128 Western Live-stock Management 



While the rams may be of any breed, the ewes must 

 always carry some Merino blood in order that they may 

 have the hardiness and flocking qualities necessary for 

 range use. One quarter Merino ewes give fair satis- 

 faction but the half blood is most popular and brings the 

 highest price. The ewe, like the ram, must have a strong 

 constitution, strong back, and good feet and straight 

 legs with plenty of bone. She should be at least a year- 

 ling and not over a six-year old and have a sound mouth. 

 To breed ewes younger than one year tends to diminish 

 their size, while ewes older than six too often have broken 

 mouths. Ewes' mouths begin to break at about six 

 years and sometimes before. It is better to fatten them 

 and sell for mutton just before they break. All ewes 

 that have proven to be non-breeders or poor mothers 

 should be taken out before breeding begins, since they 

 are worth more as mutton than as breeding stock. It 

 is customary for the range-men to go over their flocks 

 every fall and cut out all ewes that are no longer fit for 

 breeding purposes. If taken before their teeth are gone, 

 they can be fattened into good mutton, but if their teeth 

 are broken, they will not fatten and must be sold as " cull 

 ewes" for whatever they will bring. Some men mark at 

 lambing time all the ewes that are poor mothers or which 

 do not bring lambs. By fall they will be fat and can be 

 sold for mutton. A popular way of marking such ewes 

 is to cut off the end of the ear. 



DETERMINING AGE 



The age of sheep is determined by the order of ap- 

 pearance of the permanent incisor teeth. The sheep has 

 eight permanent incisors which supplant the milk teeth 



