Proceedings of the Farmers'* Club. 447 



Annual Loss. 

 Leaving out of account the depredations by Indians, the annual loss 

 is so small as to be insignificant. They are subject to no prevalent 

 disease, but an occasional one is poisoned by eating a certain plant. 

 With good herders the loss from coyotes is trifling. The loss is gener- 

 ally graduated by the appetite of the herder. "When a sheep begins 

 to lag behind from age, his days depend on the condition of Mr. Her- 

 der's larder. So that, taking into consideration the fact that herders 

 have to be fed, the loss is actually nothing — and a gain of the hide. 

 I have heard the annual loss from all causes estimated at five per cent. 

 General Montoya makes the astonishing assertion that, aside from thefts 

 by Indians, he doesn't lose more than 100 annually out of his flock of 

 21,000. To give this statement full credit, it is easy to suppose that 

 the Indians generally select the old and infirm of the flock. . He says 

 that the Indians have been very bad until the last year. One year 

 the loss from Indians was estimated at 1,000,000 in the Territory of 

 Xew Mexico. Sheep owners used to calculate upon their entire flock 

 being "gobbled"' every five years, and yet the business paid. 



Natural Increase. 

 The fecundity of Mexican sheep is amazing. In the average flock 

 the majority of ewes will have two lambs, and quite a large minority 

 will have three. They are dropped in the months of April and 

 May — mostly in April. During the month of April high winds pre- 

 vail, and young lambs require some care. Of course there is some 

 loss at this period ; but in August, when they are brought in to be 

 ■counted and marked, they will average 100 to 150 lambs to the 100 

 ewes, according to the condition of the herd. The lambs are then 

 considered hardy enough to be counted sheep. Last year, from 1,900 

 ewes in one flock, Gen. Montoya raised over 3,000 lambs, counted in 

 August, and says he can keep it up ; this, without the expenditure 

 of a dollar for food or shelter. (Think of this, you eastern stock- 

 fanciers, who tremble to risk an extra pound of mutton at the cost of 

 an extra bite of food.) These lambs will increase in the same pro- 

 portion by the next April. For instance, suppose a man to start now 

 (January, 1872), with 1,000 ewes with lamb. In August of this year 

 he will count 2,500 sheep ; and, supposing one-half of the lambs to 

 be ewes, by August, 1873, he would have 5,125 sheep, and by the 

 time the Indians came for their share he would have a flock of — 

 well, count for yourself. 



