922 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



are found the largest holdings the sheep show less improvement, and 

 consequently are not so profitable to handle. These large holdings 

 have a greater per cent of animal losses from the usual causes, as well 

 as a smaller per cent of increase. These large herds are mainly the 

 property of Mexican owners. The families of wealthy Mexicans, 

 known as the Pereas and Oteros, are said to be the largest sheep-own- 

 ers in New Mexico, and are accredited as owning together about 

 500,000 sheep in Bernalillo and adjoining counties. The American 

 owner generally prefers, if he has had previous experience, to handle a 

 smaller number and have a better quality of sheep. 



From the foregoing some might infer that sheep-raising in New Mex- 

 ico was hazardous and unprofitable, but it must be remembered that 

 the present condition of the flocks is due to the old-established custom 

 among Mexican people of giving or putting out their sheep on shares, 

 in the care of industrious men, who willingly pay a yearly rental of 20 

 to 25 per cent or more to the owner, as they in person or members of 

 their family attend to the sheep. The profit thus derived compensates 

 the renter for his time and labor, and after a few years he becomes an 

 owner and in turn leases his surplus flocks. This system has been in 

 vogue so long that neither owner nor renter feels disposed to entail 

 the additional and temporary expense necessary to improve the flocks 

 by using pure-bred bucks. At present, however, there is a more 

 marked tendency to improve the sheep than usual. 



The pasture lands of New Mexico consist mainly of the vast treeless 

 plains, which have very little shade, but are fairly well covered with 

 gramma grass. Here the sheep are grazed during the summer, and 

 depend for drink on the rivers or surface water from rain. In the win- 

 ter the sheep are taken to the foothills or mountains, where natural 

 shelter and bunch grass or salty sage is more abundant, and for water 

 the sheep eat snow. The manner of pasturing sheep has undergone no 

 changes. From the character of the country flocks have to move about 

 to keep on fresh grass, which, owing to its peculiar short growth, is 

 particularly adapted to sheep or goats. Other classes of stock are 

 gradually giving way to sheep, owing to the peculiar ranges with 

 scanty moisture. For three years the^ grazing lands received hardly 

 sufficient moisture to renew the annual growth of grass until the win- 

 ter and spring of 1890-'91, when there was an excess of rain, and to-day 

 the ranges are in splendid condition. 



The annual loss of sheep from the depredations of wild animals and 

 exposure has been considerable in the past, but is likely to be propor- 

 tionately less hereafter, on account of reducing the number and im- 

 proving the stock, as well as the methods of management. Owing to 

 the constant attendance of a herder, the loss in general from wild ani- 

 mals is not as large as the average losses from exposure. From wild 

 animals the average loss is reported all the way from 3 to 7 per cent, 



