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Profits Of Sheep Farming In Nebraska

Profits Of Sheep Farming In Nebraska image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
August
Year
1874
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

j-iie iarmer wno setiies on me lertiie prairies of Nebraska, should make " livestock " a watchword. A correspondent in that State sends us the following encouraging "showing" made by Mr. Myers, of Gago County, a sheep farmer, who has been about four yoars in Nebraaka. Gage County is in the southern portion of tho State ; and a branch of the Burlington & Missouri Kiver Railroad runs tbrough it. Tho land is good and the natural grasses swcet and uutritive, but it is no moro Ulan a fair average of Nebraska, south of the Platte. Mr. Myors thus "figures" the problem of sheep farming in Nobraska, with a flock of 1,000 head:- 100 tona of hay, costing $3 per ton for putting up, $ 300 ; 500 bushels of sheaf oats, f 100 ; shepherding for 8 months, $150; wages of one man for 4 months, f 100; do. one month, 30 ; washing, 6hearing, and packing wool, $200 ; aalt, $35 ; shedding for winter, f 50 ; losses at two per cent., $70 ; total, $1,03,5. By 4,500 lbs. of wool, at 40c. per lb., $1,800; 400 lambs, at $2.50, $1,000 ; total, $2,800. Mr. Myers considers his allowance for expenses vory liberal. He charges hay at too high a figure and tho percentage of loss is not generally so large as stated, as sheep are subject to no disease whatever, on the Nebraska prairie. One man also could take charge of a flock of a thousand during the suiumer months ; and, in winter, one boy could feed them, as it is best to let the sheep run to the hay all the time, and the oats are to be fed in the sheaf. Mr. Myors further claims that if a farmer will do most of his work himself, hiring help only when it is necessary - for harvesting hay, shearing, tfce. - the sheep will pay him $3 per head, as agaiust $2 when help is hired liberally. Mr. Myers estimates his sheep to bo worth $3.50 each. On 1,000 sheep, the investment would be $3,500 ; and as the net profit shown above amounts to $1,765, the retxiru on tho investment is over 50 per cent.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus