14 



FARMERS' BULLETIN 029. 



experiences of many growers, is convinced that there is much room 

 and great need for the improvement of the sheep industry in New 

 England and that the average grower could, with better care, make 

 the business a much more profitable one, even under normal condi- 

 tions and without the artificial stimulus to prices given by the war. 



INCREASING THE LAMBING RATE. 



One way of increasing profits is by increasing the lambing rate, 

 which, as will be remembered, was only 75 per cent (on basis of all 

 sheep kept and lambs raised) for the year to which the data pertain. 

 This low rate seems due to three or four reasons, all of which could 

 with better care and closer attention be easily obviated. 



In the first place, some breeders are careless about breeding and 

 often fail to get the rani with the flock at the proper time, with the 

 result that many ewes go unbred. Others fail to provide sufficient 

 and suitable feed to keep their stock at all times in good condition, 

 which is as essential at and before breeding time as during preg- 

 nancy. Some fail to give the close attention necessary at lambing 

 time, while still others are careless about the selection of breeding 

 stork, keeping in their flocks small, immature ewe lambs (in many 

 cases selling their best ones) and old decrepit ewes which might bet- 

 ter have been discarded. It is known that loss results from all these 

 sources and that each contributes toward decreasing the number of 

 lambs born, to say nothing of the deaths that occur at and after birth. 

 Also it is believed that much could be accomplished in the way of 

 increasing the lambing rate through selection, retaining for breeding 

 the offspring of the more prolific ewes that are sure breeders, good 

 milkers, and good mothers. 



With closer attention to the factors enumerated it is believed that 

 the lambing rate can be increased so that 100 lambs can be raised 

 per 100 sheep kept rather than 75, as was the case in 1914. In order 

 to attain this standard, assuming a sixth of the flock to be yearling 

 ewes, which in most cases would not be bred, and allowing for a nor- 

 mal death rate of 5 per cent after lambs are started, it will be neces- 

 sary for every ewe of breeding age to raise at least one lamb and about 

 a quarter of the number to raise a pair. Many of the better breeders 

 are already raising considerably more than this number, and the 

 standard seems a reasonable one to strive for. Such an increase in 

 lambing rate (from 75 to 100 per cent) would allow 25 more lambs 

 to be marketed for every 100 sheep kept, which at present prices 

 would mean an increase in receipts of $2.32 per sheep, or $16.24 per 

 animal unit of sheep. 



INCREASING THE CLIP. 



The average fleece clipped per sheep in 1914 was only 0.5 pounds. 

 It is believed that by closer selection of stock, eliminating, as before 



