150 Western Live-stock Management 



practically eliminated with the use of high wire fences, 

 but the expenses of handling -sheep are greatly lessened. 

 To what extent fencing will be practiced in this country 

 cannot be foretold, but it is the general opinion among the 

 best informed range-men that, since the most tillable 

 land has been put under cultivation, the next step will 

 be the fencing of those parts suitable only for grazing. 

 There are so far three great obstacles in the way of ex- 

 tensive fencing. The first is the cost, the second is the 

 drifting snow over these fences in the winter, and the 

 third is that most of the grazing land is not under private 

 ownership. 



COSTS AND PROFITS OF A RANGE EWE 



Based on figures gathered in 1914, the cost and profit 

 on a range ewe can be taken as follows : 



Costs 



Interest on ewe at 8 per cent $.40 



Shearing, packing, and marketing wool .15 



Depreciation ^ 42 



1501b. of hay at J fS a pound 75 



Loss on ewes by death 10 



Cost of range (summer and winter range) .50 



Labor aside from lambing 80 



Extra labor for lambing 32 



Upkeep, depreciation, and interest on 



camp tender's outfit 10 



Total cost $3.54 



Income 



10 pounds wool @ .15 1.50 



1 lamb 3.50 



Total income 5.00 



Profit a head $1.46 



1 The yearly depreciation on a ewe was figured as follows : 

 The average price of a yearhng breeding ewe was $5.00. Her 

 period of usefulness would be six seasons, after which she could 



