710 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



exclusion of Merinos. It is rather a partial substitution, and only oc- 

 casionally lias a flockmaster made a complete change from fine- wool to 

 coarse or middle- wool rams. The use of the mutton-breed rams is in 

 the experimental stage yet, and is confined mainly to the Shropshires, 

 although the Cotswolds, Oxford Downs and Southdowns are being 

 used to a more limited extent. Delaine Merino ranis have been used a 

 great deal and give very good satisfaction. The most satisfactory 

 cross, so far as tried during the present experimental period, and the 

 one which appears to be growing in popularity with the sheepmen, is 

 the cross of the common Montana ewe with either the pure-bred Shrop- 

 shire or the Delaine Merino ram. The lambs produced from this cross 

 in nearly every case seem to make the model sheep for Montana, and 

 when the breeding has been judicious, a very profitable animal is the 

 result for both wool and mutton. The great danger which confronts 

 the flockmaster in a new departure from tried methods of breeding is 

 the tendency to breed indiscriminately. How to breed the cross-bred 

 ewes and not produce a mongrel or deterioration of wool, and perhaps 

 an animal unsuited to the climate and the customary methods incident 

 to the management of flocks in Montana, is the problem yet to be solved 

 by most of the sheepmen. Successful cross breeding is an extremely 

 difficult undertaking for any sheep-breeder, and for the inexperienced 

 or unskilled it is a very hazardous business. Already there are manifest 

 ill effects from the indiscriminate use of rams on flocks in different por- 

 tions of the State, brought about by the eagerness of many flockniasters 

 to secure a large mutton carcass. Some sheep-owners have crossed 

 Merino ewes with Oxford or Cotswold ranis, and as might be expected, 

 bad results occurred at lambing time. The sheep of this cross are in 

 many respects unsuited to range grazing, as they do not thrive so well 

 in large flocks and more feed is required for them than for fine- wool 

 sheep. The real danger is the tendency to run into extremes. For the 

 man who has a few sheep only, a cross is all right if judiciously made, 

 but the middle-wool cross is preferable to the long- wool. The thing to 

 be avoided is any radical change, especially with as large flocks as 

 those of Montana. The Merino blood should predominate so long as 

 sheep husbandry is conducted as it is now. Eeckless cross breeding 

 will eventuate in a mongrel type, with general deterioration. The rams 

 used by the flockmaster are one year old and upward, and they are 

 kept in use as long as they are able to get the usual number of lambs. 

 Ordinarily at the age of six or eight years their place is supplied by 

 younger ones. Each ram is given from 25 to 75 ewes, the number de- 

 pending on his age, condition, or breed. The ranis are allowed to 

 remain with the ewe flocks from four to six weeks. In the Yellowstone 

 country the ewes are bred as early as November 15, but the common 

 practice is to so breed that the ewe will drop her lamb soon after the 

 1st of May. The general custom for the State is to turn in the rams 

 soon after the 1st of December and let them run with the flock from 



