IG-t Agricultural Experiment Station^ Ithaca, N. Y. 



merino ewes it lias been found that these sheep respond (juickly in 

 milk production to extra care, and food and that they are well 

 adapted for the pnrpose of early lamb raising. 



Formerly merino sheep were kept with great profit for the pro- 

 duction of wool alone, but with the great decline in the value of 

 wool during the last few years, it became necessary for the sheep 

 owners to dispose of them, or in some way so conduct the breeding 

 and feeding tl)at the meat product would equal or exceed that of 

 the wool in value. Those who found it necessary to exchange the 

 wool breed for some of the larger so-called middle breeds learned 

 that the methods pursued with the merinos profitably would not 

 give satisfactory returns with these English mutton breeds ; the 

 business had to be learned anew and frequently discouragement in- 

 stead of success was the result which eventually led to the abandon- 

 ment of sheep husbandry. 



While the merinos would thrive in large flocks on rather indif- 

 ferent pasture, providing it was not too wet during the summer 

 dry feed and a suitable grain ration for the winter; it was soon 

 found that the distinctively mutton breeds would not produce as 

 desirable mutton on this food as the same breeds produce in Eng- 

 land, where succulent food is fed throughout the year. It is now 

 generally admitted that the best flavored, juicy mutton can not be 

 produced by the food and care heretofore given by the American 

 farmer to merinos. The consequent failures and discouragements 

 have led sheep owners to produce a product not before attempted, 

 early lambs. 



The sheep owners throughout the State have pursued somewhat 

 different courses in striving to produce the best product of this 

 kind, and without doubt the method adopted by this Station will 

 differ from those of many successful early lamb raisers. 



Since a few ewes have been purchased each year since the season 

 of 1891, it has been the custom to sell each year nearly all of 

 those purchased the year before, retaining only a few of the best 

 those that raised the best lambs. In making this selection it has 

 been found that the ewes that raised the best lambs, were the best 

 milkers, and have been the ones as a rule that bred the earliest. 

 In studying closely the records of all the ewes, the thoroughbreds 

 as well as the grades, this fact has been clearly brought out, that 

 there is a close connection between e^rly breeding and great milk 

 production. A great difliculty met with in raising lambs for the 



