Live Stock Breedey^s' Association. 211 



Our foundation stock must be pure if we wish to establish a 

 distinct herd. 



I presume there is not one of this assembly who breeds stock 

 that uses a grade sire, yet a very large per cent of the farmers of 

 the State of Missouri do breed to grade sires. Especially is this 

 true of sheep, and for this reason, I presume, it has been said that 

 "Even Missouri, which raises more mean lambs than any other 

 state in the Union, sends a few convincingly good lambs to market." 

 I wish I could say something, and in such a way, that I could 

 impress everyone present so deeply that he would advocate the 

 importance of using pure-bred sires with his sheep. 



Think of one of the most productive states in the Union and 

 one of the best sheep states sending the meanest lambs that go on 

 the Chicago market. I am truly ashamed of the condition of the 

 sheep business in our great State. There are no states that excel 

 us in the production of good horses, mules, cattle and hogs. Some- 

 thing must be wrong. If there is a remedy, let us find it. I believe 

 we can, by using pure bred sires and dams, when it is practicable, 

 raise the standard of our sheep. 



I use both pure bred sires and dames with all the stock I breed, 

 and have never had to sell an animal for less than a grade price. 

 Even the chickens, dogs and corn are pure breds. 



I have formed the habit of trying to improve my herds by 

 using pure bred breeding stock. I believe that there are many 

 farmers that just drift along and breed grades simply from mere 

 habit. We have to be educated to paying good prices for pure 

 bred stock before we can see the importance of it. When we get 

 in the habit of getting good prices for our sheep we feel all right. 



It takes the same care to save a grade lamb that it does a pure 

 bred. The same quantity of feed keeps each alike. If a grade 

 will make you one hundred per cent a year, it will be from one- 

 fourth to one-half of what a pure bred ewe will make you with a 

 little more money invested for the breeding stock. A five-dollar 

 grade ewe will raise you a $3.50 lamb; a $20.00 pure-bred ewe will 

 raise you a $12.50 to $15.00 lamb. 



On the road to the station last fall I overtook a neighbor who 

 was driving 100 breeding ewes worth $5.50 each. I had in my 

 wagon six ewes worth $35.00 each, and I could not see why my one 

 ewe was not more valuable to me than six and one-third of his 

 would have been, as she ate one-sixth the feed and brought as much 

 money. 



