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Show When he began share herding and his low returns could not even cover his expenses of operating, he had made his first vow and big decision in favor of improved breeding. From that time he sought better rams to breed to his miserably producing ewes-and the very first lamb crop had justified his decision. But even the best rams of that period were inferior to those he was later able to produce through his own breeding program, dating from the establishment of his purebred business through several decades. The big advantage in using a good purebred ram was that he marked his offspring with uniformity--not only in looks, but in flesh and wool. Nothing returned greater profits to range sheepmen than the use of top rams, and nothing was more expensive than a scrub ram. In the early years of the National (Salt Lake) Ram Sale a phrase was coined: "The Ram is Half the Flock", and it became a permanent slogan of the Ram Sale. Many men played important roles in the sheep-improvement success story, and rated at the top of them all were the consignors to the National Ram Sale. John K had consigned to the very first one in Salt Lake in 1916 and maintained his loyalty as a consignor every year during the remainder of his life. 179 |