Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], August 15, 1951, Image 1

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
August 15, 1951
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FALL IS THE ONLY time of year when rangemen are willing
and able to sell their "one and two-year breeders." This is their
own phrase and refers to ewes that are sound in the udder, quite
thrifty and have a fair mouth. It means just what is says—these
ewes will produce one, or perhaps two crops of lambs under range
conditions. They often produce 3 or 4 lamb crops under farm flock
conditions.
Buying "one or two-year breeders" is the most economical way to
begin the farm flock business or to make replacements where the
owner is selling all of his ewe lambs for slaughter. Th*e cost of these
range ewes is usually in between the butcher ewe price and the
younger breeding ewe price. They will be very scarce and hard to
find this fall. A buyer should place his order early and may have
difficulty locating the ewes anyway.
Breeding Programs
There are 3 different breeding
programs which the farm flock own
er may follow. It is strictly his own
choice in the selection of the parti
cular one.
1. Black-faced ewes and black
faced sires (preferably Hampshire
because of availability of breeding
stock).
Advantage of this program include
high twinning, high milk production,
high market lamb weights, replace
ment ewe lamb and high carcass
grades.
Disadvantages include low wool
production and lower wool value.
2. Open-faced, Columbia, Targhee
of cross-bred type ewes. Either use
similar sires for replacement ewe
lambs, or if all lambs are marketed,
use black-faced sires and buy
placements.
Advantages include high twinning,
high milk production, high lamb
weights, high wool production, high
wool value and replacement ewe
lambs (white-faced sire).
Disadvantages include lower car
cass grade than black-faces.
3. Old range ewes. Use sires as in
program number 2.
re
ERS MONTANA AND
NORTHERN WYOMING
à
Advantages include low cost, high
wool value, replacement ewe lambs
(white-faced sire) and few internal
parasites.
Disadvantages include wool blind
ness, lighter lamb weights and lower
carcass grades.
Stay With It
Only the grower can select his best
breeding program but if he does not
stay with it for 8 to 10 years he will
be disappointed.
Soundness is important in farm
flock production. The ewe should be
thrifty in appearance even though
allowance is made for having raised
one or two lambs during the preced
ing season. Her teeth and her udder
are important consideration in
soundness.
First, the teeth. The age of sheep
is only determined by the teeth. The
milk or lamb teeth are replaced by
permanent teeth in the following or
der: The center pair of permanent
teeth appear in the center of the
front part of the lower jaw at
year. Permanent teeth are much
larger in size than lamb teeth. They
are easy to recognize. Eight perma
nent teeth indicate a 4-year-old ewe
tme
i
'
or older and she is called a 'full
mouthed" ewe.
After five years, the teeth com
mence to spread, become very long
(on soft feed) or drop out. These are
called "spreaders,
or "gummers
ply to sheep that have passed their
prime.
Second, the udder. It should be
handled rather carefully in order to
learn whether any lumps are present
and whether both of the teats
normal. If either abnormality
found, the ewe should be rejected.
Soundness
A thrifty appearance indicates
soundness.-Yearlings and two-year
olds seldom show unsoundness. The
broken mouth,"
These terms all ap
>»
are
is
above suggestions are primarily ap
plicable to the purchase of old ewes.
Examining older ewes for sound
ness is a rather expert job. Anyone
can learn it but it takes time and
a good teacher. A "greenhorn" is
wise to admit his inexperience and
employ the services of an expert.
The best idea is for him to go to a
successful, respected range sheep
man and say, "I want 100 head of
one and two-year breeders. You
mark them for me and show me
how and why
We also have high class reputable
sheep buyers in the state. These men
would do the same thing for a farm
flock man and might save him the
(Please turn to page 4)
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