Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 275 



are purchased to head ordinary flocks the produce of which are sent to 

 market, it will usually be best to pay up to the limit of price for a field 

 ram that suits, rather than invest the same amount in a fitted sheep. 



In farm flocks one ram may be used for every 35 to 50 ewes. On 

 the range it is customary to use one ram for every 35 to 40 ewes, A 

 ram lamb should not be used for heavy service. The period of gesta- 

 tion for ewes is somewhat variable but is usually 146 days. Although 

 ewe lambs are sometimes bred in the fall so that they will lamb the 

 next spring at a little over a year old, the usual plan is to allow the 

 ewe lambs to grow and develop into their yearling form, breeding them 

 in the fall to drop their first lambs the following spring at two years 

 old. The breeding of ewe lambs is not ordinarily considered good 

 practice. 



The mutton breeding ewe. — Assuming that there is an established 

 ewe flock to which additions are made from the best ewe lambs of each 

 year, the problem of the breeder is to weed out the less desirable ewes 

 and send them to the butcher. Herein lies a second advantage from 

 the use of good males, for if the sire proves a successful breeder, the 

 owner is furnished with excellent material with which to replenish his 

 ewe flock, thus permitting closer culling of the aged ewes than would 

 be possible had an inferior ram been used. Hence the use of a good 

 ram not only results in direct improvement in the first crop of lambs, 

 but there is the added advantage of the improvement which is realized 

 when the best ewe lambs reach breeding age. 



It is easiest to cull the flock a short time after shearing, allowing 

 a few days to elapse in order that the ewes may recover from the shabby 

 appearance and somewhat disorganized state common to many of them 

 immediately after being shorn. Aged ewes and broken-mouthed ewes 

 should have been weeded out the previous fall, the cost of wintering 

 them being a needless expense inasmuch as they are difficult to winter 

 without becoming very low in flesh. The wintered ewes may then be 

 sorted two or three weeks after shearing; faulty forms and lack of size 

 are easily detected at that time. It is an easy matter to part with 

 ewes that are aged, broken in mouth, ruptured, crippled, or defective 

 in udder, but it sometimes requires strong determination to give up 

 ewes that are sound, but nevertheless unworthy because of faults in 

 form, quality, size, or fleece. This is especially true when close culling 

 will not leave as large a flock as it is desired to carry, but in the long 

 run it will be best to err on the side of too close culling rather than to 

 carry certain individuals that do not measure up to desired standards. 

 Form, size, quality, constitution, muscling, and smoothness of outline 

 should receive much consideration, the requirements for which have 

 been set forth in preceding chapters. One word more, however, may 



