Sheep Breeders' Association. Zll 



always better to keep the ram in a small grass lot provided with 

 shade during the day and turn him in with the ewes at night. It 

 is desirable to have the lambs come as close together as possible, 

 and the above methods will both contribute to this result. 



The period of gestation in ewes is 145 to 150 days, so that if 

 it is desired to have the lambs dropped in February the ewes 

 should be bred in September. 



CROPPING SYSTEM FOR A SHEEP FARM. 



A satisfactory cropping system for a sheep farm must in the 

 first place be such as to maintain, and, if possible, improve the 

 productiveness of the soil, and at the same time provide the proper 

 quantity and quality of feed for the ewes and lambs throughout 

 the year. In addition, the system of cropping should be such as 

 to reduce to the minimum the labor required, and be so arranged 

 as to eliminate, as far as possible, the loss from internal parasites. 

 In order to give due weight to all of the factors involved, it is best 

 to provide a main rotation and an accessory rotation, such as is 

 described below. 



In the corn belt the main crop should always be corn. Suc- 

 cessful rotations under present conditions on land of reasonable 

 fertility should include more than one crop of corn in a four-year 

 rotation. 



A 120-ACRE SHEEP FARM. 



The size of the average Missouri farm is 120 acres. Assum- 

 ing that 100 acres of this land is tillable, and that 20 acres of it is 

 suitable for permanent pasture, the following method of manage- 

 ment will be found highly satisfactory where the principal busi- 

 ness of the farm is the production of fat lambs. 



Every sj^stem of farm management should be so arranged as 

 to provide first for the maintenance of the fertility of the soil. 

 In this relation sheep fortunately have long been recognized as 

 among the most efficient of the domestic animals in maintaining 

 and improving soil areas. 



In any system of stock fcvrm management there are two general 

 lines of effort under which most of the farm activities may be 

 grouped. These are the production of crops and the utilizing of 

 these crops by feeding to animals. Considering first the cropping 

 system, it is suggested that the 120-acre farm be divided into six 

 twenty-acre fields by permanent fences. Twenty acres of this 

 farm should be kept in permanent pasture and the ordinary blue 



