APR 22 1918 



THE PLACE OF SHEEP ON NEW ENGLAND FARMS. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Purpose of bulletin ■ 3 



Conclusions 5 



Present status of the sheep industry in New 



England 5 



How the business is conducted 8 



The profitableness of sheep as compared with 



dairy cattle prior to 1916 9 



The relative profitableness of sheep and dairy 



cattle at present prices 12 



Page. 



Improvement of the sheep industry 13 



Possibility for expansion 16 



Care of sheep in New England 17 



Adverse factors : 23 



Size of flock 25 



Questions of breeds and breed ing 26 



Sheep on large ranges 28 



RAPIDLY CHANGING economic conditions, such as the increase 

 in the cost of commercial feeds, scarcity of labor, and the 

 increase in prices of wool and mutton, have induced many farmers 

 in New England, as well as those in other North Atlantic States, to 

 turn their attention with renewed interest to sheep raising. Those 

 already keeping sheep intend to increase the size of their flocks, 

 while others are thinking of putting on sheep, some to the exclusion 

 even of dairy cattle. Present prices of sheep products are attractive 

 and in themselves likely to stimulate interest in sheep raising, and 

 there is no doubt that there are conditions in the eastern part of the 

 country under which an increase in the number of sheep kept is 

 justifiable. However, no material reduction in the number of dairy 

 cows to make place for sheep should be made without a careful con- 

 sideration of the limitations of the sheep business and the relative 

 returns from each of these live-stock enterprises. 



PURPOSE OF BULLETIN. 



Farm management studies conducted in New England during the 

 summer of 1015 by the Office of Farm Management have made avail- 

 able figures which show what the returns from sheep and dairy cattle, 

 have been on many farms, and which, when considered in the light 

 of present-day prices, give an excellent indication of what may now 

 be expected from each industry. 



It is the purpose of this bulletin to show : 



1. The relative importance of the industry and the place that 

 sheep now occupy on New England farms. 



2. The returns from sheep as compared with dairy cattle. 



3. The more important difficulties experienced by sheep growers 

 and the practices followed in handling these troubles. 



