390 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



the other breeds mentioned follow closely, and most of the breeders of 

 these classes of rams have had a good business during the last year, with 

 the most flattering prospects for the coming season. 



So much for the general farmer and his active interest in sheep breed- 

 ing in Michigan at present. We now wish to turn your attention to the 

 condition of the breeders of pure bred sheep in Michigan. Time was 

 when the old Spanish Merino, which has evolved into the present Amer- 

 ican Merino, far outnumbered all other breeds, and its breeders formed 

 one of the strongest and largest State live-stock associations in the coun- 

 try. But with the changing demand of the farmers, who are the breeders' 

 customers, the field of the American Merino has been invaded by the 

 other breeds, and many former Merino breeders have now changed to 

 some other breed, or have quit the business entirely. However, the excel- 

 lence of the American Merino has been maintained and improved by a 

 large number of breeders in the State, who have been a great factor in 

 maintaining Michigan's reputation as a leading sheep State. Some of 

 these breeders have aimed to breed for the ram market of the great west. 

 and have therefore bred a large, smooth sheep with blocky shape and 

 thick, long fleece. Others have bred for the foreign markets of South 

 Africa and Australia, and in order to meet this demand have produced 

 a wrinkly, dense-fleeced sheep, giving particular attention to quality and 

 density of fleece, but also taking care to have a strong constitution and 

 a good sized carcass. Still others have bred both types, and all have 

 succeeded to a greater or less extent. 



A few years since, a few farmers who desired to breed a mutton sheer) 

 with a fine Merino fleece introduced the Delaine sheep into Michigan. They 

 have increased gradually in numbers, and at the present time have a good 

 demand for all their surplus stock at good prices, both among the farmers 

 of Michigan and in the west. Another type of Merinos is the Ram- 

 bouillet, for which Michigan is the headquarters in this country. This 

 is a very large sheep with good mutton shape, and a rapid grower. They 

 also carry a fair fleece of fine wool, which is nearly as heavy as the 

 Delaine fleece, but of a somewhat different character. They, too, have 

 been bred toward a combined wool and mutton ideal, but, if anything, 

 rather more attention has been given to the mutton quality than the wool. 



Coming to the English mutton breeds, we find the Shropshire in the 

 lead, followed closely by the Lincoln. The Shropshires, which are a mid- 

 dle wool sheep, have found great favor with Michigan farmers to use in 

 breeding mutton lambs, and to meet this demand there have naturallv 

 been many farmers who have given their attention to breeding for it. 

 Until within about a year there probably have been more Shropshire 

 rams used on the flock of the average farmer in Michigan than those of 

 any other one breed; but the price and demand for fine wool having in- 

 creased, the general farmer has sought after a mutton Merino, and has 

 consequently somewhat curtailed the market of the Shropshire breeder. 

 A few years since, Shropshire breeders enjoyed a large western trade in 

 rams, but for the last year or so it has been more limited, although still 

 fair for good rams. The mainstay of the Shropshire market in Mich- 

 igan, however, is its own farmers who are breeding feeding lambs. 



Another English breed wiiich is pressing the Shropshire in the race for 

 popularity is the long-wooled Lincoln. There are a large number of 

 breeders of this popular sheep in Michigan, and they appear to be increas- 



