664 



SHEEP 



quality, while the tails in their native country are rated as a delicacy, 

 the fat replacing butter. In October, 1916, R. A. Tawney of Colo- 

 rado marketed 400 black grade lambs on the Kansas City market 

 that were five months old and averaged 70 pounds live weight, 

 with price much the same as native lambs of the same weight. 



The hardiness of the Karakul is very marked. In their native 

 home they undergo conditions of great winter severity. As tried 



FIG. 312. Karakul ewes owned by C. P. Bailey & Sons, San Jose, California. 

 From photograph, by courtesy of the American Sheep Breeder 



in South Africa and the United States they have proved most 

 vigorous. The breed, however, is not suited to a damp climate 

 and should not be reared under conditions of unusual moisture. 

 "There is no evidence," writes Holm, 1 "that although extremely 

 hardy, they possess immunity to any of the South African sheep 

 diseases, and the same care should be exercised with Karakuls as 

 with other sheep." 



The fecundity of the Karakul is not marked. As a rule the 

 ewes drop one lamb a year. Pure-bred ewes require special atten- 

 tion during breeding season on account of the heavy tail ; in fact, 



1 Alexander Holm, Karakul Sheep. Pretoria, South Africa, 1916. 



