THE COST OF KEEPING A SHEEP. 2OI 



practically impossible, and, besides, it would take all the 

 farmer's time to keep it. 



THE COST OF KEEPING A SHEEP 



may, however, be approximately arrived at by a few notes 

 and a little thought, in a fairly satisfactory manner, and 

 of this I can easily give an example. This method also has 

 the advantage of being that which is usually followed by 

 farmers in turning over in their minds whether the system 

 they follow is the best which could be adopted. 



We cannot take a better example than the cost of main- 

 taining a ewe, and in doing so we prefer to take the period 

 from weaning to weaning. All such calculations, as already 

 explained, can only be approximative ; and, as a principle, 

 we think the estimates should be of a covering character, 

 or should err rather on the side of excess. If a margin for 

 profit is then clearly discernible, we may rest assured that 

 there is a sure profit ; whereas, if our returns are below the 

 probable or possible cost, our profit might prove a vanish- 

 ing one. To estimate the cost of a ewe may not appear a 

 very easy matter, and, in fact, it is not. We propose to 

 treat it in a business-like manner, upon a basis which we 

 know to be correct. For example, keep is a marketable com- 

 modity. It can be had at 3d., 4d., 5d., and 6d. per week ; we 

 have known it as high as gd. per sheep per week. Keep can 

 generally be procured at ^d. per head per week even when 

 no cake is fed, and if J Ib. of cake is consumed by the sheep 

 on the land, probably 4d. would secure ordinary keep of 

 turnips and hay at any time. The period from weaning to 

 weaning takes up the entire year, which we proceed to divide 

 as follows : Supposing weaning to take place on June ist, 

 there is a period of cheap and abundant keep from this date 

 up to October ist, during which we think ewes ought not 

 to cost in food more than 3d. per head per week. We 

 believe we could secure keep away from home at this rate, 



