CHAPTER XVI 

 CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP 



Economy of Sheep. — Sheep usually yield as good re- 

 turns as any other class of live stock. The expenditure for 

 buildings and the capital required to become estabUshed 

 in the business are small, the gains made by sheep are 

 economical, and mutton is constantly growing in popu- 

 larity. Besides the mutton produced, the sheep also 

 yields a crop of wool which is often sufficient to pay for the 

 cost of maintaining the breeding animal throughout the 

 year. Sheep are great weed eradicators. They will rid a 

 farm of weeds if allowed to graze over badly infested fields, 

 leaving valuable manure to enrich the soil. If allowed to 

 remain in the pasture at night, they seek the highest ground. 

 In this way fertility is left on the uplands, where it does 

 the most good. 



In parts of England, the farming industry has actually 

 been estabHshed and made permanent by the use of sheep, 

 and lands that at one time were practically worthless for 

 producing good crops are now returning handsome profits. 

 So profitable are a few sheep on many farms where they are 

 fed that the animal has justly been termed " the golden 

 hoof." 



Sheep Feeding. — Sheep feeding is a popular industry. 

 The breeding flock is kept cheaply on the range, where 

 lambs are produced in large numbers. When they reach 



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