86 Barn and Field Experiments in 1916 



ARE SHEEP PROFITABLE IN WINTER ? 



The Station Council, at its meeting- in April 1914, authorized 

 the purchase of grade sheep sufficient to stock Highmoor Farm 

 for the purpose of studying the question as to whether sheep 

 can or cannot be profitably raised in Maine. The sheep were 

 not to be of a fancy type, or be pure bred so that none of the 

 animals could be sold at a fancy price. Nor were they to be 

 early bred to produce "hot house" lambs for the high price 

 of the early market. They were to be just plain sheep such 

 as any ordinary farmer could carry. While care was to be 

 exercised in handling the sheep, no high priced labor was to be 

 used. Nor was a special "shepherd" to be employed. 



The sheep are grade Hampshire, but are so nearly pure 

 Hampshire that only an expert could tell them from pure bloods. 

 They are as fine a flock of sheep as one cares to see. The farm 

 superintendent is an experienced man with sheep and they have 

 excellent care. A year ago the results of the first year's trial 

 were published in Bulletin 246. This trial showed that the 

 sheep were kept at a large loss. This publication led to the 

 receipt of many letters and to the publication of some newspaper 

 articles. It was evident from these that many owners thought 

 they were making money from sheep. But no one was found 

 who was keeping a flock of about 100 sheep who knew from ac- 

 tual figures whether they were or were not being kept at a 

 profit. At the recent convention of the State Dairymen's As- 

 sociation a paper was read that showed a profit on a small flock, 

 but many of the data cited were estimates. 



It is probably true that on most farms a few sheep would 

 be profitable, because they would be cared for in time that other- 

 wise would not be profitably employed, and the sheep would be 

 fed more or less of unmarketable produce and hay. A set of 

 books m which everything was charged and credited would 

 probably not show the balance on the credit side. Neverthe- 

 less, most farmers who are equipped fcr them would be better 

 off with a few sheep, because of the salvage of time and ma- 

 terials that might otherwise be wasted. Thus with sheep it 

 is the same as it is in the case of a fe^v swine, a small flock of 

 hens, a small area devoted to garden crops, etc. With certain 

 well known exceptions, very few of the farm items, charging 



