. The Central Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico. Agriculture. The Livestock Industry, Sheep, Wool, Cattle and Stock Feeding OMING next to agriculture, the live stock in- dustry is most important in this region. The vast reaches of public domain in Northern and Western Sandoval county and Western Valen- cia county afford an ideal range for sheep, the mild winters making shelter unnecessary, save in the higher mountain regions where the herds never go save for the summer pasture. Hun- dreds of thousands of sheep are now grazing in this region and the high prices paid for wool and the even higher p
. The Central Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico. Agriculture. The Livestock Industry, Sheep, Wool, Cattle and Stock Feeding OMING next to agriculture, the live stock in- dustry is most important in this region. The vast reaches of public domain in Northern and Western Sandoval county and Western Valen- cia county afford an ideal range for sheep, the mild winters making shelter unnecessary, save in the higher mountain regions where the herds never go save for the summer pasture. Hun- dreds of thousands of sheep are now grazing in this region and the high prices paid for wool and the even higher prices paid for lambs during the past few years have placed the industry upon a very substantial basis. The public domain, however ,is now supporting about all it will stand, according to grazing experts, the allotments for grazing on forest reserves are full and unless he is in a position to control a home ranch with abundant water rights, there is not a great deal of inducement to the newcomer to embark in the industry, unless he buys out some established grower. This, so long as the present large profits continue, is not a common opportunity. The industry, however, is being extended. The tendency is to improve the herds and reduce the number, thus keeping up the weight of the fleece and the lamb while reducing the burden on the range. While there is not much inducement for embarking in sheep growing on the range, unless under the conditions outlined above, there is a very favorable opening for another branch of the industry in sheep feeding for market. Alfalfa makes an ideal food, while the SHEEP FEEDING introduction of sugar beets adds another important food product. Hundreds of thousands of lambs are shipped out of New ]\Iexico every years to feed lots in Colorado, Kansas and further east where the feeders make large profits on the Kansas City and Chicago markets. Men who have studied the industry assert that these lambs could be fed to weight and placed on the market as ec
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectagriculture, bookyear
