174 Sheep Management. 



lambs which when fifty days old weighed fifty-five 

 pounds, and others which weighed sixty-three 

 pounds when sixty days old. 



The desired weight for this class of lambs is from 

 forty-five to sixty pounds, and they should sell for 

 from fifteen to twenty cents per pound, live weight. 

 Of course, the selling price will depend on the fat- 

 ness and plumpness of the lamb, and the market. 

 In general such lambs will sell for a higher price 

 in the Eastern markets than in the markets of the 

 Middle-West. Quite a number of lambs raised at 

 this Station have been sold on the Chicago market 

 for from *10.0() to $13.00 per head at the age of 

 sixty days or under. As Dorset ewes generally 

 have twins, or even triplets, it can be seen that 

 there is a great profit in this line of sheep hus- 

 bandry. In the cases where ewes breed twice a 

 year the profit is correspondingly larger. The 

 writer wishes to emphasize the fact that where 

 ewes raise two crops of lambs each year they must 

 be well fed at all times, in order to uphold their 

 vitality under the severe strain. Such ewes have 

 been known to take the rain again when their suck- 

 ling lambs were only three weeks old. 



It has been found to be more profitable to dress 

 the lambs before sending them to market than to 

 ship them alive, for such young chaps shrink heav- 

 ily in transit. Of course, when dressed at home. 



