822 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



As a usual thing the heaviest losses sustained by the Iowa flockmas- 

 ter are from the ravages of dogs and wolves. The loss from disease is 

 small. Grub in the head does not enter very largely in the losses, but 

 one of the most annoying things to the shepherd is to find that the ewe 

 will not own or care for her lamb. Occasionally lambs are lost at from 

 four to five months old by the tapeworm. Often the season is unfa- 

 vorable about lambing time, being cold and rainy, and those who have 

 not proper protection lose many lambs. It is safe to attribute the ma- 

 jority of losses of both lambs and sheep to the ignorance, carelessness, 

 indifference, and Inexperience of many in the business and the employ- 

 ing of incompetent help. The thoughtful and successful flockmaster 

 has learned how to avoid these losses. 



It is a notable fact that diversified sheep husbandry is an unquali- 

 fied success throughout the State. There are no flockmasters west of 

 the Mississipi)i Eiver who seem to appreciate the value of sheep more 

 or give them better attention, both as to proper care and management, 

 than do the majority of sheepmen of this State. They have clearly 

 demonstrated that all of the recognized breeds of sheep do well, and are 

 a profitable class of stock to handle either in a small way by the gen- 

 eral farmer or as a more exclusive business by the breeders. 



Investigation shows that Iowa Las more pure-bred flocks of the differ- 

 ent breeds of sheep than any other of the Western States. This meri- 

 torious exhibit is highly creditable for the State, and bespeaks a glorious 

 outlook for the permanency and future of the industry. 



Sioux City is the leading live-stock commercial city of the State. The 

 fifth annual report of the Union Stock Yards of this city shows that the 

 receipts -of live stock in 1890 -nere: Cattle, 167,010; hogs, 723,914; 

 sheep, 26,669; horses and mules, 1,636. In 1891: Cattle, 150,912; hogs, 

 397,247; sheep, 22,399; horses and mules, 2,853. The packing-house 

 interests here are more extensive than those of any other point in the 

 State. The Sioux City Sheep Company has recently been organized, 

 and they handle sheep of every description, buy or sell for feeding or 

 for breeding purposes. H. P. Chesley, the general manager of the Stock 

 Yards Company, says : 



The slaughtering of sheep for shipment is a comparatively new industry with our 

 people, as it was commenced in the latter part of NoTember last year, since which 

 time 20,000 sheep have been killed and shipped to various eastern points. 



GENERAL FACTS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY. 



A careful investigation shows that on June 1, 1892, there were 565,675 

 head of sheep in the State, not including the crop of spring lambs, which 

 could safely be estimated at 250,000 head. In addition to the above, there 

 are a large number of western range sheep fed each winter in Iowa. 

 These are started from the western range for the Chicago market, but 

 stop in transit to feed for two or three months. These range sheep have 

 been enumerated in the State or Territory from which they came, so 



