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 réle 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. 
