.4k
Sheep
Farm,
Inasmuch as sheep are operated
both as range bauds and as farm
flacks on irrigated farms, this re
port will be divided accordingly.
, Itange Slicvp
During the past ten years con
siderable change has taken placo
In the operation of range bands,
notwithstanding the fact that con'
ditlons are particularly favorable
for this operation, limited ot course
to the amount of range available.
Unquestionably, restriction In
graaing permits on public land and
the heavy liquidation required In
readjustment has been responsible
for the tremendous docrease In
sheep numbers on the range. The
following table gives the decrease
tn sheep population in the county
Table 1. Sheep Population
( Kuuuath County
' January 1, 1939 159. 78T
' January 1, 1935 142,868
; January 1, 1938 (7.776
This table has been complied by
aheap operators from actual knowl
edge ot sheep in the county, U. S.
Census figure aad, U. S, Forest
Bervice data. V , .'.
' Sheep permits issued on the na
tional forests for the same period
are as follows: ' ' '
SaMe a. v..'- 1'.-.' . ...
' Forest 1930 193S 1937
Fremont 81,5 77.884 41.798
Deschutes 62.430 40.018 41,934
KOgUe Itl r IV, 434 V.2 f ,UIB
Totals 144,828 127,307 89,748
These forests extend into adjoining
counties but serve to show per
centage of reduction In national
forest permits. It is possible that
farther restrictions will be under
taken In 1938. ,
V Unquestionably some" ranges
have been over-grazed due to
drouth but it would seem as though
the reduction has been too drastic.
This reduction In grazing privi
leges is a major factor in reducing
the sheep population of the county.
Cost of operating sheep tn 1937
is shown in tne following lame,
representing nine bands containing
12,772 head of sheep.
TaMe S. Cost of Operating Sheep
Klamath Oosnty Usages
COST per head "
Labor
Peed
Supplies ....
Taxes and Interest!
Auto expense
Miscellaneous
Buck Service
Depreciation ft Loss
10.91
1.33
0.50
0.35
0.18
0.87
0.25
1.00
Total cost .
INCOME per head
Wool 32.22
Lambs 3.97
$5.17
Total Income 84.19
NET PROFIT per head $1.02
The operating cost on the same
tanda in 1935 was 14.17 per head,
with income of 14.30, making net
return of 13c per head. This indi
cates the wide fluctuation that can
take place.
Notwithstanding the fairly ac
tive advertising campaign, the con
sumption of lamb and mutton has
increased but little troth 1926 to
1125. In 1926 per capita consump
tion. was 4.07 pounds. In 1930 was
6.27 pounds and in 1935 was 4.93
pounds. A more intensive campaign
advertising the value of mutton
and lamb wonld appear to bo a
good investment to sheep opera
tors. " , The average wool clip In Klam
ath county is only slightly over 7
pounds per head. Use of better
rams should increase this to be
tween 8 pounds and 1 pounds. The1
lanrb crop has averaged only about
70 -vot cent at marketing time,
Which might be Increased slightly.
x""f Stiffness in lambs causes serious
Jks at times and It Is recommend
edthat further research be con-dnctN-ftrhrrrva'tO
this malady un
der range conditions. The follow
Inr table shows average lamb
prices for 1921 to 1933, Inclusive,
16
On
Range
for lambs ot 90 lbs. or less, by
months, at San Francisco:
Tablo 4. Average I,niiib Prices
im!ti to IIMJ1,
nc. Sun Fran
Cisco Market.
Good to
Medium
Month
' JJest 1! nicies
Orndo
19.07
7.34
7.75
7.47
7.21
7.44
7.25
7.31
7.12
7.91
8.43
8.22
April
May ..............
June
July ....
August
September ,.
October .
November
December HM
January
February
March
89.85
8.74
8.77
8.64
8.25
8.43
8.16
8.15
8.02
8.99
9.46
9.28
' Winter lamb feeding for Klntn
nth county la recommended oi
there is an abundance ot alfalfa
hay and barley available. Year in
and year out there are many feeder
lambs shipped lrom Klamath
county which might be tod alfalfa
and grain that is also shipped to
outside points at the present time-
Feeding should only be undertaken
on favorable, well-drained feod
lOtS.
the 'oflowlhg is a tabulation of
an average, 80-day lamb-feeding
period: .
Table 8. I0-Day Lamb Feeding
Period Cost
Feeder lambs. 15 lbs. at
llo i...4.2$
21 lbs. alfalfa hay per day
at 18 ton .80
1 lb. barley per day at 120
per ton .80
Salt, per head . .01
Labor ... ,20
Pasture . . .20
2 feed lot loss .. 09
Purchasing and moving .07
Total cost per head . 16.40
Salo ot lamb, 85 lbs. at
8 Vie per lb ...$7.23
Profit per head ......V......1 R3
A 9c selling price would give a pro
tit per head ot $1.25. Theee figures
do not include interest on the in
vestment of lambs, equipment or
taxes on land.
Loss due to predatory animals is
serious and active cooperative
work between sheepmen, the coun
ty and the U. S. Biological Survey
should be established and main
tained. It Is felt at the present time
that there is too much conflict be
tween wild life conservation and
predatory animal control, resulting
in lack of effective work In the
control ot predatory animals. .
Recommendation ft :
1. Range oneratora should nay
more attention to flock Improve
ment and purchase better rams.
2. Conflicting policies of the U.
S. Biological Survey in predatory
animal control and wild life con
servation should be corrected by
that bureau.
3. Winter feeding of sheep
should be undertaken on a more
permanent basis.
4. Curtailment of grazing per
mits should not be undertaken by
federal grazing agencies unless
warranted.
6. Drastic reduction that has
taken place In the last five years
seems excessive and local operators
and executives of the public do
main should attempt to work out a
program adapted to th beat Inter
ests of the county in use of all
public lands.
Farm Flocks
Farm flocks offer sn opportun
ity for Increasing returns on irri
gated farms, the Income from the
farm flock coming when there Is no
other cash Income. Suitable pas
tures on irrigated farms are neces
sary and local pastures could be
Improved by the addition of domes
tic grasses, such as bluegrass,
brome grass, meadow fescue, west
ern rye, alslke clover and white
clover. Pasture lands containing
some alkali might well be seeded
to sweet clover for pasture. Good
pastures will carry from four to six
ewes and their lambs per acre per
season. Rotating sheep on Irrigated
pastures Is advisable for best re
sults. This improves pastures and
keeps down parasites. Treatment
should be made annually on Irri
gated pastures tor stomach worms.
The following table provides Ir .
formation as to approximate c
nr
BLUEBLOOfi -Thit fine ram it
tiockt
of operating farm flocks. This In
formation Is taken from Oregon
8tate Colloga Station bulletin No.
63, "Cost and Profits of Hhoep on
Irrigated Karma" and la revised to
more nearly fit local conditions:
Table 6.' Coxt per 100 Kite., Flock
to' be maintained by buying
yearlings.
Feed and Pasture i....$426
25 tons hay at $8 ....$200
16 acres Irrigated
pasture at $15 .... 225
Lnbor, 360 hrs. at 40c 140
Ham service $30 rnm for
GO ewes 24
Shearing, packing and mar
keting wool . 25
Taxes .. 16
Salt 3
Housing an Equipment 20
Miscellaneous costs Is
IT MLTJf
Alsilce Clover - Red Clover - Alfalfa
and Blue Grass
We Are Equipped to Clean Your Seed
. m Sell Field Seeds, Garden Seeds, Fertilizers,
. Poultry Feeds and Supplies
furphey's Seed Store
422 Main St.
Agricultural Conference Reports
P Hl I,
typical of the typo of !ro$ needed to maintain th .quality of tht
on tarmi and rangos ot the Klamath
Interest, fA of $100 ........ 40
Replacement, 20 yearling
ewes at $7 140
Total cost
...1847
Income per 100 Ewes
1 10 lamba 80 lbs. at 8c... $704
800 Iba. wool at 26e 200
14 cull ewes at $2 28
Total Income ."T...19SS
Net Profit per 100 Ewes ....$ 86
This table Indicates that a good
margin of profit might be expected
on Irrigated fnrnis.
It Is believed that 26 should lie
the minimum farm flock ami that
60 to 100 Is a mors desirable unit
where possible Sheop raising on
Irrigated farms provides sn excel
lent opportunity for junior project
This Advertisement
Is Good for
On Your Seed Cleaning
During 1938
Only One Advertisement To a Customer
Seeds That Crow
Klamath Falls
' 'MS IMS
country.
worki For older boys the projects
In feeding on a commercial basis
often are mors aatlsfactory than
raining purebred sheep. For the
younger members, raising a small
number of purebred sheep la par
ticularly wormwiiiie. rarenis are
urged to encourage the raising of
purebred sheep and the feeding of
lambs where conditions are suit
atilo. Itrt-fltiiittemlallonM:
1. A largo Dumber of Irrigated
farms should eontnln small tiirm
flocks.
2. Winter feeding ot lambs
should be Increased.
3. hoys and girls engaged In
Junior livestock work should be'
encouraged to undertake raising nf
purebred sheep and feeding of
lambs.
Phono 87