814 SHEEP INDUSTEY OF THE UNITED STATES 



Shropshire, Southdown, and Merino. The age of the buck used is from 

 a yearling up to 5 years old. The usual time for breeding the ewes 

 is during November or December, and one ram usually suffices for the 

 average flock, although in large flocks each ram is given about 50 ewes. 

 The ram is usually kept with the flock from four to six weeks, and is 

 then removed until spring, when he is allowed to run with the flock 

 until September 1. During the breeding season the usual practice is 

 to let the buck remain with the ewes about six hours out of twenty- 

 four. There are some exceptions, the ewes being bred much earlier 

 where it is an object to raise spring lambs for market, and often a greater 

 number of ewes are bred where hand breeding is practiced and the buck 

 is judiciously fed and handled during the breeding season. As the 

 flocks are small and receive proper care, it is seldom that a ewe fails to 

 breed, unless she is very old. The average per cent of lambs raised 

 varies from 80 to 120, the excess over 100 being due chiefly to the great 

 number of twins among the mutton breeds. It is perhaps a safe esti- 

 mate that the average for the State is not far short of 95 per cent, 

 ravages of wolves and dogs not considered. 



The time of shearing occurs during the months of May and June, 

 usually the latter part of May or first of June. In the large flocks a 

 shearer is provided for about every 100 sheep, but ordinarily, if the 

 flock is small, the owner shears his own sheep, using much better care 

 than is ordinarily given by the professional shearer in the range coun- 

 try. The usual practice is to provide a platform in the shed, and pens 

 are constructed near at hand. As each sheep is caught its feet are 

 cleaned and trimmed. It is then sheared and cleaned, the fleece is 

 trimmed, and the long, dirty, and stained locks put in one sack, and 

 the short, hairy tags in another. The main fleece is then neatly and 

 securely tied and put in a shipping sack. The prudent flockmaster, 

 of course, keeps a pair of scales near at hand and all extra heavy shearers 

 are noted, and those sheep producing an inferior or light fleece are 

 marked so that they may be put among the feeders or sold. If at time 

 of shearing ticks are prevalent the sheep are dipped as soon as shorn. 

 The wool is usually shipped at once to some manufacturer in the State 

 or consigned to some dealer in Minneapolis, Chicago, or some Eastern 

 market. The farmer who has only a few fleeces usually sells it to the 

 local merchant, who, when he has secured sufftcient quantity, sells it 

 to the mill or consigns it to commission men. Where additional help 

 is required during shearing the wages paid are about $2 per day. 

 Many of the farmers store their wool in some dry place until they have 

 opportunity to market it. All grades of wool are produced from fine 

 to coarse, the bulk, however, is a medium. The fleeces range in weight 

 from 5 to 10 pounds each, the average for the State being not much 

 less than 7 pounds. The bulk of the wool is handled at Minneapolis, 

 and only a limited number of individual consignments are made to 



