FARM ORGANIZATION IN SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA 63 
PRODUCTION OF MUTTON AND WOOL • 
The production of mutton and wool per animal unit was fairly 
uniform for the different farms. The low wool production reported 
on farm 17 is due to the fact that 48 mature sheep that were on the 
farm at the beginning of the year were sold just before shearing time. 
They are, however, included in computing animal units, because 
their feed is included with that for the remainder of the flock. This 
fact reduces the wool per animal unit, so that it can not be compared 
with the wool production of other flocks. The low mutton production 
on farm 18 is due to the loss of half of all the lambs born. Most of 
these were lost after they were several months old. On farm 14 the 
loss of two mature ewes and several lambs accounts for the low 
mutton production. 
STANDARD REQUIREMENTS FOR SHEEP PRODUCTION 
As with other minor enterprises, especially where a joint product 
is involved, it is difficult to set up standard requirements for sheep. 
The labor will vary according to the size of the flock and the method 
of handling. The feed actually fed will be determined in part by 
the additional amount of otherwise waste products which can be 
utilized. A reasonable production of mutton and wool to be ex- 
pected under representative farm conditions in this area where no 
unusual losses occur would be 50 pounds of wool and 350 pounds of 
mutton per animal unit. 
DISTRIBUTION OF MAN LABOR ON SHEEP 
Figure 19 shows the weekly distribution of man labor on sheep 
on a farm having 11 breeding ewes. Nineteen lambs were raised 
Distribution of Man Labor on Sheep 
HOURS 
OF 
LABOR 
20 
10 
I $ OTHER LABOR 
B CHORE LABOR 
4us| 
— __J n J ■- 
JAN. 
FEB. MAR. 
APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. 
Fig. 19.— Sheep need careful attention at lambing time in the spring. The marketing of lambs 
takes considerable labor in September and October 
and sold in September and October. The peak load of labor came 
during lambing time in March and April. The lambs also received 
some extra care just before they were sold. The large amount of 
special labor in March was spent in preparing pens for the ewes 
about to lamb. The peak in May consisted of shearing sheep and 
in September and October of marketing lambs. At no time during 
the year do sheep require sufficient labor to interfere seriously with 
any other enterprise. 
POULTRY 
The unit requirements for poultry are presented in Table 43. 
These requirements are for 100 fowls. Pullets and cockrels grown 
and sold during the year are not included in the number of poultry 
on the farm, but their feed is included with that of the breeding 
flock that produced them. The physical product is listed in terms 
