6 Maine Agricultural Experiment Station. 1918. 



The Flock during the Year. 



When the sheep were put into their winter quarters the 

 first of November, 191 6 there were 90 head consisting of 38 

 of the original purchase ewes, 7 ewes born in 1914, 22 ewes 

 born in 191 5, 20 ewe lambs of the spring of 1916 and 2 thorough 

 bred Hampshire rams and 1 Hampshire buck lamb. The 67 

 ewes gave birth to 79 lambs of which 74 were vigorous and 

 were raised. During the year, and chiefly in the spring 10 of 

 the older ewes died. Two died in lambing, 2 from grub in the 

 head and 6 from undetermined causes. The general health 

 of the flock was excellent. The sheep that died were in poor 

 flesh and lacked in bodily vigor. The clip averaged 6.3 pounds 

 for the flock, ewes, ewe lambs and rams. It was sold for 65 

 cents a pound. 



The buck lamb obtained in the fall of 19 16 in exchange 

 for 2 ewe lambs was not promising as breeding stock and was 

 sold for slaughter. One of the old rams had been lacking in 

 vigor since the winter of 1916-17 and died in June. Two full 

 blooded Hampshire rams were purchased. One of these cost 

 $35 and the other was bought for $25 and a ram lamb. This 

 is the one inventoried at $40. During the year 58 head were 

 sold. At the close of the year, October 31, 1917, 98 head 

 were put into winter quarters. The flock at that time con- 

 sisted of 23 of the original purchase ewes, 7 ewes born in 1914, 

 19 born in 191 5 and 16 born in 1916 — 65 ewes in all — 30 ewe 

 lambs born in 1916 and 3 full blooded Hampshire rams. 



The Expenditures. 



The inventory of the flock is at a much lower price than 

 they could be purchased for or than they would be sold for. 

 This bears only slightly on the experiment as the numbers of 

 the sheep are kept fairly constant year after year. Rather more 

 sheep were carried through the winter of 1915-16 than would 

 usually be the case. 



No account is taken of the feed consumed from the 3 

 pastures aggregating about 100 acres. Nor is rental charged 

 for land used in growing crops such as rape and turnips for 

 the use of the sheep. The concentrated feeds are charged at 



