ig6 SHEEP : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



able losses from deaths, barren ewes, and abortion, and although 

 twins may abound, yet the general outcome, when all losses 

 are discounted, will be not far from the estimate put forward. 



In order to keep up a flock of 1,000 ewes about 360 young 

 ewes will be required for stock every year, and about 330 cull 

 or draft ewes will be available for sale. Such estimates must 

 be approximate only, but if we assume an annual loss of 5 per 

 cent, (a loss which really ought not to be incurred) we should 

 have the actual reduction in numbers through death repre- 

 sented as follows : 



360 two-year-old ewes, of which about 4 per cent, die = 15 

 345 three-year-old ,, ,, 4 ,, = 14 



331 four-year-old 4 = 13 



1,036 



This would allow a sufficient number over the 1,000 to stand 

 against casualties during the season. 



The flock during April and May, and in fact through 

 summer, will therefore consist of, say, 1,000 ewes, 1,100 

 lambs, 360 tegs, and probably about ten or twelve rams left 

 over from last autumn. The total number of sheep on the 

 farm would therefore be 2,470, or approaching 2| per acre. 



REALISATION. 



A question of some interest very naturally springs out of 

 this statement. What may be expected from a flock of 1,000 

 ewes, in revenue ? This question may be answered either in 

 terms of so much per ewe or so much per acre, and, as 1,000 

 ewes seem to correspond to 1,000 acres, the two would allow 

 of a similar answer in either case. The amount realised must 

 depend in a great measure upon the quality of the flock. I 

 will take the case of a good ordinary flock, such as the one 

 under consideration. The breed is Hampshire Down, and the 

 locality Wiltshire. 



What then is likely to be the proceeds of these 1,000 ewes ? 



