Range Sheep 127 



impossible to save very much grass for strictly winter 

 use ; but they may afford a little feed which together with 

 sage-brush and other shrubs will carry the sheep through 

 the winter with but a limited amount of hay. 



THE BREEDING BAND 



The ewe band on the range is usually grade Merino, 

 although the type and general character of the breeding 

 band varies with the motive of the owner. If he is a 

 wool-producer his ewes tend toward the long-stapled 

 dense-fleeced kinds and the sires are usually of one of the 

 long-wool breeds. In case he specializes in fat lambs, 

 his ewes are of the heavier blockier sort and his rams of 

 one of the mutton breeds. In one case fleece is the prin- 

 cipal product and in the other the lambs are considered 

 more important. In either case one cannot be profitably 

 produced without the other. In other words, the breed- 

 ing band is in all cases dual-purpose. 



The sires used on the range are mostly pure-bred. 

 Grade sires are not very successful as they are not able 

 to stamp their type on their offspring as uniformly as 

 pure-bred sires. The sire, no matter what breed he be- 

 longs to or whether his role is mutton or wool production, 

 must have a strong constitution, well-formed feet, and 

 straight legs with strong bone. His mouth must be 

 sound and his head must have the masculinity that goes 

 with the normal male. Some breeders lay special empha- 

 sis on the latter point, believing that a ram lacking in 

 this feature will not be able to stamp his characteristics on 

 his lambs. Rams used on the range are purchased in 

 carload lots, usually from dealers for $15.00 to $35.00 per 

 head. 



