CHAPTER X 

 FATTENING SHEEP WHILE GRAZING 



The points chiefly dwelt upon in Chapter X are the 

 following: (i) Sheep finished on grass pastures without 

 grain ; (2) Sheep finished on grass pastures with grain ; 

 (3) Finishing on western grain fields; (4) Finishing on 

 rape; (5) Finishing on corn; (6) Finishing on peas; (7) 

 Finishing on field roots ; and (8) Finishing on other crops. 



Finishing on grass without grain — Not many de- 

 cades ago more sheep, it is believed, were sent to the mar- 

 kets from the pastures without grain than reached it 

 through all other channels. This condition is rapidly 

 changing, owing to the following among other causes : (i) 

 Farmers are coming to know more and more about the 

 possible profit from finishing range sheep on their farms, 

 both in the fields and in the sheds ; (2) the eiifect in ad- 

 vancing prices inclines ranchmen to favor selling as 

 stockers rather than for slaughter; and (3) the sharp dis- 

 crimination in the prices paid encourages the finishing of 

 sheep in good form. 



When sheep are finished on grass pastures only, the 

 character of the mutton is much influenced by the variety 

 of the grazing. It is a foregone conclusion that, to obtain 

 a juicy carcass, it must be finished on food with more or 

 less succulence in it. It is not to be expected, therefore, 

 that mutton finished on dry western ranges after mid- 

 summer and without other food than the range furnishes 

 would be lacking in juiciness, however excellent its other 

 qualities may be. The large quantities of mutton that 

 came from this source would seem to be so far respon- 

 sible for the comparatively low estimate put upon mut- 

 ton by the masses of our people until recent years. It 

 would not be possible to build up a high national reputa- 



187 



