122 Western Live-stock Management 



large scale and are seldom kept under fence ; the raising 

 of sheep on the ranges is a business in itself, and is not 

 ordinarily conducted in connection with, or as a by-prod- 

 uct of, any other line of agriculture. 



The raising of pure-bred sheep on the range is very 

 similar to that of raising commercial sheep for wool or 

 mutton. The essential differences come in marketing 

 and in the fact that the pure-bred stock, because of the 

 capital invested in them, require better care. 



The fattening of range sheep on grain and hay is a 

 business confined strictly to those districts where alfalfa 

 is abundant. It is conducted exclusively in the winter 

 time, and is usually carried on in connection with either 

 raising sheep on the range or the raising of hay and grain 

 on the farm. Of the three phases, the first is, from the 

 standpoint of capital invested and number of persons 

 employed, by far the most important. 



FARM SHEEP 



The three phases of the farm sheep industry are : the 

 raising of spring lambs, the raising of pure-bred sheep, 

 and the raising of hot house lambs. 



The raising of spring lambs on the cultivated farms of 

 the West is a business that is conducted on a small scale 

 in connection with other forms of general grain and 

 hay farming. The flock usually consists of twenty to 

 two hundred head. These sheep are never herded but 

 are always under fence and for the most part on culti- 

 vated land. Some native pasture is used, but not a large 

 amount. The sheep are mostly grades of the down or 

 long-wooled breeds. 



The raising of pure-bred sheep on the farm is very 



