PURE-BRED RAMS 



The ram should always be a pure-bred. Neither the range flock- 

 master nor the farmer can make any progress in flock improvement, or 

 even keep the flock up to its normal, when using scrub or grade rams. 

 In addition to being purely bred the ram should be an excellent indi- 

 vidual. The measure of profit in selling lambs is determined by their 

 size for age, conformation and condition. Starting with grade ewes, 

 improvement in size, conformation and early maturity and more desir- 

 able feeders may be secured most cheaply by using a good ram on the 

 ewes already at hand if they are vigorous and good milkers. 



The desirable ram should be long, deep, thick, lowset, with a 

 straight, strong back, and should be well developed in all the details of 

 mutton conformation. In addition, he should have style, vigor, masculine 

 bearing, and should conform as closely as possible to the standards set 

 for his breed. Since ewe lambs are generally retained to supply losses, 

 and being important to the flock, considerable emphasis must be laid on 

 the ram's fleece. Mutton should be the more important side to sheep 

 raising on the farm, but wool must not be neglected. The farm flock 

 should shear seven to ten pounds per head. 



MERINO TYPES 



Sheep are naturally divided into two main classes or divisions, one 

 of them especially adapted for wool and the other best suited for mutton 

 production. The Merino breeds and strains comprise the wool division 

 in which mutton is a minor consideration. These sheep are rather long 

 legged, lack in depth of body, are flat in the rib, sharp of the shoulder 

 and narrow in the back, have comparatively long necks and coarse heads 

 and lack in loin, leg of mutton, and in general fall materially short of 

 the ideals of mutton conformation. These sheep, however, excel in 

 wool, bearing fleeces two and one-half to four inches long, very dense 

 and compact, very fine of fiber, kept moist and made much heavier by 

 a yolk or grease exuded by the skin of the sheep. This kind of wool 

 is the finest and for most purposes the best that comes from any type or 

 breed. The Merino strains are hardy, flock well together on the range, 

 make wonderfully good use of scanty feed and as a rule are good 

 mothers. The common breeds are Spanish Merino, American Merino, 

 Delaine Merino and Rambouillet. As pure-breds, the Rambouillets only 

 are of much importance in Idaho. 



THE RAMBOUILLET 



The Rambouillets, frequently designated as French Merino, are of 

 Spanish Merino descent, the original flock having been taken from 

 Spain to France in 1783. They get their name from the Royal Farm at 

 Rambouillet near Paris. Since the establishment of the flock at Ram- 

 bouillet, this sheep has been bred for size and mutton form, at the same 

 time insisting on length and fineness of fiber and weight of fleece. In 



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