Sheep Farming in Southern Scotland

Southland Times, Issue 12013, 2 May 1892, Page 4

Sheep Farming in Southern Scotland

«_ We quote the following article from The Live Stock Report of Messrs Clay, Robin jon, and Co., the great cattle salesmen of Chicago :— While in old days Leicester and Cheviot sheep were the great border breed*, and still continue as the real 'Simon pare' animal?, Still in popularity and numbers they have had to give w&y to the crosses betwixt them. Of these the 'half-bred' is the most popular, and to all intents and purpose* may be calle -t » distinct olass, scarcely being raised to the honour of a breed. On many places halfbred 'rams are put to half-bred ewe«, but whereat is practicable ewes of the first crcß» are used. This grand class of sheep combine in one, good carcases, heavy wool, hardiness and early maturity. The vale of the Tweed, with its numerous tributaries, is the real home of the above. In late years the grassy outspnra of the Cheviot, the wide-sweeping heather hillsides of the Lammermoors, have been brought under the influence of the plough to provide tnroipa and oats as the winter mainstay for those flock*. From 1840 to 1875 the transformation went on; the greenery of the mountain side became solid brown in the springtime. The beauty was lost, but the profit was greater. Latterly, however, the matter was overdone, and many acres of land were broken up which would have been better in the permanent grass which nature clothed it with. Some eight miles from Kelso, near to the ancient village of Tetholm, famous for its gipsies and scenery, lies the t arms of Tetholm Mains and Halteiburn. For years there has been a Oalder tenant there; men skilled in the culture of the soil. The farm consists of 1450 acrer. The low lands border on the sooth a beantif ol stream called the Bowmont. In this vale the half-bred sheep has attained its greatest excellence. Further down the •tream lies Ktlham on the English side of the Border, famous in years gone by for the r — tual sale of draft ewes and yearling wethers. At the river side the elevation is about 120 feet; a strip of beautiful haugh land devoted to permanent pasture of the | richest kind borders the stream. Then the f -went is very rapid to the highest hilltop, some 1500 feet above sea level. The land is cultivated to an elevation of 800 feet, above that are primeval pasture lands. In round number?, 750 acres are arable, aod this amount of land is practically farmed under the six and seven year course — first year oats, second turnips, third wheat or bar ley, fourth, filth, sixth, and possibly seventh years in grass. In this way fully one hundred seres of turnips are raised every year. The soil all over is gravelly and light, but very productive when generously treated. All of the farmyard manure is nred on the tarnip crop, while over and above artificial manure*, consisting of 8 owt. of Albert Thompson's Pkocphate Powder, 1 cwt. nitrate of sods, and 2 cwt. of salt sre added, the total cost being about 355, or 6 50 dols per aore. The crop this season is splendid, and the results are obtained at a moderate cost. Very interesting also is to get from the tenant the amount of grass seeds used. These are invariably sown with the wheat or bailey in the spring, and American farmers caa tske a lesson from long experience, as his farm resembles very closely, in respect to climate, many Illinois, Jowa, and Nebraska pkee*. It is subject to drought, and much of it is wet; fthe natural drainage is good; but the Artificial part of this basinets has been somewhat neglected. The mixture is as follows : 21b Cow graas clover. 2 „ Welsh red „ 2 „ White „ 3 ,. Yellow „ 2 „ Alsike „ 15 „ Italian Byegrass 5,, Perennial „ 10 „ Timothy 6 „ Cocksfoot or orchard grass The, cocksfoot does excellently on the dry soil, while timothy suits the wetter spots. The Italian rjegrass in valuable, because it comes early, and is of fine quality. To work this place, eleven horses are ustd — Clydesdales with a dash of blood in them. No cattle are fed, but about sixty bead are wintered and sold either in the spring or fall. Calves are lasd in at £5 5s (2,100 dots.) per head, and generally sold at £11 (55,000 dolsj to 120.0 dols. (60,000 dols) per head. The farm is devoted to sheep, and from them comes the profit. This season prices have been low, and the amount resized has been meagre in comparison with the capital used and energy expended. Our subject, however, does not deal with profits or of numbers ; it is the system we are after, and here we see it is worked up both scientifically and profitably. On the high land a stock of Cheviot ewes are kept. They are bought in from neighbouring farms or at sales as five-year-olds and kept two yearr, after which they are sold either for breeding or feeding purposes, generally the ladder. This »t;ck never receives any extra care. They run on the bill, and receive only a small amount of hay in snowy weather. A Leicester ram is used, being put to the ewes tboat the 20th of November, so that lambs come about tbe 20th of April. The ewrs are specially selected for their size, and the re«nlt is a very fine clan of half-bred lambf. The ewe lambs are kept for breeding purposes on the cultivated lands, while the wethers are generously treated all winter, and are told either fat in spring — those that are not good enough for mutton Me so\d to feederr. Sheep bred in this way are exceedingly hardy: When Mr Calder kept half-b.eeds all over his farm, he was under the necessity of having more horses, giowiag nrore tarnip*, larger expense consequently, rid what wes probably the wont feature of his whole system came in the shape of a 12 per cent loss among his young stock, j while to-day the average is but 5 per cent per annum. Followisg up the history of the lav bt, they are weaned about the first of August, then sent to a summer hill for about a month some distance from tbe farm. This change acts like sending an inland person to the sea. When they come back they are placed on the cultivated lands and are generously treated, getting ± lb of cake o corn per day. As said above, the wethers ar fed. The ewe lambs are, therefore, separator from the above about the 15th of Ootober, car narked, and pot on to turnips. ' White Globes' are first eaten, as (hey are not so strong in feeding properties. In fact, tbe management of this class of stock during the first year of its existence needs great ekil', and Mr Calder says that by using a moderate amount of artificial food good results are obtaired. When eighteen months old tbe above are pnt to tbe ram about the 20th of October, and lambs come about the 20th of March. Three crops of lambs are takm, and then they are drafted and sold, generally to go south, when they are five and a half years old Tbe system used with the ewes is as follows : — Just before rutting time they get a generous supply of tornipp, about a half ton to the one hundred head, laid oat in the fleldr, or sometimes they are folded on the turnip field five hours peT day, and allowed to graze the balance of the time. From the first of February till lambing time they get as many turnips as th*v can eat, and after that tbey goto th* d ; fferent irclosures, also receiving a geuerou* amoant of extra ford , what it is dfpetds upon the site of tbe turnip cro;s during the wmler, Dnringthe manner ibry prrzo the various inclusures under cnltiv»ti n, which are planted with t»e mixture of gras«es pivn above. UecFriliy m the fall, afier the lambs have been takm from th-ir, they are sent np to the higher lands to graze for a couple of months. One hundred rwes produce on an average one hundred and forty Isrnbc. a Leicester ram has again been used, the produce is a three parts «g?d animal. Those a c sold betwixt the 25th of July and 15t» of August to feeders. Last ye*r they avfrage^ 25 « 6d 635 <*o1».) per bead, this yfar L'Oi (5 00 dols ) Tee draft ewei go about the nniJdlfi of September. Last year they averaged 25 1 (18,00 dols). per head, this year 39* (9.75 dol*.) The clip of wool averages 4J Ib*. per head, and w.s sold this season at «a (18 ct«). per 10. for that from the ewes, while Urt (22 cts.) wasobUinel for the wtther side of j trie account. Ihe L*ic«t*r rams are bought in at the annual sale at Kelso. La*t jeer they cost £10 (50,00 dnls.) per brad, this year they average £7 10s (37.50 dol«) The usefulness of a ram is about tk-.-e' yeais ; after that he iff drafted to the butcher.