31 



BULLETIN OF 



Massachusetts Board of Agriculture. 



SOME SHEEP TOPICS FOR MASSACHUSETTS. 



By Ray L. Gribbin, Instructor in Animal Husbandry, Massachusetts Agricultural College. 



Ranked among the other States of the Union Massachusetts does 

 not find a place among the leaders as a producer of live stock, either 

 in numbers, value or, in many cases, in equality. Through the de- 

 velopment of the natural resources of the State in other lines than 

 animal husbandr}^ live stock has been compelled to find a humbler 

 jlace. But even with these changes certain kinds of stock should not 

 lave fallen to so unimportant a place as they now occupy. Particu- 

 arly is this true of the sheep industry, with which we are to deal 



At one time flocks of sheep were cjuite common in Massachusetts, 

 wool and mutton forming a large item of the commerce of the State. 

 When the Spanish noblemen, who for so long controlled the fine wool, 

 production of the world, were obliged, by the Napoleonic wars, to 

 consent to the breaking up of their flocks, many thousands of them 

 were exported to America. Vermont was the leading State in this 

 importation, owing to the efforts of the minister to Spain at that time, 

 a native of Vermont, but interest in the business speedily spread to 

 other States. The earlier flocks were kept for their wool alone, a 

 highly speculative product. When it ceased to be longer profitable 

 the flocks were disposed of, and since then sheep have not been widely 

 grown in Massachusetts. 



Farm values having been materially increased since that time it is 

 thought by many that sheep cannot be made profitable on such high- 

 priced land. However, a study of conditions in England shows that 

 sheep growing is there found profitable on lands much more valuable 

 than those of this State, and feed stuffs are also usually higher in price 

 there than here. The sheep growers of England have the advantage 

 of skill and knowledge, but are successful because they are better 

 managers and more careful feeders than we are. This skill can be easily 

 enough acc{uired, and some other reason must be sought for the scarcity 

 of sheep. 



Many cUsaclvantages must be carefulh' considered before going into 

 the sheep business, chief among which are the ravages of dogs. The 

 protection afforded by State laws is only partial, the damages received 

 not representing the value of the animals lost to the breeder, particu- 

 larly where pure-bred sheep are kept. ]\Iuch harm may be done in a 

 single night by a worthless cur, and often the well-bred dogs kept by 

 sportsmen are equally dangerous and determined in their work. For 



