that the seeds will ever grow again, because of the thorough grinding given to them in conjunction with the complete digestion that follows. -If allowed to graze in stubbles after the removal of a crop, the service which sheep will thus render is very great. When certain forage crops are sown in a close and continuous succession on weed infested lands, and 12 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA when these are grazed down successively by sheep, there is perhaps no weed found in all the Northwest that will not soon succumb to such treatment unless it be couch grass. Minnesota is not more infested with weeds than other Northwestern states, and yet it is probably true that more weeds e^row every vear on the arable farms of Min- nesota than would sustain all the sheep in the state dur- ing the entire grazing season. Maintaining Fertility. — 'No method of maintaining fertility has ever been devised that will compare with its maintenance by means of sheep husbandry. This fact probably more than any other gave rise to the pro- verb: ^The sheep has a golden hoof." Cattle hus- bandry will not maintain fertility so easily nor so com- pletely. This is owing in part to the fact that more of the droppings are lost owing to the way in which they are distributed. The same is also at least measurably true of swine. The droppings of sheep are scattered over the surface of the ground and soon become incorporated with the same, through the treading of the sheep. Since sheep are prone to live on elevations, the droppings are more abundantly distributed on these; that is to say, where they are most needed. And due weight should be given to the fact of such distribution. It means that the lands are fertilized during the entire season of graz- ing without any labor entailed by man. All fertility produced by sheep is also distributed by them in the best possible manner, except what is produced during the season of confinement, and this period is shorter BENEFITS FROM SHEEP HUSBANDRY 13 with sheep than with any other kind of live stock kept upon the farm. The fertility of farm lands can be fully maintained by the aid of sheep husbandry judiciously conducted and without the aid of commercial fertilizers. The fertil- izer sent away in the flesh and wool sold, can be more than offset by the plant food deposited in the soil by le- gumes and drawn up from the subsoil by deep-rooted plants grown in the rotation to provide the food for the sheep. This explains why sheep are so frequently used in the renovation of soils, the fertility of which has been in a great measure removed by over cropping. Incidental Benefits. — The food furnished for the farmer's table is one of the incidental benefits growing out of sheep husbandry. No food is more healthful. Xo meat grown upon the farm is more delicious and none is grown so cheaply. Especially is this true when only a small flock of sheep is maintained, as then they live chiefly on food in the summer season that would otherwise be lost. A second of these benefits is found in the more neat and tidy appearance given to the farm because of the presence of sheep. They trim out the fence corners and by places on the farm. They put out of existence un- sightly weeds; and they keep pastures even and nicely presentable because of their presence. If allowed to g-raze in the highways they will also keep the grass por- tion of the same — so closely shorn that pedestrians can walk over the same with added comfort, let the weather be as it may. A third benefit is found in the softening and refining 14 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA influence which tending a flock of sheep begets in the young people of the farm who may have them in charge. The gentleness and inoffensiveness of the sheep exert a salutary influence on the character of the young people who care for them while character is in the formative stage. Benefits Not Sufficiently Considered. — The benefit* which result from sheep husbandry wisely conducted have not been sufficiently considered by the farmers of Minnesota, or the number of sheep in our state would not be so small relatively at the present time. The sta- tistics compiled by the United States department of ag- riculture give the number of sheep in Minnesota in 1899 as 419,218, that is to say but 1 sheep for every 120 acres of land surface in the entire state. This number is re- gretfully small in a state possessed of the highest adapt- ation for growing sheep as will be shown in Chapter II. CHAPTER 11. Minnesota Eminently Adapted to Sheep Husbandry. That Minnesota has pre-eminent adaptation for sheep husbandry is not generally kno^vn by the outside world. How could it be when so small a number of sheep rela- tively are kept within the state ? l^or is this adaptation understood by the farmers as it ought to be. If it were so understood, sheep would soon be found on almost every farm within the state. This adaptation manifests itself in various ways, as for instance, in the undulating surface of much of the soil, the varied food production of the same, the abund- ance of the water supplies, the plentiful shade, the pro- ductive soil, the plentiful supplies of the material for shelter, and in the bright and healthful character of the climate. The hindrances are few, but these also will be considered. Undulating Surface. — Sheep love to graze on undu- lating pastures. Instinctively they seek the higher ground when taking rest, but the lower lands being more productive than the higher, they are thus far better adapted for producing grazing. The highest adapta- tion for grazing sheep is found, therefore, where a hap- py combination of hill and valley, of swell and depres- sion exists. Such combinations abound in nearly every county in the state, including the major portions of the land usually denominated prairie. The exceptions are 16 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA chiefly found in the Red River valley, and even in the counties in the said valley the water passes away so quickly that in but limited areas does its presence in- terfere wdth rearing sheep successfully. The soils of the state are also possessed of good natural drainage, so that water passes readily into the subsoil and thence into the numerous lakes and rivers. The naturally porous character of a very large proportion of the sub- soil of Minnesota renders the soil eminently adapted to sheep husbandry. Varied Food Production. — The variety of food that can be grown in our state is very great. In this respect it is perhaps unrivalled by any state in the Union. The reasons are found in the varied soil and climatic condi- tions. Minnesota possesses nearly every class of soil from sands so light as to lift with the winds to the stif- fest and most unyielding red clays. The climate is on the whole temperate, though warm enough in summer to force a luxuriant and varied growth. In nearly all parts of the state there is enough of rain in normal sea- sons, and so distributed as to produce an abundant growth unless in some instances in the autumn, when there is sometimes a deficiency in moisture. As a re- sult, nearly all of the most useful grasses can be grown in the state with at least a fair measure of success. The growth of all the leading cereals is very satisfac- tory. 'No state produces flax more abundantly. Corn and sorghum can be grown in fine form as food for sheep up to the Canadian boundary line. Even soy beans and cow peas may be made a success in Central and Southern Minnesota. Field roots, as mangels, MINNESOTA EMINENTLY ADAPTED 17 turnips, carrots and sugar beets, are a magnificent suc- cess. Minnesota is a paradise for rape and cabbage. And the screenings extracted from the grain when cleaning it, furnishes an excellent food for sheep. They may thus be furnished with a great variety of food sum- mer and winter, and, as every intelligent shepherd knows, variety in the food products is a prime essential to success in sheep husbandry. Abundant Water Supply. — Minnesota, as the name implies, is proverbially the state of many waters. Its lakes number, it is claimed, seven thousand. Its rivers are many. It is truly a land of brooks and streams and reservoirs of water. The water is the purest. It is so pure that the germs of malarial dis- eases do not seem to be able to live in it. Such water is excellent, not only for sheep, but also for men. And where water is not thus found on the surface there is scarcely any part of the state in which it cannot be found by sinking wells to a moderate depth. Plentiful Shade. — Fully one-half of Minnesota was originally forest and park country. This means that in all the portion thus originally wooded shade is abund- ant. Since, even in the portions of the state thus wooded that have been cleared, a sufficiency of trees have been spared to provide ample shade for sheep. It means also that where such shade has not been spared it may soon be grown on the principle that where na- ture has succeeded in growing trees without the aid of man, she will grow them more readily with such aid. The Park region, which covers several counties, is pe- culiarlv favored in the extent of the shade which it fur- 18 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA nishes. And in the portions of the state originally prairie natural groves are springing up where they are protected. On other areas groves are being planted. And in no part of the state are the conditions such that shade from trees may not be furnished, and that within a few brie£ years from the time of planting. The value of shade for sheep in summer cannot be easily over-^estimated. Sheep do not take injury from low temperatures as such. In fact they scarcely heed them if protected from Avinds and falling storms. But they suffer greatly if not protected from excessive heat, and the more that they are laden with flesh, as the result of abundant feeding, the more do they suifer propor- tionately. A land, therefore, possessed of highest adaptation in growing sheep must also be possessed of abundant shade. Productive Soil. — The prairie soiL of the state are wonderfully productive as witnessed in the score of successive grain crops in the rotation. In this extra- ordinary productiveness is found an explanation of the way those soils have been abused in too many instances by the system of cropping practised. This abundant production is, however, exceedingly favorable to sheep husbandry conducted on the intensive plan. The soils of Minnesota could be made to sustain all the sheep in the United States; that is to say, approximately 50,- 000,000, and without materially lessening production in other lines, on the assumption that all the arable land in the state was under cultivation. The sandy areas are, of course, not so productive. But even on these, relatively large numbers of sheep may be main- MINNESOTA EMINENTLY ADAPTED 19 tallied, as has been repeatedly demonstrated at the Min- nesota University Experiment Farm. Approximately one hundred head of sheep and lambs have been pas- tured there on ten acres of land for successive seasons, beginning with 1896. In addition to the pasture, sev- eral tons of cured food have also been obtained every year from the same land. The land thus cropped was sandy in character, but when fairly well supplied with rain, the crops that followed each other the same sea- son grew with much quickness. For the production of forage and fodder crops taken together the major por- tion of the lands of the state have high adaptation. Materials for Shelter. — The materials for shelter un- der Minnesota conditions include lumber and poles for the erection of sheds, groves, natural or planted by man, to hold the winds at bay, and straw to cover the sheds when made of poles, i^atural ravines in the prairies may also be turned to good account in providing shelter for sheep. 'No state in the ISTorthwest east of the Rocky Mountains has so large a timber supply. In nearly all the counties of the state poles are accessible, which, in conjunction with straw, can be used in build- ing shelter at but little cost. The natural groves that abound in the state may be made exceedingly helpful in keeping at bay one of the worst enemies to sheep husbandry in the state; that is to say, the keen cold winds of winter. And where such groves are not found they can be provided within a fe\/ years by planting them and duly caring for them. The difference between locating sheep sheds on the prairie without such protection, and with it, can only 20 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA be fully realized by those who have experienced it. The same is also true in locating sheds in a ravine in the prairie. These deep ravines, with theii steep banks, are a feature of Minnesota prairies. Usually streams m.eander through them to feed the rivers, and more or less of timber grows upon their sides. They may be made to render the best of service in providing shelter for sheep. Bright and Healthful Climate. — It would be difficult indeed to find a climate with higher adaptation to sheep husbandry than that of Minnesota. The air is usually dry and bracing. Violent storms are relatively few. The sunshine may well be the envy of other lands less favored. The number of bright and cloudless days is very large in winter as well as in summer. The weath- er conditions are almost ideal. The only drawbacks from this source are the sharp winter winds which sweep over the prairie and the cold rains which occa- sionally occur in spring. From both, sheep ought to be protected. The days are unduly warm for sheep for a short time in summer at midday, but the nights are nearly always cool. The uniformity of the winter weather is always quite favorable to sheep husbandry. While it is cold the sudden changes are few. The thermometer hovers around the freezing point for many days in succession, hence it is easy to keep the floor of the sheds and yards dry and comfortable. Xor is the appetite of the sheep a varying quantity as in warmer areas. Present Hindrances. — The chief of the hindrances to sheep husbandry in the state at the present time are, MINNESOTA EMINENTLY ADAPTED 21 the extent to which fences are absent, the great losses to flock-masters from the ravages of wolves and dogs, and the want of experience in sheep husbandry on the part of so large a number of the farmers. On very many farms in the state there are practi- cally no fences. This is the inevitable outcome of the exclusive attention that has been given to grain grow- ing. Where sheep are kept on the farm more or less fencing is necessary. Without it that change of pas- tures can't be obtained which is so advantageous in sheep husbandry. But the fencing needed may be pro- vided without great cost as is shown in Chapter VIII. The losses from wolves, though considerable, must decrease with the clearing up of the country. The leg- islature is also doing much to mitigate the evil in the bounty which it offers. Not so, however, the dog nui- sance. It is certain to increase with the increase in settlement in the state, and more especially with the growth of villages, towns and cities. A large propor- tion of those who kept sheep in former years have given up the industry because of losses suffered from dogs. The legislature has no right to prohibit the keep- ing of dogs in a free country like ours, but it has a right to so regulate the keeping of the same that they will not harm their neighbor's property and he have no means of redress. It is not creditable to our state that no provisions are on the statute books of the same to protect the sheep industry against dogs. They are not there because the farmers have not demanded with suf- ficient earnestness that they shall be placed there. As soon as the farmers unite in asking for such protection 22 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA they will get it. And no farmer has a rig-ht to com- plain of the absence of such protection who has not put forth a reasonable effort to secure it. The want of experience in keeping sheep on the part of many is perhaps the greatest hindrance to the growth of the industry in Minnesota at the present time. The number of farmers who have never kept sheep is very large. When they do engage in the work they are prone to make mistakes and so get discouraged. In the hope of preventing such results this book is being writ- ten. The teachings of the School of Agriculture and of the agricultural press will also exert a similar influ- ence. The hope may be cherished, therefore, that in the not distant future this hindrance will diminish un- til it shall become the least of the hindrances that re- tard the progress of sheep husbandry in our state. CHAPTER IIL Breeds Adapted to Minnesota Conditions* It would probably be correct to say that there is no pedigreed breed of sheep in the United States that could not be profitably grown in Minnesota. The fact re- mains nevertheless that some breeds have higher adap- tation than others. The adaptation of the various breeds in the United States to the conditions of Minne- sota will now be discussed. The question is continually being asked as to which is the best breed. It is very natural that the question should be asked by those who wish to establish flocks. The answer to it always involves the careful considera- tion of the following questions among others: — viz., the object sought in keeping sheep ; the conditions that relate to climate, shelter and production and the mar- ket for the finished product. In all arable countries sheep are kept for the tw^o- fold purpose of producing w^ool and mutton. Some- times, and with some breeds, wool is the more impor- tant consideration, and in other instances the same is true of mutton. At one time wool was considered rela- tively more important than mutton in this country. In this fact the explanation is found of the great numeri- cal preponderance of the fine-wooled types in the Uni- ted States. But this condition is now so completely re- moved, that except in the growing of range sheep, mut- 24 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA ton is likely to continue the more important question. This fact should not be lost sight of in determining which breed or grade of sheep should be selected by the growers in our state. With Merinos the wool product has been relatively more important than the mutton product. This at least has been true of them in the past. Adaptation to such conditions as relate to climate, shelter and soil should more than anything else deter- mine the breed or grade of sheep that should be kept. Some breeds, as for instance the Merinos, are so hardy that they can withstand exposure to severe conditions. Others, as the coarse-wooled breeds, must have better care. Small breeds, like the Southdowns, can move about more easily and more actively than larger breeds, hence they are relatively better adapted to broken and rugged pastures and to lands not over abundant in pro- duction than the heavy bodied breeds. The latter, as for instance the Lincolns, require pastures more level in character and rich in production. The intermediate breeds, as the Shropshires, are best adapted to what may be termed average conditions. The market for the finished product should always be duly considered. It should always have some influ- ence in determining the breed of sheep that shall be kept, and in some instances it alone should decide the matter, as, for instance, when winter lambs are to be grown for the market. Dor sets and their grades are the only breed that will completely serve the end sought. Again, when pure-bred flocks are to be established, the market more than anything else, may settle the ques- BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 25 tion. While it may not be wise at the present time to grow Rambouillets for the general market, it may be eminently so to grow them in the pure foira to meet the needs of the range. The Fine-Wooled Breeds. — The fine-wooled breeds of sheep in the United States may be classified as American Merinos, Delaine Merinos and Rambouillets. These are named in the order of relative size, the Amer- ican Merino being the smallest. They arc iilso named in the order of the fineness of the wool, the fleece of the American Merino being the finest, though the differ- ence in this respect is not great. Length of fibre stands in the reverse order, that of the Rambouillet being the longest. The American Merino is simply the Spanish Merino improved under American conditions. It is a some- what small and deep-bodied sheep of only moderate w4dth, encased in a fleece of very fine, close, short and dense wool, and carrying more or less of wrinkles or folds in the skin, especially about the neck and breast. The fleece, at all times dense and compact, is so glued together at the outer ends of the fibres by the harden- ing of the yolk as to render it almost impossible for rain to penetrate it. This, in conjunction with certain other properties, places the Merino at the head of the list in point of hardihood among the prominent breeds now found in America. Since, however, their mutton- producing properties are not so good as those of the Delaine and Rambouillet types, and since they are not now greatly sought for to improve range stocks, it is questionable if they can be made as profitable in the FIG. 2. TYPICAL RAMBOUILLET EWE. imported by Geo. Harding & Sons, Waukesha, Wis. BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 27 meantime, under our conditions, as the breeds just named. The Delaine Merinos are the descendants of Ameri- can Merinos, modified in form and in other respects, chiefly through selection in breeding. The Delaines, embracing several types and families, are compact and strong in build, nearly free from wrinkles and folds, and covered with an even and abundant fleece of fine, dense and beautifully white wool with a fair length of staple. Compared with American Merinos, Delaines are considerably larger and heavier, more compact and symmetrical in build, stronger in bone and possessed of better average spring of rib. They are more free from wrinkles, folds and dewlaps, and have a longer fleece, equally well distributed over the body, but not quite so fine nor so well glued together on the surface. They also mature somewhat more quickly, have higher adaptation for arable conditions, and are superior in crossing on range types for mutton production. For the last-named use they are much in demand at the present time, and as far as can be judged by present conditions, this demand is likely to be more or less per- manent. Minnesota should therefore have a number of pure-bred flocks of Delaine Merinos. The Ramhouillet or French Merinos are a tall and strong class of sheep, a little upstanding and only fairly symmetrical in form. Compared with the American Merinos, the Eambouillets are much taller, larger, heavier, stronger limbed, and are somewhat more rangy. They have a mutton form, not quite so smooth or re- fined. The wool of the two types is very similar in c u a O a" o bo fa BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 29 many respects, but the Rambouillet fleece is not so heavy in projDortion to the size of the sheep, Rambouil- lets are much in demand at the present time for cross- ing on range stocks. If this demand should continue, the breeding of Rambouillets would be quite profitable in our state. But even though it should not continue, the investment should be a safe one viewed from the standpoint of the production of wool and mutton com- bined. The Middle Wooled Breeds. — The middle wooled breeds are the Southdown, Tunis, Dorset, Shropshire, Cheviot, Suffolk, Hampshire and Oxford. These are named in the order of fineness of wool, beginning with the finest. Of the above, the Distinctive Down breeds are the Southdown, the Suffolk, the Hampshire and the Oxford. They are so named from the ^^Down" lands on which they graze in England. The color of the face and legs in all these breeds is dark, varying from brown or mouse color in the Southdown to jet black in the Suffolk. The Shropshire, though not usually call- ed a Down breed, is very similar to the Down breeds in form, color and essential characteristics. The dark- faced breeds are all noted for the production of a high class of mutton. The 8out]idoiviis are small and neat in form and act- ive in their movements. They furnish the true ideal type of the mutton sheep viewed from the standpoint of form and the quality of the meat. They are admir- ably proportioned and of perfect symmetry. The fleece is short, finer than that of any of the other Brit- ish breeds introduced into America, and it is also more 3 FIG. 4. TYPICAL DORSET EWE. The property of Geo. Harding & Sons, Waukesha, Wis. BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 3] dense. The weight unwashed may be put at 5 to 7 pounds. Want of more size and of more weight in the fleece have made the Southdowns less popular than they would otherwise be. This breed is not numerous in our state^ not so numerous relatively as it ought to be, as in hardihood, early maturing and easy keeping qual- ities it has a foremost place among Down breeds. It is pre-eminently adapted to bluff lands and to sandy areas of but limited productive capacity. It may also be used wdth decided advantage in crossing upon ewea too lank and rangy in form. The Tunis breed, introduced from the north coast of Africa, are not yet numerous in the United States. They have been found well adapted to Southern condi- tions, but do not seem to have been tried as yet west of the Mississippi river. In general appearance the Tunis are not a large breed, but are fairly symmetrical, and are possessed of an active carriage. Compared with Southdowns they are longer, though probably not much heavier, and are more rangy and somewhat longer in the limbs. The ears are longer and droop, and the tail is much broader. The head and legs are not quite so well covered, the wool is somewhat longer and coarser, and the fleece a liitle heavier. Like the Dorset, this breed will produce lambs at almost any season of the year. The Dor sets are a somewhat long-bodied sheep, of fair symmetry and style, and they are active, easy and graceful in their movements. Compared with South- downs, they are considerably larger and more rangy in form and limb, and both sexes have horns. They are OS ■> HH -a W g O r-r "' E E- o BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 33 longer in the head, neck and body, not so plump rela- tively in the breast, shoulders and crops, nor quite so round in the spring of rib. The wool covers less of the head and legs, is longer, a little coarser, and considera- bly less dense. The head and legs are white, while those of the Southdown are some shade of brown. As Dorsets will breed at any season of the year, they are pre-eminently adapted to the production of winter lambs. As breeders, they probably stand first in pro- lificacy and in nursing" qualities. They are also good grazers and feeders. But since the mutton form is not quite so perfect as in some of the Dov/n breeds, the at- tempt should not be made to supplant these with Dor- sets, except for the production of early lambs. For such a purpose there should be a prosperous future be- fore them in Minnesota. Shropshire in the ptire and graded form are much more numerous in Minnesota than any other breed of sheep. This popularity is no doubt deserved, since Shropshires are possessed of what may be termed an equilibrium of properties which highly adapt them to the conditions of the average farm. They are of me- dium size and are possessed of much symmetry of form and uniformity of character throughout. When fully matured and in fair condition, rams should weigh not less than 225 poimds, and ewes not less than 175 pounds. The average fleece from a ffood fiock should clip 9 to 10 pounds unwashed in the ewes and more in the rams. The wool is of medium length and of more than medium density for the middle wooled breeds. Shropshires are good grazers on arable lands, feed well cu w a; w iB Dd (/2 W U t-1 a o n fa 3 p u en u hJ < <1 n ( ) Ck rJ >* c H O 0) fa ^ O H- CU O ^ ^' o a; C3 o a vO D ja O H BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 35 and produce a fine quality of mutton. Compared with Southdowns, they are larger and longer in body and carry a heavier fleece. The head has a more complete covering of wool, and the wool on every part is longer but not so fine, and the color of the face and legs is con- siderably darker. The Cheviots came originally from the Cheviot hills between England and Scotland. They have not yet been introduced to any appreciable extent west of the Mississippi river. This handsome breed is of medium size and has at least a fair degree of symmetry, and is unusually active and hardy for so large a breed. The head is bare and essentially white in color. The aver- age weight of mature rams in good flesh is about 200 to 220 pounds and of ewes 150 to 160 pounds. The average fleece should weigh from 8 to 10 pounds un- washed. There would seem to be a place for this hand- some and hardy breed in Minnesota. The Suffolk Downs are not numerous in the Uni- ted States. Whether they will become as popular as the other Down breeds the future only can determine. They have a pleasing outline. The body inclines to long. The head is bare of wool, and both head and legs are jet black. The quality of the mutton is very good. The Suffolk Downs would seem to occupy an intermediate place between the Shropshire and Hamp- shire Downs. The Hampshire Downs are a large and heavy breed of sheep, with robust form and strong limbs. They bear considerable resemblance to the Oxford Downs, bi;t are not quite so heavy a breed, nor is the fleece so w S ^ u w ^ c 'A O o Q o a a « ^h O o > ►4 W <3 XI l-H fl a, rr) t-, ir- u 1) a o tx* a (I) ja h BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 37 long or coarse. They are noted for prolificacy and abundant milk production, hence in Britain they stand high in favor for the production of lambs of good size and quality for the early market. There would seem to be no good reasons why they should not be grown for such a use in Minnesota, into which some good flocks have already been introduced. The Oxford Downs are more numerous in the United States than any of the dark-faced breeds, save the Shropshires. Some good flocks have been established in Minnesota. Like the Hampshires, they are best adapted to arable conditions where the grazing is good and food production is generally abundant. Oxford Downs are large, substantial and stately looking sheep, neither rangy nor yet of the most compact or low-set type, and are covered with a heavy fleece of wool in- clining to coarse and which stands at right angles to the body. Compared with Shropshires, they are con- siderably stronger in body and not so long for the width. They are longer in the head and ear and have less but longer wool on the head. The face and legs are not so dark and the fleece is heavier and coarser. When in good flesh the rams should average about 250 to 275 poimds in weight and the ewes about 200 to 225 pounds. The average fleece in well-kept flocks should weigh from 10 to 12 pounds unwashed. The G oarse-W ooled Breeds. — The coarse-wooled breeds in the United States for which pedigrees are kept are, the Leicester, the Lincoln, and the Cotswold. These have not attained the same popularity as some of the fine and middle wooled breeds, but they are steadily 38 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA growing into favor. There are relatively few flocks of any of the coarse-wooled breeds in Minnesota. They are all possessed of heavy and compact forms, are essen- tially white in the color of the face and legs, and are characterized by more or less of openness of fleece. It has been claimed, and probably with truth, that this openness of fleece has made them more liable to injury from cold rain storms. But there should be an impor- tant place for at least some of the coarse-wooled breeds in Minnesota. A cross of one or the other of these when judiciously made will usually speedily increase the average size of the animal and the average weight of the fleece. The Leicestei' breed, though the oldest of the im- proved breeds, is the least numerously represented in the (Jnited States. The reasons are not readily appar- ent, 51 nee there is not a coarse-wooled breed of much value in Britain on which the Leicester has not effected improvement. They are symmetrically, evenly and plumply developed, have a massive and yet refined frame, a restful but not sluggish carriage, and are, when in good form, truly beautiful animals. Their fleshing properties are of the best. The average weight of a mature Leicester ram in good flesh may be put at 225 to 250 pounds and of a ewe at 175 to 200 pounds. The author has not met with a pedigreed flock of Leicester sheep in Minnesota. The Lincoln is the largest of the improved breeds of sheep, although in this respect it is but little ahead of the Cotswold. The average weight of matured rams in good flesh may be put at 250 to 275 pounds, TU© BREEDS ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA 39 average weight of the fleece in good flocks is from 12 to 14 pounds unwashed. The Lincoln in full fleece lias a square-like and massive form, the long wool coming well down toward the ground. When kept in the pure form they are well adapted to an intensive cultivation. A cross of the Lincoln upon the grade Merino has long been a favorite one with many ranchmen in the Uni- ted States, and such a cross was never more popular than now. Compared with Leicesters, Lincolns are stronger in bone and more massive. The head is stronger, has a tuft of short wool on the forehead, is of a darker shade of white and has somewhat broader ears. The wool is longer, is more evenly distributed, and usually hangs in larger and more wavy spirals. Cotswold sheep are much more numerous in the Uni- ted States than either the Leicester or Lincoln breeds. In adaptation they are very similar to the Linroins, and they are kept for somewhat similar purposes. They are stately looking animals, of rectangular outline when the fleece is well growm, massive in build, and possessed of a fairly proud carriage. Compared with the Leices- ters, they are considerably larger and are 'a little more ^^ipstanding." Their wool is longer and hangs in larger and more wavy spirals. They have a long and beautiful forelock and are of a less pure white in the face and legs. Compared with the Lincolns, they are somewhat similar in size and also in various features relating to form, but they carry a considerably coarser fleece and about equal in weight with that of the Lin- colnSj but it hangs in heavier spirals. CHAPTER IV. Foundation Flocks. The flocks established will be pure or grade accord- ing to the object or objects for which they are kept. When sheep of the pure breeds are chosen, they will be kept chiefly with a view to sell the progeny for breeding purposes. The mutton and wool which they furnish will be secondary considerations. When grades are bred it w^ll be for the mutton and wool obtained. Great Opening for Purehreds. — There is a great opening at the present time for the establishment of purebred flocks in Minnesota. The proportion of farmers in the state who keep sheep of any kind is rel- atively small. There will unquestionably be an exten- sion of sheep husbandry in all parts of the state, and in the very near future. Purebred flocks will be want- ed to furnish rams for the flocks that will thus be estab- lished. There is also a constant demand for purebred rams of certain classes on the vast ranges of the west, and this demand is likely to grow more rather than less. The ranchmen as a rule do not grow their own rams. They purchase them east of the Mississippi and in Can- ada, going right across Minnesota in the search for them. There are no good reasons why Minnesota should not in the near future be able to supply this mar- ket. \No state in the Union is better fitted by nature 42 SHfiEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA for growing them. Why should not our own farmers reap the profits that would be gathered in from such a harvest. Who Should Groiv Purebreds? — Every one is not fit- ted for such a work. The man who has never grown sheep of any kind should not engage in it unless he can secure the services of a properly qualified shepherd to supervise the w^ork. The person who does not under- stand properly the requisites in form in sheep, and more especially the standard points of the breed which he desires to keep, should not engage in it. The indi- vidual who has not studied the more essential laws of breeding is not yet ready for the work. 'Nor should he launch out in the breeding of purebreds who is not fond of what may be termed the commercial side of farming, since the proper handling of a purebred flock involves a large amount of correspondence and no small degree of business shrewdness. The man of fair gen- eral business capacity who has made a success of a flock of grades would also be likely t'f make a success of a fiock of purebreds ; so would the farmer's son who has a natural fondness for sheep husbandry, and who is ambitious to excel in it. But young men of this class should proceed by the safe method of establishing small flocks, and thus growing into the business in a way that involves little or no financial hazard. Establishing a Floch of Purebreds. — In deciding upon the breed to invest in, a due regard should be had to the present and prospective demand for the breed, but more especially to the latter. Having fixed upon ti^OUNDATiON FLOCKS 43 the breed, select good females though a good price must be paid for them. It is follj to invest in a low grade of purebreds because they can be cheaply obtained, in the hope of improving them through careful breeding. Life is too short to spend it in that way. Every care should be taken to secure healthy animals and of good form, and withal possessed of good pedigrees. Avoid purchasing animals that have been exhibited at leading shows, as they are not so easily kept in good form as sheep that have not been forced so fast, nor are they likely to breed so well. First-class males only should be chosen and of choice breeding. A high degree of success cannot be reached unless correct judgment is shown in the choice of males. They must not only be high in individuality, but unless they are prepotent; that is to say, unless they have the power in a marked degree of enstamping their own characteristics on the jDrogeny, they should not be retained for breeding. While prepotency cannot always be determined before- hand it is pretty certainly guaranteed by excellent breeding and evidences of much vigor and stamina. In breeding purebreds, as in breeding grades, inferior ani- mals will appear occasionally in a flock, let the breed- ing be ever so skilful. These must be culled out as fre- quently as they appear and sent to the block, otherwise a sufficiently high standard in breeding cannot be main- tained. Establishing a Flock of Grades. — In establishing a flock of grades mixed breeding is not necessarily any objection to the females chosen as foundation animals. In fact, it may be a positive advantage in some in- 44 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA stances, where the form of the animals is at least fairly correct, since the more mixed the breeding of the fe- males the less will be their power to resist change sought by mating them with a prepotent male. In other words the more mixed the breeding of the female, the more likely is the progeny to possess the characteristics of the purebred male used in effecting improvement. There are no good reasons why much more than meat prices should be paid for such animals. They can be picked up anywhere in the country where suitable individuals may be found, or, they may be purchased at the stock yards by selecting from females sent down as stockers from the ranges. Such animals can usually be obtained most cheaply in the months of October, l^ovember and December. They may be selected in person or through a responsible commission agent as may be deemed ad- visable. In selecting foundation animals every care should be taken to guard against the introduction of such diseases as scab, tape worm and stomach worm. Against the two latter however it may not be possible to guard, since it may not be possible to tell whether the animals chosen are entirely free from them. But when a flock is once established, and no traces of such troubles can be detected, it is greatly important that the flock- master shall thenceforth raise the females used in breed- ing to avoid the risk of introducing disease by bringing in other females. While the females may be of common or mixed breed- ing, it is imperative that the males shall be of good in- dividuality and purely bred. The better they are in both respects the more certainly and the more speedily FOUNDATION FLOCKS 45 will they effect improvement in the progeny. Grade sires cannot certainly be depended upon to effect im- provement, since their properties are not stable or fixed, and the more mixed their blood elements the less fixed will those properties be. While it is important that the individuality of the rams and also their breeding must be good as stated above, it is not necessary that they shall stand high in what may be termed fancy points. To illustrate: A Shropshire ram, excellent in other points, may have a head too little covered with wool and somewhat off in color. These objections would justly bar him from be- ing placed at the head of a valuable pure bred flock of Shropshires, lest the same undesirable characteristics should appear in the progeny. In such instances sales would be injured. But though these characteristics did appear in the progeny of grade females what harm would follow ? They are being grown for the block. Wherein can the block value be affected by a scant cover- ing of wool on the head or by the same being a little off in color? Pure bred males thus defective in fancy points may sometimes be purchased cheaply to head grade flocks, and when they can, such an advantage should be duly considered. Select Males from One Breed. — In breeding grades the males should, as a rule, be always selected from one breed. There may be instances in which it will prove advantageous to introduce an outcross from another breed, and for cerain reasons it may be proper some- times to continue to select sires from the breed chosen in making the outcross. And there may be yet other 46 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA instances in which crossbreeding is legitimate, but what is termed zigzag crossing, that is to say, choosing suc- cessive sires from different breeds is to be deprecated. As a rule the males should be chosen successively from one breed. In fixing upon the breed from which sires shall be chosen for grading up, adaptation to the conditions, the market demands and the taste of the individual, should be considered. The question of adaptation to condi- tions has already been discussed in chapter III. The market demands vary, but usually the cycles of varia- tion are not so rapid as to seriously frustrate plans that have been well laid with a view to the production of mutton and wool of a certain class. The natural pref- erences of the individual should have considerable weight. If, for instance, either one of two breeds will answer fairly well from which to choose sires, they should certainly be chosen from that breed for which the individual has a preference. The work of up-grad- ing will then be more congenial than if the other breed had been chosen. As the markets are at present, the sires should as a rule be chosen from one of the dark faced breeds except when winter lambs are sought, since grades of these breeds are in the meantime more popu- lar than grades of the other classes of sheep. Possibly sometime this may change, but such a change is not likely to take place in the near future. The advantage from choosing successive sires from the one breed when grading up may be readily demon- strated. Choose a purebred sire of good individuality FOUNDATION FLOCKS 47 from the Shropshire breed for instance, and mate him with ewes of mixed breeding. When such mating is be- gun the difference in blood properties between the sire and dam may be represented by one hundred. If the purity in breeding and the prepotency of both sire and dam were equal the progeny would inherit of the prop- erties of each about 50 per cent, that is to say, it would resemble one parent as much as the other. But in reality the offspring inherits more of the properties of the sire than of the dam, because the sire is more pre- potent than the dam. The more pure his breeding and the greater his vigor, the more prepotent is he likely to be, that is to say, the greater is his power to transmit, his qualities to the offspring. On the other hand, the more mixed the breeding of the dam the less power does she possess to transmit her properties to the offspring. The properties transmitted by the sire therefore will ex- ceed those transmitted by the dam just in proportion a& his prepotency exceeds that of the dam. This explains why, in up-grading, the progeny of the first cross bears so much of resemblance to the sire. Suppose 75 per cent of the properties of the lamb are inherited from the sire, the gap or dissimilarity in blood properties still to be bridged over is now represented by 25 per cent, whereas it was represented by 100 at the begin- ning. Choose the next sire from the Shropshire breed and mate with the female progeny the result from the first mating. The progeny will again bear a prepon- derance in resemblance to the sire, for reasons already given. But the improvement in the second instance is less relatively than in the first, for the reason that th^ 48 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA room for effecting improvement was not so great. Con- tinue to breed thus and in four or five generations the progeny will practically possess about 100 per cent of the properties of the Shropshire breed. In other lan- guagCj for producing wool and meat, they will be prac- tically equal to the Shropshires. This process, as has been indirectly intimated, is known as up-grading, and it is the plan of breeding that should usually be fol- lowed by farmers in the breeding of all kinds of grade stock. But it may be found that after a time the average size of the breed has grown less. In other instances they may have grown too leggy or too rangy, and yet again the staple of the wool may have too much diminished. To remedy these and other defects, it may be necessary to make an outcross. In the case of grades that would mean the introduction of a male from some other breed. If for instance one were breeding Shropshire grades and the size became too much reduced, to counteract this de- fect a sire could be chosen from the Oxford or Cotswold breeds. A sire from either of these breeds would also lengthen the staple of the wool but probably at some sacrifice in its density. A sire from the Southdown breed would counteract undue lankness of form. The outcross having been made, the previous line of breed- ing may be resumed. But there may be good reasons when it would be advisable to continue to choose sires from the breed used in making the outcross. Such a course might be proper if the first chosen was found too large for the conditions of pasturage. It would prob- ably be prudent in such an instance to outcross with FOUNDATION FLOCKS 49 Southdowns and to continue to choose sires from the Southdown breed. However, when the breeding, care and selection are what they ought to be, the necessity for out-crossing will be greatly reduced. Cross-breeding may in some instances be legitimate. Usually it means the mating of animals of two distinct breeds, pure in their breeding or .rich in the blood ele- ments of some distinct breed. Usually it brings with it improvement in the first cross, but the results in suc- ceeding crosses are likely to be variable and uncertain, and in many instances they are inferior to the results obtained from the first cross. Let it be noted here that these results in no way weaken the argument given above which virtually claims that in up-grading, im- provement should be continuous until the level of the breed is reached from which the sires are chosen. Cross-breeding and up-grading are very different pro- cesses. The latter is far more certain in its results and is therefore the much safer of the two processes for the farmer to practice. In some instances however cross- breeding may be beneficial. If, for instance, range ewes possessed in a considerable degree of Merino blood are purchased early in the season, and if they are then crossed by sires of some of the good mutton producing breeds to secure early lambs, and if when the lambs are sold the ewes also are sold early, the venture may prove a profitable one . Zigzag crossing is to be deprecated. If sires are first chosen from one breed and then from another and another, no stable or certain properties can be secured. 60 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA One cross may effect improvement, a second cross may result in deterioration. A farmer may breed thus through the whole of a lifetime and not in any degree lift up the average of results to a higher plane. He would be sailing on a sea without a compass. He is simply playing a long game of guessing. Leading Essentials in form and Fleece. — These are given below as submitted by the author in ^The study of Breeds" recently published by the Orange Judd Co., ^ew York city : — The mutton breeds all possess the same leading es- sentials as to form. These include width, depth and length of body and compactness of frame ; the cylindri- cal shape which is the outcome of plump shoulders and hips, and well sprung ribs ; and a fleece of even length and quality covering all parts of the body. The minor points of difference include: Variations in size of carcass and bene ; in the length of the leg and of the coupling of the body; in the color of the head and legs and the amount of covering on them; in the form and carriage of the head ; in the length, shape and carriage of the ears : and in the length and density of the fleece and the character of the staple. The leading essentials of the?^ams of the mutton breeds as to form are as follows : Size. — Medium to large, for the breed, and the bone medium to strong, but not coarse. Outline. — The body should be smooth, com- pact and strong, cylindrical in shape and square at the ends. Head. — Medium to strong in size, short rather than long, but varying with the breed, and carried proudly. ~No&e and muzzle tapering but not too fine; :" FOUNDATION FLOCKS 51 nostrils wide and expanded. Forehead and poll, wide. Eye, large, full, bright and daring. Ear, medium in size and thickness for the breed, broad rather than long, erect rather than drooping and possessed of lively play. Nech. — -Short rather than long, not coarse, and carrying the head well erect. It should not be coarse at the junc- tion with the head and should be free from throatiness. It should be round rather than flat, and should increase in width laterally and underneath as it recedes from the head. It shouM fit into the withers evenly above, and into the shoulders evenly and strongly at the sides and underneath, the blending being imperceptible. Body. — Long, wide, deep, round and equally well balanced before and behind. Back, level, wide, well fleshed and slightly rounded outward, with the spinal column hidden and even depressed from the loin to the tail-head. Loin, broad and full, underline straight. Breast, broad, deep, full, massive. Brisket, broad and well rounded. Shoulder, large, plump and smooth, wide above, rounded out from above, forward and be- low to the center, well filled before and behind, and well covered. Forearm, strong and well developed. Crops, well filled. Girth, good around the heart, and about equally good at the hind flank. Coupling, short rather than long. Ribs, well sprung from backbone, nicely arched and deep, not distant from one another and com- ing well forward and backward. Hindquarters, long, broad and deep, rounded out from above and behind to- ward the center of the hip, and broad at the buttock. Twist, well filled and placed low. Hind flank, well filled outwardly, low and thick. Thigh, broad and well 52 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA filled within and without. Tail, set on smoothly and on a line with the back. Skin, a rich pink in color, and possessed of good handling qualities. Wool. — The whole body should be well covered with wool, character- istic of the breed. The wool should be of iiniforin length and texture and should possess the qualitle.s es- sential in a first class fleece as given below. Legs. — Short, straight and strong; wide apart and yefc well un- der the body, and standing firmly on hoofs of good shape and quality. Appearance. — The appearance should be animated and the carriage easy, proud and graceful. The ewes of the mutton breeds possess the same lead- ing essentials as to form as the rams, with the following points of difference: They are not so large in !*raiTte, are finer in bone and are more round in the barrel or coupling. The head is smaller and finer and is carried less proudly. The neck is longer and finer, more eB])e- cially where it joins the head. The twist is not quite so well filled and the wool is finer in fiber, at lennl: in some instances. The following include the more important of the characteristics of a good fleece: Good length, strength and density of staple for the breed; even distribution over the body, both as to length of staple and quality i7i the wool; a fine bright lustrous appearance; absence of cloudiness; freedom from kemp and cot; and the absence of all such impurities as sand, burrs and chaff. The distinctive peculiarities of each breed can only be learned by a careful study of the standard points for the same in conjunction with the study of the animals themselves. CHAPTER V. Pastures for Sheep, The pnstures best adapted to sheep are those that are fine, juicy and nutritious, and that furnish succulent grazing during a large portion of the pasturing season. Some parts of Minnesota do not furnish such pastures so plentifully as states in which the rainfall is more abundant and the distribution throughout the season more complete. Much of the state is yet covered with natural grasses. These are excellent while they last, but the season of their succulence is short. To make sheep husbandry eminently successful, therefore, it is necessary to sup],>lement the grass pastures with other varieties sown from time to time. Necessity for supplemental Pastures. — The necessity for supplementing the grass pastures exists in some de- gree at least in all parts of the state, as indeed in all the arable sections of the northwest. But the neco.-^.ilty is greater in some sections of the state than in others, hi southeastern Minnesota the growth of cultivated grasses is more luxuriant than in some other parts of the same. This also is true of northeastern and of many pi^'ts of northern Minnesota. In other parts of the st^it'^. tlieie- fore, the necessity for supplementary pastures is r'4a- tively greater. Of the cultivated grasses there is none that will surpass blue grass in adaptation ^.o t^ie needs of sheep, but usually its period of succulence in Minne- PASTURES FOR SHEEP 55 sota is confined to a few weeks in the spring and to a shorter period in the autumn. The new grass, Bromus inermiSj known variously as Russian brome, Austrian brome and awnless brome has not been sufficiently tried yet under our conditions, to speak confidently cf its merits. It has much promise however as a pcislure grass because of the earliness, the laten=^s;-> and the length of the period covered in its growth each season, and because of its higher relative adaptation liian timo- thy and blue grass for being grown on sandy land. Benefits from Supplemental Pastures. — Prominent among the benefits from growing supplemental pastures are the following: First, the sheep may thus be pro- vided with an abundance of succulent food during all the season of growth. Second, because of this the ewes milk much better during the period of lactation, the lambs grow more quickly, and the average size of the individuals composing the flock may easily be main- tained if not indeed improved upon. Third, the number of sheep thus maintained on a given area may be greatly increased, and fourth, the change of pasture thus pro- vided may be so managed as to much lessen the tendency to disease in the flocks. Plants Best Suited for Supplemental Pastures. — Prominent among the plants of highest adaptation in providing supplemental pastures under Minnesota con- ditions are, winter rye, corn, sorghum and rape. Those also valuable but not so high in adaptation include, mixed grains, millet, soy beans and cabbage. Of the former, winter rye is one of the most valuable. It may s D c a e U « o n a Z u. o a; 1— 1 Pi "tr. u H > m ■— < Hi u rt Q^ o W t« '^ c w a C/3 PASTURES FOR SHEEP 57 be made to furnish a large aiiioiint of pasture, fall and spring. Rye pasture when kept closely grazed is suc- culent, palatable and nutritious. It is ready earlier in the season than any other kind of pasture, and it can be grown to provide grazing at those times of the year which do not interfere with the growth of various other crops the same season. Winter rye may be made to fur- nish grazing for from 2 to 6 weeks in the autumn and from 4 to 6 weeks in the spring. Corn may be turned to excellent account in furnish- ing pasture for sheep during the summer months. When eaten down after the first joint has been formed, it will not grow again, hence it should not be grazed at too early a period in its growth. By sowing corn at different intervals it may be made to furnish pasture from some time in June in the southern half of the state until the ■ arrival of frost. In the northern portions of the state the period for pasturing corn would be shorter. Sorghum is even more valuable than corn as a pasture plant, for the reason that it grows again when cropped down. It is pre-eminently a hot weather plant, hence, it produces the most pasture relatively when the wea- ther is warm. E'either corn nor sorghum is so palat- able as rye or rape, but if not allowed to become too far advanced before being pastured, both are eaten greedily by sheep. Sorghum may be made to furnish pasture from about the middle of June until the arrival of frost. It furnishes a large amount of pasture relatively from a given area. As both corn and sorghum grow at their best in warm weather, both have highest adaptation for mid-summer grazing. cu a a W CO O o w < d PASTURES FOR SHEEP 59 Rape, in the judgment of the author, is by far the best pasture plant for sheep that has yet been introduced into the northwest. It may be sown at any season from early spring until the middle of July, and even later than July when the weather is favorable. 'No plant grown as supplementary pasture is so highly relished by sheep. ISTone is more highly nutritious, nor will any furnish more food per acre when grown on rich land. It makes a maximum growth in Minnesota in 7 to 10 weeks from the date of sowing, hence, by sowing rape at suitable intervals it will furnish pasture from early in June imtil the time when the ground freezes in the fall. Rape does not grow at its best during very hot weather, but even in mid-summer it will usually provide good grazing if sown sufficiently long beforehand to nearly reach its growth before the arrival of very hot weather. Mixed grains include such combinations as barley and oats ; barley and peas ; oats and peas or barley ; oats, peas and winter or spring rye. Of these, barley and oats are more frequently sown, and for the reason chiefly that the seed is usually on hand, but good results may be obtained by sowing only one of the mixtures named. The advantage from sowing a mixture over any single kind of grain arises from the longer period during which the mixed crop will furnish pasture and from the greater variety in the food thus provided. Millet is not quite so well adapted to growing pasture as to growing soiling food, but it may also be made to serve a good purpose in providing excellent pasture for sheep in hot weather and it may also be thus grown as a catch crop. en a m < o o o PU 6J W K C/2 PASTURES FOR SHEEP 61 The Soy bean will probably be used to a considerable extent in providing pasture for sheep in Minnesota in the not distant future, or as soon as the seed can be ob- tained at reasonable rates. This crop is not only much relished by sheep but it is also an enricher of the soil, and it may be grown successfully in weather so dry as to hinder the growth of other pasture crops. Cabbage furnish excellent pasture and a very large amount of it relatively. The only real objection to growing cabbage as pasture for sheep is the amount of labor involved in growing them. But no pasture grown is more suitable for them quite late in the season than cabbage. Growing Supplemental Pastures. — In growing win- ter rye as pasture for sheep the aim should be to sow it not later than September 1st and on well prepared land. More pasture will be obtained if the seed can be sown and germinated early in August. Late sown rye does not provide any pasture in the autumn, nor is fche growth sufficiently vigorous in the spring. Sow if pos- sible with a grain drill and at the rate of from 2 to 3 bushels of the seed per acre. Heavy seeding is usually to be preferred. Sow corn any time that the ground can be brought into a suitable condition after the usual corn planting season has arrived and until within 7 to 8 weeks of the usual time for the arrival of frost. Sow with the grain drill when practicable, all the tubes in use, and sow at the rate of 1 to 2 bushels per acre according to the va- riety of the corn. The crop should be harrowed before it comes up with a light harrow and also subsequently, 03 w >^ o m 'Z o 1—1 a a w en PASTURES FOR SHEEP 63 unless some other crop has been sown with the corn. The plan of sowing 2 to 3 pounds of rape seed just be- fore the corn is harrowed has some advantages. Sow Sorghum on land well pulverized and if possible made reasonably clean on the surface. Soil for a sorghum pasture may be thus prepared when it does not follow a crop grown previously the same season, and more especially when the ground has been plowed in the fall. There is then time enough to sprout many weeds on and near the surface before the sorghum is planted, by a free and judicious use of the harrow. Such prep- aration of the land is greatly important, because of the check which it puts on weeds and because of the mois- ture which it retains in the soil. Sow any time subse- quently to the corn planting season, but not later than, say, the early days of July. Use one bushel of seed per acre. Plant it down about 2 inches in the soil, and just as the first blades of the sorghum begir to appear harrow the ground over with a light harrow, the teeth of which should slant far backwards when used. Rape can be sown either broadcast or in drills. The advantages from sowing in drills are, first, ihat the land may be cleaned by the cultivation given, and second, that the plants may in consequence grow more strongly. But under Minnesota conditions it is more common to broadcast the seed and to cover it with the harrow. When broadcasted, about 5 pounds of seed should be sown per acre, and when sown in rows less than 2 pounds will suffice. Sow the Dwarf Essex variety. The rows may be made from 20 to 36 inches apart, ac- cording to conditions, such as relate to soil and the time 64 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA of sowing. If rape seed could be planted by a drill as grain is planted, the results in the soft soils of the prairie would certainly be beneficial. The practice of sowing from 1 to 2 pounds of rape seed per acre with small grain is becoming very common in Minnesota. The rape seed is usually mixed with the grain while it is being sown. More commonly the rape does no harm whatever to the grain crop, but in some instances, as when grain has lodged badly at an early period of growth, the rape has interfered with the har- vesting and curing of the crop. When such a result is feared, the sowing of the rape should be deferred until the grain begins to appear. The rape seed should then be sown and covered with the harrow. After the grain crop has been removed rape sown along with grain will make a strong growth in a normal season, but in a dry autumn the result may be disappointing. Mixed grains may be sown at any time subsequent to the opening of spring, but usually the earlier they are sown the better will be the results in providing pasture. It is preferable to sow them with the grain drill, using not less than 2^ bushels of seed per acre. It may also prove a good plan to sow timothy and clover at the same time or immediately thereafter, in sections where clover will stand the winter. When sown just after the sow- ing of the grain, the grass seeds ought to be covered with the harrow. But the grass thus obtained should not be grazed so late in the season as to hinder it from forming a top that will afford sufficient winter protec- tion, Millet should be sown on well-prepared land, but not PASTURES FOR SHEEP 65 until warm weather has arrived ; that is to say, not un- til the season for cornplanting or subsequently. The seed may be broadcasted and covered with the harrow, but is better planted with the grain drill. The foxtail varieties, as, for instance, Hungarian and German Mil- let, are the most suitable. From 3 to 4 pecks of seed are required per acre. 8oy beans should be planted in rows rather than sown broadcast. The rows should be made 24 to 36 inches distant, according to the conditions, and only early varieties, such as the Early Dwarf, should be planted. The planting should be deferred until after the usual season for planting corn. From, say 12 to 24 quarts of seed should be sown per acre. The ground should be harrowed before and after the appearance of the beans above ground, and it should also be cultivated subsequently. On good, rich and clean land the beans may be sown broadcast, using fully a bushel of seed per acre. Cabbage should be sown on well-prepared land any time after the arrival of the month of May, and from that time onward for, say six weeks subsequently. They should be grown on strong land, and the late varieties are to be preferred. The seed may be sown with any kind of drill that v/ill deposit it in rows from 30 to 36 inches distant from one another. From 1 to 1^ pounds of seed per acre will prove ample. The plants should be carefully cultivated on the same principle that cul- tivation is given to mangels or turnips. When from 2 to 4 inches high they should be thinned out with the hoe to the distance of 20 to 30 inches. 66 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA Grazing Supplemental Pastures. — In grazing rye in the autumn very late and close pasturing will to some extent hinder abundant production the following spring. Early sown rye should, however, be grazed down closely for a time, and more especially when the early autumn weather is warm and dry, lest the crop should be injured by rust. In the spring the grazing of the rye should begin as soon as the ground is suffi- ciently dry. The aim should be to keep the rye eaten down closely, as when thus grazed it is relished better by the sheep. As soon as the rye reaches the earing or jointing stage, its power to provide good grazing is vir- tually gone. Corn should be allowed to reach the height of, say 15 to 20 inches on the level before grazing it down. The sheep will break it down considerably when grazing upon it, but much of what is thus broken down will be eaten by the sheep in the partially cured form. If the crop is pastured at too early a stage the yield is reduced. If pastured too late the coarse growth in the stalk will be rejected by the sheep. In grazing sorghum the sheep may be given access to it as soon as the plants will not pull out by the root when being grazed. This means that they may be put upon such pasture when it is but a few inches high. When the quantity to be grazed is limited the sorghum may be allowed to reach a more advanced stage of growth before feeding it off, as it will continue to grow again and again until frost comes. Sorghum furnishes more pasture than corn. In grazing rape the author is now satisfied that more PASTURES FOR SHEEP 67 food will be obtained from a given area by allowing the rape to complete its growth or nearly so before begin- ning to graze it down than if it were grazed at an earlier period and allowed to grow up again. There may be occasions, however, when the latter course should be adopted, and when it is the rape should not be cropped too closely when first eaten down. It should also be remembered that when rape is eaten closely when young, its power to grow again is greatly impaired. Because of this it is not a good pasture plant to sow in mixtures that are to be grazed down at an early stage of growth. Except in hot weather rape will not take injury if not grazed off quite soon after it has ceased to make further growth. In such weather, however, it will not long retain its wonted succulence after that stage has been reached. And if indications of attack by the white aphis manifest themselves, grazing the crop down should not be deferred, otherwise it will be- come unfit for being pastured. The grazing of mixed grains should begin as soon as they furnish plentiful supplies of food; that is to say, when they get a few inches high. The aim should be at all times to keep them from reaching the jointing stage, otherwise their power to grow, and also their palatabil- ity will be gTeatly lessened. Millet should be grazed as soon as the plants will not pull out of the ground when being pastured. As when pasturing small grains, the aim should be to keep it from jointing and for similar reasons. When pasturing soy beans they should probably be allowed to approach the mature stage before being 68 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA grazed off, unless when the area to be grazed is very large. In such instances it should begin earlier lest a considerable proportion of the crop should be lost through over-maturity. More experience, however, is wanted in grazing this plant before the best methods of doing this can be known with absolute certainty. Before the grazing down of cahhage should begin, they should be allowed to attain a maximum of growth. They have peculiar adaptation for late fall grazing, since they are not easily injured by frost. Grass Pasture Necessary. — When grazing supple- mental pastures, it is advantageous to have more or less of grass pasture on which the sheep may graze at cer- tain times, as, for instance, when the supplemental pastures are wet and not sufficiently abundant. The ideal plan is to graze the sheep on the supplemental pastures during a portion of the day, and to have them remain on the grass pasture the rest of the time. But sheep may be kept entirely on supplemental pastures with the aid of cured food to feed to them as occasion may require, more especially when the weather is wet. Danger from Bloat. — In pasturing rape, as in pas- turing green clover, there is some danger that trouble may arise from hoven or bloat. This danger is much greater when the sheep are first turned in upon the rape, when it is very succulent and also when it is wet from rain or dew. Because of this, care should be taken to avoid turning sheep onto rape when they are hungry. They should be accustomed to it gradually. After a few days, however, they may be allowed to re- main upon it all the time. When the conditions will PASTURES FOR SHEEP 69 admit of it the results from grazing sheep on rape will be more satisfactory when they can also have access at will to an old grass pasture. In the experience of the author no instance of bloat has ever occurred from pas- turing sheep on any of the other crops discussed in this chapter. CHAPTER VI. Fodders for Sheep. The term fodders is used in the sense of matured foods fed to sheep in the cured form, or in that form in which winter foods are stored away for winter feed- ing. These will include hay in its different varieties, millet, mixed grains, corn, sorghum, straw and field roots, although, strictly speaking, field roots are not a fodder. Requisites in Fodders for Sheep. — The chief requi- sites in fodders for sheep include a relatively fine growth, a high protein content, palatability and variety. Sheep will not consume so large a proportion of fod- ders as cattle if they are coarse, even though palatable, hence the aim should be in growing such fodders to have them fine in quality. This can be accomplished by growing them thickly. The high protein content can only be reached by growing foods that are legumin- ous in character, as clover and peas. This question is one of great importance in sheep husbandry, and it would also seem to be one of considerable difficulty. In nearly all the Mississippi basin, it is relatively easier to grow carbonaceous foods, as corn. Much attention should, therefore, be given to this phase of sheep hus- bandry. Palatability may be aided by cutting the food at an early stage of maturity ; and by curing it so as to preserve greenness in the fodder in a marked de- FODDERS FOR SHEEP' 71 gree, and to prevent to the greatest extent possible the loss of leaves. Variety in the food is largely under the control of the grower. Much variety in the same would seem to have a marked influence on well doing in sheep. Varieties of Hay. — The chief of these are clover, al- falfa, timothy, native hay and Russian Brome grass (Bromus inermis.) 'Ro better fodder can be obtained for sheep than clover in nearly all its varieties. But the medium and alsike varieties are superior to the mammoth, as they are less coarse. To have clover at its best, it must be cut in the early blossoming stage, raked as soon as the raking can be satisfactorily done and cured in the cock. Alfalfa requires even more care than clover when it is being harvested, as the leaves break off much more easily during the curing process. But little is known definitely as to the localities in which alfalfa may be grown in Minnesota, but it is probable that it will suc- ceed on good soils deeply underlaid with a somewhat porous clay subsoil. Even clover cannot be grown suc- cessfully in all parts of the state, but the area in which it is being grown is continually extending. Timothy, though much used in feeding sheep in this state, is not well adapted to such a use. It is too highly carbonaceous and is more woody than clover. If cut in the stage of early blossoming and properly cured, it possesses a far higher feeding value for sheep than if cut late and over-cured. When thus cured it is not much better than ordinary straw. Native hay is of several varieties. It, too, should be cut before the succulence in it has been lost, but the 72 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA proper time for cutting will depend very largely upon the variety and the kind of land on which it has been grown. What is termed upland hay, is considered superior because of its greater fineness and palatability. The aim should also be in curing such hay to preserve its natural greenness of color. Russian Brome Grass (Bromus inermis) it is thought will prove satisfactory as a fodder for sheep. But as yet it has not been much used for the purpose. It has an abundant leaf growth, which will increase its palatability, but, like timothy and millet, it is essen- tially a carbonaceous fodder. As the seed is dear, it will be well at the first to purchase enough seed to sow, say one acre, which will call for 12 to 15 pounds. It should be sown like other grass seeds, with or without a nurse crop. The next season enough seed may be secured to sow many acres. Millet. — Millet makes a very good fodder for sheep. It has high adaptation to northwestern conditions, and can also be grown as a catch crop. These are two strong points in its favor. It should be cut for hay when fully out in head, or just when the heads on look- ing over the field are beginning to assume a yellow tint. If cut sooner the crop is lacking in weight, and also in nutriment. If cut late it is woody and the seed shat- ters. It should be cured like clover. If possible, mil- let should be so^vn on clean land and not earlier than the corn planting season. It should be planted with the drill like grain, or broadcasted where such planting is not practicable, and from 3 to 4 pecks of seed should be sown per acre. FODDERS FOR SHEEP 73 Mixed Grains. — The question of mixed grains as fod- der for sheep has not been worked out as yet under Min- nesota conditions. It is a far-reaching question. The results from growing fodders thus will probably exert a powerful in:fluence on the future of the industry. The mixtures of highest promise at the present time are peas and oats and peas, oats and flax. The object in growing such mixtures is to secure, if possible, a fodder that will prove highly palatable, that will yield well, and that will be in a sense a complete ration in itself for a breeding flock. Such a fodder is more likely to be obtained from growing peas, oats and flax and cut- ting the crop a little tinder ripe than from any other mixture probably that can be grown under our condi- tions. In such a mixture there will be a happy blend- ing of the nitrogenous and carbonaceous elements and the flax should also tend to keep the digestion in good condition. There may be instances when such grains are being grown, in which increased fineness in the for- age will be obtained by grazing the crop down by sheep for a time in the early stages of its growth. In growing such a crop, the method to follow would in outline be as follows: — Sow^ the peas broadcast in the early spring, using 1^ bushels of seed per acre. Harrow the ground so that the peas will not all grow in rows between the plough furrows. Then plough to the depth of, say 5 inches. Just before the peas come up, drill in oats and flax mixed. Use, say 1 bushel of oats per acre and from 4 to 8 quarts of flax. The flax will tend to support the crop. If flax is not sown it may be advantageous to sow a little spring rye along with 74 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA the oats to assist in sustaining the crop. This phase of growing food for sheep is yet in the experimental stage, but it promises much. Corn. — Corn will probably be much used as a fodder for sheep in all the future in this state. Its strong points are, the large yields obtained, the almost unfail- ing certainty with which it can be grown, and its high palatability. Its weakest point probably is its rela- tively low protein content. In growing corn as fodder for sheep, in the judgment of the author, the aim should be to grow fodder fine in character and abund- antly supplied with leaves rather than to grow stronger stalks and more corn. To produce it thus, varieties will have to be chosen with much leaf growth, and they will have to be grown more thickly than corn is usually grown. Such corn will commonly be grown in rows and cul- tivated to clean the land. The distance between the rows will usually vary from 30 to 36 inches according to the kind of the corn. It may be harvested accord- ing to the facilities for harvesting, cured in the shock, and stored later in stacks where it cannot be put under cover. On good, clean land corn fodder may be grown by sowing the seed as grain is sown and harvesting the crop with the grain binder. But, however grown, the harvesting should be done at an early stage of the ripen- ing process. Corn stover; that is to say, the stalks of husked corn may also be utilized in feeding sheep, but, owing to their coarse character, a greater relati/e consumption will be secured by running the stalks through a cutting FODDERS FOR SHEEP 75 box, a threshing machine or a shredder. Of the three processes, the shredder renders the fodder the most pal- atable. Sometimes there is difficulty in keeping the shredded fodder in large quantities. When corn stover is to be fed to sheep much care should be taken to cut the corn at an early stage of ripening, and to keep it in a good state of preservation. Sorghum. — Sorghum makes -a fodder for sheep that is very palatable when properly grov^rn, and it produces a large relative yield per acre. It may be sown in rows or as grain is sown. When sown like grain it should be on land well cleaned on the surface as described when treating of growing sorghum for pasture. (See page 63.) N'ot less than 1 bushel of seed should be sown per acre. It should be grown so thickly that the stalks will be fine, should be allowed to grow until the seed is in the dough stage and should be cut with the binder, making it into small sheaves and putting it up into small shocks. For several reasons it is better to feed sorghum in the autumn and early winter than in the spring. Varieties of Straw. — The straw of all the cereal small grains may be used as fodder for sheep under certain conditions, but they are by no means equally valuable for such a use. Bye straw is lowest in feeding value as a fodder for sheep, and pea straw is probably the highest. Eye straw is woody in a marked degree. It is not much relished by sheep. Wheat straw has higher value, especially when cut promptly as soon as ripe. Barley straw is still more relished, and oat straw is probably more valuable than barley straw. The 76 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA value of all these fodders is relatively greater as they are finer, more free from rust, promptly harvested when ripe and well preserved after being harvested. Pea straw is highly relished by sheep. Its feeding value when cut at early maturity and properly cured is not far behind that of clover hay. But it is easily injured by exposure to rain, either in the bur.ch or in the stack. Pea straw threshed with an ordinary thresh- er is also inferior to that hand-threshed. This fact furnishes a strong argument for growing peas thickly along with oats to be fed to sheep in the unthreshed form. Flax straw has not been much used heretofore in feeding sheep, but the experience of those who have fed it moderately has been favorable. Sheep are fond of flax straw, and its influence on digestion would seem to be beneficial. It is the same in kind as that which arises from feeding the grain, but less in degree. Whether injury would result from the indiscriminate feeding of flax straw has not yet been definitely set- tled. In the meantime it should be fed with prudence, making it only a part of the fodder given. Field Boots. — These include mangels, rutabagas, turnips, sugar beets and carrots. Mangels are proba- bly the surest of these crops, and they are one of the most easily grown. Rutabagas grow better in the more northerly parts of the state. Sugar beets for sheep may be grown on some kinds of soil in every county, but it takes much more labor to grow and harvest them than mangels or turnips. The same things may be said about carrots. These crops ought to be sown FODDERS FOR SHEEP 77 only on rich land, and if at all practicable on land cleaned on and near the surface. Mangels should be planted in rows about 30 inches apart and thinned to, say 6 to 10 or 12 inches in the line of the row. The same may be said of rutabagas and turnips. Sugar beets may be closer between the rows, also nearer in the row, and carrots may be yet closer in both these respects. Mangels, sugar beets and carrots should be sown rea- sonably early, as, for instance, early in May, rutabagas late in May or early in June, and turnips somewhat later. From 4 to 8 pounds of mangel and sugar beet seed should be sown per acre, and about 2 pounds of each of the other varieties. They should be thinned when from 2 to 4 inches high, and should be given most careful cultivation. They should be harvested before being injured by frost and stored in a convenient place for winter feeding. Owing to the abundant yields from good soils and well cultivated, an acre or two of field roots will supply a breeding flock of 100 sheep from autumn until spring. CHAPTER VIL Shelter for Sheep. Shelter for sheep need not of necessity he elaborate or costly. Sufficient outlay will, however, he justifia- ble, when it can he home, to render the feeding of the sheep at least reasonably convenient. Sheds may be made of poles covered with marsh hay or straw, or baled straw or of lumber. Something will be submitted about the building of each, and also regarding tlie value of basement barns in sheep husbandry. In building shelter for sheep, the aim should be to secure protection from falling storms and from wind, without undue warmth, plenty of light and ventilation, storage for fovhier and grain, and facilities for feeding. Storage is, o-^ course, also necessary for roots and en- silage whcL ti.rs- are used. The arrangements for feed- ing breeding flocks, such as are kept upon the average farm, are never so satisfiK t -r;^ where the fodder used cannot be stored overhead. T]}p water supply should be within the shed where it is practicable to have it so. Site for Sheep Sheds. — When choosing a site for a sheep shed, seek ground from which there is at least a little downward slope in every direction, but more es- pecially on the side on which the yards are. Damp floors »in the sheds or damp yards are peculiarly harmful to sheep. If the place chosen has the protection of a grove on the windward side or of a bluff, it will bo SHELTER FOR SHEEP 79 greatly advantageous. The yards for the breeding flock especially should be on the sunny side of the shed. In exposed situations some protection can be made for the yards by building stacks of straw on one or both sides of the yard, and extending up to the shed so as to corner on it at the end or ends of the shed. The straw stacks and shed will then enclose three sides of a square or rectangle, the space within being the yard. High and strongly braced board fences may be made to take the place of the stacks. And the shed itself may be so built when the flock is large as to form two or even three sides for the space thus enclosed. Sheds Made of Poles. — These can be built by plac- ing the poles one over the other as rails are placed in building a ^^straight rail" fence. The poles will be made to lap at the ends. These sheds, usually open on the sunny side, may of course be closed on that side, access being gained to them through a door. If the sheep are not allowed to drop lambs until grass is plenti- ful, it is not really necessary to have such sheds closed. Poles are also used for rafters, and the roof should have but one slant. In selecting the poles, the aim should be to secure them of durable wood and straight in kind. Tamarack poles are very suitable. The roof and at least three of the four sides should be buried in straw or marsh hay. The objection to such sheds is that they allow snow to drift in when they are open; they are dark when closed ; the food used in feeding has to be brought from without and in time water percolates through the roof. Such sheds are only recommended where the farmer 80 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA is unable to build those more durable, bence, tbeir use is commonly temporary. But when flocks are small and wheiL lambs come late, they serve the purpose remark- ably well. Sheds Made of Straw. — These are built by laying up bales of straw as stones that have been sized are laid in a wall. The joints are broken in the alternate layers. When building the walls, frames for the doors and win- dows must be put in. In small sheds one door only may be necessary, and but one window. Plates of say two inch material and wide in proportion to the weight of the roof may be used in supporting the rafters. They can be kept from spreading where the roof is ridged by boards or planks spiked to them across the ends and also in the centre, or at intervals more frequent where neces- sary. The rafters may be made of straight poles or scantlings as desired, and the covering may be marsh hay, boards or shingles. Thatching would probably fur- nish the cheaj)est covering if the process were under- stood by our people. Such sheds may be made to provide shelter very suit- able for sheep. They are warm and are cheaply built, and yet have been erected by only a very small number of farmers. It may be that the outlay for roofing, sat- isfactory in character, has hindered their more general adoption. Sheds Built of Lumber. — Sheds built of lumber may of course be erected in a great many different ways to suit the fancy and the requirements of the builder. An outline of four different styles of buildings will be submitted. The first of these has yards only on one SHELTER FOR SHEEP 81 side, and is well suited to the needs of an average breeding flock. The second has yards on two sides. The third has the special merit of furnishing very am- ple protection to the yard. The fourth has the same merits, though less in degree, and is somewhat less cost- ly. These are not intended to furnish actual models for flock-masters, but rather to suggest ideas that will prove helpful in the construction of any style of sheep shed. The ground plan of a shed with yards on one side only is submitted in Figure 14. It was prepared by the author for the Minnesota Farmers' Institute An- nual "Ro. 6 in which it is described as follows: This barn is 72 feet long and 24 feet wide. It is divided into six equal parts without including the passage across the whole length of one side. This passage is designed to afford easy access for the attendant from one division to another, and it also affords a ready means of remov- ing individual animals from one pen to another. The size of the respective divisions is shown in the plan. Of the main divisions only two are permanent, viz., those which separate the lambing pens from the pens next to them. The lambing pens should be boarded up to the ceiling to secure sufficient warmth, and may in addi- tion if necessary be covered with tarred paper. The three central divisions may be separated by moveable double feeding racks. Two of these, each 10 feet long, are placed in line, end to end, between each division. By removing these racks the building may be virtually converted into an open shed, since the doors are 6 to Y feet wide, or by removing one or more of the racks on r / to ja 1 1 k o o f- — — — he Lu j 1 ;j •5 P 1 1 u 05 ^ ) Ci u o to/ / MH k. / (U / ^ O / / 1 ^ CO 0) Q 1 M P= 1 M >- 1 1 ^ , 1 1 M ' ' M^^ l^*>--# e '( ' ' 1 1 1 ' ' , 1 1 ( :> ,' o , 1 , i 1 ' ' ,11 w w 1 ,1 1 ' 1 1 1 1 ! 1 ' M-/;, ; 1 H lli-i " , 1 i' LUec«^ J, 1 1 ' IJ^sss^^'^^^^ «o ««sfl 2^^^^^^ W ■ • f ^ H-f «~ fc^ DIPPING SHEEP 201 The arsenical and carbolic dips kill ticks and scab inites readily, but owing to their poisonous nature they have to be used with great caution. Since the dips pre- viously described are not thus dangerous or only slight- ly so the formula for the arsenical and carbolic dips will not be given here. Dipping Vats and Dipping. — The nature of the dip- ping vat or tank to be used should be largely determined by the size of the flock. For a small flock such as is kept on the average farm a steel tank will answer the purpose sufiiciently well. Several makes of these have been put upon the markets during recent years by reput- able firms. Home-made dipping tanks will probably cost less at first, but they are not likely to last so long as a steel tank properly cared for. Figure 25 represents a home-made tank cheap in construction, economical in the use of dip and conveni- ent for those who may do the work. It is j2:iven by Stewart in ^'The "Domestic Sheep.'' A represents a plat- form of boards nailed onto 2x4 inch scantlings. This platform may be of the same length as the tank or a lit- tle shorter and it may extend out, say 36 inches from the tank. The tank B is 48 inches long, 30 inches deep, 24 inches wide at the top and 10 inches at the bottom. It is sunk into the ground to about half its depth. The frame may consist of 2x4 inch scantling and the lining of IJ inch flooring tongued and grooved and pitched at the joints. C j-i-jpresents a sloping platform which drains into another tank D. This tank should be con- siderably shorter than the dipping tank to facilitate the colecting of the ooze which is returned from time to MNVi ^NUdia c-t be bjj o DIPPING SHEEP 203 time as the dip drains from the sheep. When using this tank a sheep is caught and laid on platform A. It is then grasped by the fore and hind legs respectively by two persons, one at each end of the platform, and lifted into the tank back downward, where it is held for the requisite time. It is then lifted out onto the draining platform and held there long enough to allow the dip to drain from it. The process may be hastened by the holders of the sheep moving one hand first over one side of the animal and then over the other. When a larger flock is to be dipped the plan followed by George Harding and son, of Waukesha, Wis., is a model of convenience. The accompanying sketch in Figure 26 will aid the description now submitted. The dipping tank is at the end of the hog house, which is built on sloping ground so that at the end where the tank is, a platform could be made to aid in loading young cattle, sheep and swine into a wagon for ship- ment. The platform extends out 6 feet from the build- ing and is about 2^ feet from the ground. The passage way inside the piggery is 40 feet long and 6 feet wide and holds about 40 sheep at one time, according to size and breed. The rear side of the loading platform is enclosed by the door of the passage way which opens outward and which is as wide as the passage. But smaller doors may be used as shown in the engraving, and the rear side of the platform enclosed by a perma- nent fence. The end of the loading platform may have a gate to swing inward or it may be temporarily en- closed. The tank itself is 9 feet long inside at the top and 6 204 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN MINNESOTA feet at the bottom. The end next the platform is per- pendicular, and the opposite end slants upward at an angle of about 40 degrees and has slats on it to enable the sheep to climb up into the draining yards. The depth is 3 feet 8 inches and the top of the tank is nearly on a level with the platform. The width at the top is 2 feet and at the bottom 1 foot, inside measurements be- ing used. The tank is made by setting up 5 pairs of 2x4 inch scantlings connected at the bottom with 2x4 inch pieces set on edge. It is sheeted on the inside with two thick- nesses of match flooring and the flooring is well coated with paint. The draining pen or platform is 12x6 feet. SIDE V/£W OF DRMNING. "PENS, DIPPING TANK fe L0AD\MGTLATFOTm FIG. 27. It is divided by a partition in the center and each divis- ion will hold 8 sheep at one time. The floor of the two di- visions thus formed slants a little toward this partition and under it is a depression leading into the tank, so that the drip or ooze from the fleeces runs back into the same. The floor of the platform is covered with tin formerly used for roofing. A gate is hinged at the end of the partition next to the tank which swings both ways. The sheep are thus kept draining in one divis- DIPPING SHEEP 205 iou of the yard while the other is being filled. The yard is protected by a three-board fence running around it and each division has a gate for the exit of the sheep when the dip has drained from them. One man puts the sheep into the tank. Two men tend them while in the tank, one on the outside and the other in the space between the tank and the piggery. A boy tends the gate to let the drained-off sheep out of the yards. In this way all are kept comfortably busy. One hundred sheep may thus be dipped in one hour when all things have been made ready. The dip is mixed with hot water in pails before it is put into the tank. And the water in the tank is also made warm to add to the effectiveness of the dip. The water is heated in a kettle used for cooking food in the piggery. The piggery has eve troughs and these fill the tank after it has been cleaned out subsequent to each dipping. The water thus collected in part sup- plies the piggery. A tank may be similarly constructed apart from fi building, but in that case a yard would have to be made in lieu of the passage way in the piggery from which the sheep would be taken into the tank. 14 206 INDEX. Page Age at whicii to breed ewes 115 Ailments less prevalent 190 Alfalfa for hay 71 American merinos 26 Arsenical and carbolic dips 201 Barbed wire 97 Barley straw 75 Bedding use freely 134 Beets, sugar 76 Benefits, from sheep husbandry 9 Not sufficiently considered 14 Bloat 187 Danger from 68 Breeds adapted to Minnesota conditions 23 Bright and healthful climate 20 Bromus Inermis 72 Brush land, pasturing of 138 Burrs, protection from 142 Cabbage, for pasture 61 Growing 65 Grazing 68 Carbolic and arsenical dips 201 Carrots 76 Castrating and docking ; 110 Catarrh 187 Changing pastures 138 Cheviots 35 Climate, bright and healthful 20 Clover 71 Coarse-wooled breeds 37 Corn, for fodder. 74 For stover 74 Growing 61 INDEX. 207 Grazing 66 Corralling at night 139 Cotswolds , 39 Cross breeding 49 Crossing, zigzag 49 Delaine merinos 27 Digestive troubles 189 Dip, how often to 195 Oips used 196 Dipping vats 201 i.>i:wjases of sheep 174 7>t^>a^