268 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



The number of sheep on farms in the United States on census 

 dates grew from 19 million in 1840, to 23 in 1860, 35 in 1880, 36 in 

 1890, and 62 in 1900, and then declined to 52 in 1910, and to 35 in 

 1920. The census date was June 1 until 1910, when it was changed 

 to April 15. It was changed to January 1 in 1920. 



The number of sheep on farms in the United States on January 1 

 of the various years, as estimated by the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, was 41 milHon in 1880, 44 in 1890, 42 in 1900, 57 in 1910, and 

 39 in 1920. 



There has been a steady increase since 1860 in the proportionate 

 number of mutton sheep. This has been mostly due to the increased 

 demand for meat, and partly to the demand for wools other than the 

 Merino, that is, the combing wools. The flocks of mutton sheep in- 

 creased in all parts of the country, though Merino improvement was 

 still the predominating feature in sheep husbandry in Vermont, New 

 York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and elsewhere, and the great 

 flocks of the ranges became Merino grades of a high order of merit. 

 In recent years many Merino flocks in the eastern part of the country 

 have been made over into mutton flocks by several succeeding crosses 

 of mutton blood, while on the western ranges increasing numbers of 

 mutton rams have been used for crossing on range flocks to produce a 

 more practical wool-and-mutton type. East of the Missouri river the 

 majority of sheep are of the mutton type, while on western ranges 

 Merino blood predominates. 



The following figures reported by the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture show the leading sheep countries and the number of sheep in each : 



Numbers of sheep in leading countries 



Country Year Number of sheep 



1. Australia 1920 77,900,000 



2. Russia 1921 47,157,000 i 



3. Argentina 1920 45,767,000 



4. United States. . . .1923 37,209,000 



5. Siberia 1915 34,468,000 



6. India 1920 30,172,000 



7. South Africa 1920 29,305,000 



8. Great Britain. . . .1921 24,273,000 



9. New Zealand. . . .1921 23,285,000 



10. Spain 1921 20,522,000 



11. Italy 1918 11,754,000 



12. Uruguay 1916 11,473,000 



World total 465,895,000 * 



'Includes goats. 



>U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1921, p. 680. Includes 51 million designated as sheep and goats. 



Mutton production and consumption in the United States is shown 

 in the following table > giving the slaughter, imports, exports, and con- 

 sumption of mutton (including lamb): 



