ANIMAL INDUSTRIES 225 



normally are small, probably averaging 25 to 30 

 head. In 1920 a very bad situation in relation to 

 the wool market reacted adversely on the sheep in- 

 dustry of the State. The Bureau of Crop Estimates, 

 however, found that the number of lambs at the close 

 of the year had increased as a result of slow market- 

 ing, so that the net loss of sheep stood at only 4 per 

 cent, and the total number of head was found to be 

 2,135,000 in February, 1921. The estimated valua- 

 tion of 14,000,000 was not much over half that of 

 the preceding year. 



Classified with reference to breeds, the Cheviots 

 numbered 1.1 per cent of the aggregate; the Cots- 

 wold, 2 ; Oxford Downs, 6.9 ; Rambouillet, 6 ; Shrop- 

 shires, 46.8; Southdowns, 2.8; Tunis, .1; others, 4; 

 jSTondescript, 4.1 per cent.^ 



With increasing stringency, the statutes of the 

 State seek to protect sheep and other live-stock 

 against the depredation of dogs. Dogs are required 

 to be licensed and wear a tag, and they may be killed 

 on view when attacking live-stock or trespassing in 

 rural districts on private property. The proceeds of 

 the dog tax are primarily for assignment, on order 

 of a city council or township board, to the owners 

 of sheep killed by dogs. Since sheep suffer also from 

 the depredations of wolves and coyotes, a large bounty 

 of $35 (until 1921) was provided for their destruc- 



in Michigan (Jan. 1, 1920) 1,209,191 sheep on hand on 

 farms, and that 7,835,558 pounds of wool were produced in 

 1919. Of mohair, 1,617 pounds were produced in Michigan 

 in 1919. 



^"Mich. Crop Kept.," Bur. Crop Estimates, May, 1920, 6. 



