

Vol. XXI, Second Series. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y., NOVEMBER, 1860. 



No. 11. 



FATTENING SHEEP IN WINTEE. 



The profit of fattening sheep during the winter 

 months, in this country, depends principally on the 

 increased price obtained for the mutton in the 

 spring. 



In England, where fattening sheep in winter is 

 carried on more extensively than in any other coun- 

 try, the profit is due simply to the increase of mut- 

 ton and to the value of the manure obtained from 

 the sheep. As .a general rule, the fat sheep in 

 February or March are worth no more "per pound 

 than the lean sheep were the October previous. 

 "We have heard experienced English farmers say 

 that if they sold their fat sheep in the spring for 

 enough more over their cost in the autumn to pay 

 for the grain or oil-cake which they had eaten, they 

 were satisfied. That is to say, they considered the 

 manure from the sheep equal in value to the turnips 

 and straw consumed. The profits of cattle or 

 sheep feeding in England depend principally on the 

 question whether the farmer can obtain manure 

 cheaper by purchasing cattle food or artificial fer- 

 tilizers. 



In this country, we have hitherto given little 

 attention to the manurial aspect of the question ; 

 but it is beginning to force itself upon our attention. 



If we obtained no more per pound for mutton in 

 the spring than we do in the fall, as is the case in 

 England, we believe fattening sheep in winter would 

 not pay, even after taking the value of the manure 

 into account. This is owing to the comparatively 

 low price of meat in this country. For instance, a 

 sheep weighing say 90 lbs. will eat about 20 lbs. of 

 hay per week, or its equivalent ; and, if of the best 

 breed will increase 1-J- lbs. Thus one ton af hay 

 would give us 150 lbs. of increased live weight, 

 worth say 5 cents per lb. This would give us 

 $7.50 for one ton of hay, or its equivalent. 



But assuming that we can buy sheep in the fall 

 for 2^ cents per lb., and sell them in February or 

 March for 5 cents per lb., the account would stand 



something like this : A sheep weighing £0 lbs. the 

 first of November, costs $2.00. Fed till March 1st 

 — say 16 weeks — he would weigh, reckoning as 

 before that he would increase 1-^ lbs. per week, 104 

 lbs. At 5 cents per lb., he is worth $5.20 — leaving 

 $3.20 to day for the food. He has eaten in the IG 

 weeks 320 lbs. of hay, or 20 lbs. per week. In 

 other words, we get $3.20 for 820 lbs. of hay, or 

 $20 per ton. 



If, then, mutton was as high in the fall as in the 

 spring, say 5 cents per lb. live weight, we should 

 obtain only $7.50 per ton for the hay consumed by 

 the sheep; but if it can be bought for half the 

 price in the fall that it commands in the spring, we 

 obtain $20 per ton for the hay. 



These figures may not be absolutely correct, but 

 we give them to illustrate the advantage which our 

 farmers have in being able to obtain a much higher 

 price for meat in the spring than in the fall. Those 

 who contend that fattening sheep in winter is not 

 profitable, are apt to overlook tliis fact. 



We speak advisedly when we say that there is 

 much more profit in fattening sheep during the 

 winter in this country, under the present circum- 

 stances, than there is in England, notwithstanding 

 the higher price obtained there for mutton. 



If the profit of fattening sheep in winter depended 

 solely on the increase of the sheep, it is certain that 

 the large "breed of mutton sheep^ say Cotswold. 

 Leicester or Southdown, would be the mostprofit-a 

 ble sheep to fatten, — as they will increase more, for 

 the food consumed, than the Merino. There can be 

 no doubt on this point. But, as we have shown, 

 this is not the only question. "We must go back of 

 this and see which breed of sheep can be bought at 

 the lowest price per pound in the fall. At present, 

 there can be no doubt that the common sheep of 

 the country, with more or less Merino blood in. 

 them can be bought the cheapest. "Whether it will 

 always be so or not is another question. It is quite 

 possible that it will prove to be a fact that the fine 



