424 MANAGEMENT ON RANGES IN THE WEST 



fortably fixed with respect to both. There are so many in control 

 of the range that he has no long time assurance of what will be at 

 his disposal. Harvested feeds help a great deal in tiding over a 

 shortage of winter range, but there is no such comforting supple- 

 ment for a short supply of summer feed. 



Selling Price. Still another problem for the western sheepman 

 lies in the fact that the products he sells are subject to wide fluctua- 

 tion in price. Perhaps no other one thing would more nearly place 

 him at his ease than a fair degree of stability in the wool and 

 mutton markets. A season of soaring prices unbalances his poise 

 and he over-reaches himself by investing deeper than he should while 

 a season of low prices forces him to cash in so that he can not be 

 heavily stocked with wool and mutton when prices are high. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What is the size of the bands in which sheep are handled on the range? 



2. How much labor is required to handle a band of sheep? 



3. What are the duties of the herder? 



4. What are the duties of the camp-tender? 



5. Discuss the equipment required in handling sheep in summer and in 



winter on the range. 



6. When is the surplus stock shipped to market? 



7. When are ewes bred and how long is the breeding season? 



8. How are the rams handled during the breeding season? 



9. Discuss winter management after the breeding season. 



10. How are the ewes handled during the lambing period and until the 



lambs are docked and castrated? 



11. How is shearing conducted on the range? 



12. How many sheep can a man shear in a day? 



13. Describe the methods of getting the wool to market. 



14. How is wool sold in the West? 



15. What are the problems that confront the sheep owners on the range? 



Discuss each. 



