CHAPTER XXIX 

 ESTABLISHING THE COMMERCIAL FARM FLOCK 



Methods of Establishing the Farm Flock. There are two 

 methods of establishing the farm flock. One is to begin with a 

 few ewes and through increase of progeny gradually build up in 

 numbers until the flock is of suitable size. The other method con- 

 sists in beginning with as many ewes as the farm should maintain 

 in the system of farming being followed. 



For the beginner with sheep, the first method is the better, 

 particularly if he has had little experience with other classes of 

 livestock, because in the small flock the performance of individuals 

 can be studied, while in a large one observations have to be limited 

 largely to the performance of the flock as a whole. When the flock 

 is small the owner can easily become familiar with the character- 

 istics of the best and the worst ewes. He fixes in mind the kinds 

 that produce the largest, fattest lambs and yield the heaviest fleeces. 

 He also takes note of the kind that remain rugged through a long 

 period of profitable production. Then, too, he becomes so familiar 

 with each of his sheep that he develops the power to detect slight 

 disorders in his flock, and this power is a fundamental qualification 

 of the successful shepherd. 



But not all of the advantage lies with the man who begins with 

 the small flock. He who buys a flock of the size he thinks suitable 

 for his farm has assurance of keeping his land stocked more nearly 

 up to its capacity than can he who adds to his flock slowly. 



He also has an advantage in that he can make more economical 

 use of his labor and can market to better advantage. The man with 

 the small flock often is embarrassed in attempting to find an outlet 

 for the few lambs he has for sale, while the owner of a large flock 

 may have enough lambs to justify shipping to a central market. 



Whether the beginner starts with a few or with all he should 

 ever have, really depends on whether or not he counts on perma- 

 nently staying in the sheep business. If his plans are temporary 

 and his intentions more or less speculative, he had better begin 

 fully equipped ; if he aims at permanence he would do well to begin 



219 



