244 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



In 1894, the range of prices for native sheep in Chicago was from 

 60 cents to $5.40. In 1906, it was from |2.75 to |6.3o. In 1894, the 

 bulk of natives sold from $1.50 to $5.00. In 1906, they sold for $4.50 

 to $5.75. The range of lambs in 1894 was from $1.00 to $6.00. In 

 1906, it was from $4.00 to $8.50. These prices indicate not only 

 increases in the value of the diiferent classes but a narrowing of 

 the range of prices raising the lower limit much more than the 

 upper. This would indicate one of two things, either a greatly 

 increased demand for the poorer grades of sheep or a decided in- 

 crease in the quality of sheep marketed. It, undoubtedly must mean 

 the latter, as the demand would be felt for the better grades 

 always stronger than for the poorer ones. Another change in the 

 market conditions is the decrease in the average weight of the 

 sheep as marketed. In 1894, the average weight of wethers in 

 Chicago was 89 pounds; in 1906, it was 81 pounds, the lowest average 

 during the time. This would indicate the marketing of sheep at an 

 earlier age. The nearer a sheep weighs to 100 pounds the better 

 it will sell on the Chicago market. A greater profit may be had 

 in marketing the lighter sheep, because of the diminished gains 

 as the animal reaches maturity. 



It is quite desirable that a person engaged in the sheep business 

 should have some fondness for these animals. While the labor of 

 sheep husbandry is not heavy, it requires watchfulness and care. 

 It requires much more care for the raising of hogs or beef cattle. 

 A person who engages in the sheep business must be willing to 

 make sacrifices. During the lambing season he must be willing to 

 get up in the middle of the night and visit the fold in order to see 

 that everything is correct. He must be on the outlook for stray 

 dogs, and on this account is not always fully appreciated by his 

 neighbors. It is probably more essential in sheep husbandry that 

 a person have a natural liking for his charges in order to succeed 

 with them than in any other class of animal husbandry. Sheep 

 have their peculiarities, which, if not understood and appreciated, 

 would in a very short time disgust and discourage one who is 

 unused to them and has no liking for them. 



Sheei» are so radically different from hogs or cattle that it is 

 necessary for a person to have some particular knowledge and inter 

 est in order to gain the highest success. Farmers and feeders who 

 have been successful both with cattle and swine have been total 

 failures when handling sheep. The more nervous disposition the 

 greater timidity, the tendency to stampede, and the disposition to 

 give up when in trouble render them decidedly peculiar animals to 

 care for. It would seem that a sheep has less common sense than 

 any other animal. It is the most helpless under adverse conditions, 

 3'et one of the most thrifty when properly handled. It is the most 

 sensitive to its environments. A man who enters the sheep business 

 will usually do well to begin on a small scale and increase his flock 

 as his knowledge of their habits and his interest in them grows. 

 Careful shepherds and flock masters are even harder to find than 

 herdsmen. For this reason in this country the owner will have bet- 

 ter success with sheep if he cares for them in person. The most 

 successful flock masters are usually those who have grown up in 

 the business. In England, the original home of all our mutton 



