FOREST AND RANGE RESOURCES OF UTAH 17 



Both classes of sheep are important and popular on Utah ranges, 

 and occasionally one sees herds of purebred sheep. As a rule, when 

 purebred sheep are raised, the owner is catering to the market for 

 breeding animals. This phase of sheep raising has an important 

 place in Utah. It will be discussed more fully later. Often the 

 range bands are composed of ewes that represent a mixture of 

 several breeds. However, the rams used are generally purebreds of 

 one of the important breeds and are usually of high class. A com- 

 mon practice among some sheep producers is to use rams of one of 

 the mutton breeds (generally Hampshire in this State) for sires 

 when the ewes are mostly of wool type so that the lambs produced 

 will have better mutton qualities. All range flocks need some Ram- 

 bouillet blood as a foundation. 



The Rambouillet is the most important breed in Utah. It is 

 larger than the other fine-wooled sheep. The body is of good con- 

 formation and the mutton of good quality, though in both these 

 characteristics the Rambouillet is inferior to the mutton breeds. 

 Rambouillets are very hardy. They keep close together on the open 

 range, so that they are easy to herd. They produce heavy fleeces of 

 very high-grade wool. The ewes are fairly prolific, make very 

 good mothers, and produce strong, large lambs. 



Merinos, Southdowns, Shropshires, and Hampshires are all found 

 in Utah but are not so prevalent as the Rambouillets. 



SHEEP-RAISING METHODS 



There are several methods of sheep production in Utah. Not in- 

 frequently small bands are kept on farms the year round. On some 

 farms there may be only enough to utilize the weeds along the 

 fences or ditch banks, or enough to graze in an orchard or small 

 pasture. Other bands may number up to a few hundred, in which 

 case a pasture or piece of range land adjacent to the farm is neces- 

 sary ; for sheep, like cattle, can not be raised profitably if they must 

 be fed cured forage in the summer as well as in the winter. 



A cooperative method of raising sheep is becoming more and 

 more common in Utah. Small bands fed on different farms during 

 the winter are placed together in the spring to make up bands to 

 graze on the summer ranges. This practice is most common on the 

 national-forest ranges. By it the overhead costs, which are likely 

 to be high for small bands, are cut down. 



Generally when small flocks of sheep are raised, it is not intended 

 that they furnish the entire income of the owner. He usually raises 

 the sheep as one of several farm activities. Sometimes, however, a 

 livelihood can be obtained from a small flock of good quality sheep 

 if the sheep are well managed and cheap summer grazing can be 

 obtained. Barns or sheds should be provided for the ewes during 

 lambing time, and the lambs should be born earl} 7 , generally in 

 February. The lambs will then attain good size and be ready for 

 market by midsummer, while the price for lambs is still high and 

 before it is crowded by range lambs. 



Purebred sheep are often raised in small flocks on farms. Much 

 care and study is given to proper handling and breeding. The in- 

 crease, especially the rams, is sold as breeding stock at much higher 

 prices than can be obtained for ordinary sheep. 

 4166°— 30 2 



