206 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



is not quite so efficient, and the older sheepmen have 

 always employed more help than they actually needed, 

 just because it was handy and comparatively cheap. 

 There is, however, no valid reason why this differecne 

 should be so great, and the opportunity for the sheep- 

 growers of the Southwest to economize in this respect 

 is obvious. 



In Table 2 the "maintenance cost" means all the 

 various items of feed for the sheep, the bucks, saddle, 

 pack and work animals used, and all grazing fees on 

 National Forests or other leased lands. Arizona stands 

 lowest in this respect at 15 cents per sheep per annum, 

 with Idaho the highest at 96 cents per head. This dif- 

 ference is due mainly to the winter feeding expenses of 

 the Northwest and the higher rental value of their graz- 

 ing lands. 



Colorado is lowest in the average shearing, with 6.1 

 pounds, Washington the highest with an average shear- 

 ing of 9.3 pounds. The column headed "net charge 

 against wool" is what it costs the wool-grower to pro- 

 duce a pound of wool. The Washington wool-grower 

 with his heavy mutton sheep and high average shearing 

 shows almost no charge 'at all against the wool by the 

 time it is offered for sale. This "charge against the 

 wool" averages 11 cents per pound for the range states, 

 in the Ohio region about 19 cents, in South America be- 

 tween 4 and 5 cents and in Australia approximately 

 nothing, the sales of mutton practically covering every 

 expense of the flock, leaving the wool clear of all 

 charges. 



From these tables it appears that the average annual 

 cost of running sheep per head in the western states is 

 approximately $2.11, while in the Ohio region it is $2.78. 



