CHAPTER VII 



RAISING LAMBS FOR AN EARLY MARKET 



Hints to the sheep raiser. This book is intended primarily 

 for the feeder of sheep, and not for the raiser or breeder ; 

 but there is a phase of flock management that is of so much 

 importance to the corn-belt farmer that it seems to be worthy 

 of a place here. It is not a new idea, for it is practiced in 

 rather a desultory way in many places; but the following 

 suggestions, which are based on successful practices, are 

 given for the betterment of the sheep-breeding interests in 

 the Middle West. That there is need for such information 

 is well known ; in fact the sentiments of many breeders may 

 be heard in the words of one of the best-informed sheep 

 men in this country when he says : " The farmer who for- 

 merly raised lambs from native ewes now buys Western 

 ewes, and finds that after a crop or two of lambs his West- 

 ern ewes are as badly diseased as natives (eighty per cent 

 of the native sheep are diseased). There must be something 

 done ; I believe the only thing is to sow forage crops every 

 spring, and pasture them and not use old pastures. No class 

 of men needs government assistance so much as native-sheep 

 raisers. There should be something done to help them get 

 rid of the various worm diseases. I think every sheep owner 

 should be advised not to use the same pastures two seasons 

 in succession." 



The early-lamb business in the South. In Virginia, 

 Tennessee, and Kentucky the systematic practice of raising 

 lambs for an early market has reached a high development. 



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