SHEEP IMPROVE THE FARM'S APPEARANCE 23 



Keep Big Blocky Ewes — -Save Best Ewe Lambs 



Sheep that have long, thin, "goose" necks usually have weak 

 constitutions and are poor feeders. Select up-headed, stylish 

 ewes with broad backs, roomy bodies and plump hind quarters. 

 Have them uniform in size, mate them with good rams of the 

 same breed, keep the choicest ewe lambs, and the farm flock will 

 improve in value and returns each year. 



Young Ewes 



There are several ways of getting started with sheep. One 

 way to start is to buy a few good young ewes and a pure-bred 

 ram, all of one breed — this is the best way. It is not always 

 possible to secure good young ewes. The price one would have 

 to pay for them is sometimes prohibitive. 



Old Ewes 



Sometimes the beginner can buy a few old ewes and by giving 

 them good care prolong their Uves and raise some valuable lambs. 

 This is a less expensive way of starting than buying young ewes. 

 This way also requires more care and is more uncertain. Some- 

 times well-bred ewes that are too old to live with the rest of the 

 sheep, with common farm care will live long enough to produce 

 two or three lambs if given a little extra attention. 



Starting With Lambs 



Sometimes the owner of a large flock will sell the small lambs 

 cheaply at weaning time, and the beginner can secure a few small 

 ewe lambs from a good breeder and by giving them good care 

 develop a fine bunch of ewes. A few small sheep placed by 

 themselves and given the run of a farm will develop wonder- 

 fuUy. 



Mixed Ewes 



Many men have started with a bunch of mixed ewes and by 

 using good rams and saving the best ewe lambs had in a few 

 years a uniform, valuable bunch of ewes. 



Cross Breeding 



When cross breeding is practiced to produce mutton lambs 

 it is better to have the ewes aU of one breed and not keep the 

 cross-bred lambs for breeders. This means buying new ewes to 

 keep up the ewe flock or else every two or three years mating part 

 of the ewes with a ram of the same blood and keeping the ewe 

 lambs frotn this mating for breeding purposes. 



