Chapter 12 (continued)

This was also an important way to keep the ranch safe and clean.

During fermentation, the thermophilic anaerobic bacteria in the pit multiplied rapidly and released heat, killing bacteria, viruses, parasites, and parasite eggs in the manure.

Only after disinfection would the manure no longer endanger the ranch's soil, water, plants, and animals.

With the weather hot now, it would finish fermenting in a little over two months.

He didn't grow much on his ranch and couldn't use that much manure. Once it was ready, he could simply call someone from a nearby factory to collect it.

Although it wouldn't sell for much, having someone take it meant he wouldn't have to worry about all that manure. Shi Wen was quite satisfied.

The morning sun beat down on Shi Wen's back, making it hot, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

He had just finished dumping the manure and hadn't yet put the lid on the fermentation pit when Heiwa began barking loudly on the other side of the ranch.

From the sound and frequency of the barks, Shi Wen knew someone must have arrived.

He hurriedly set the cart aside and went to the ranch gate to see.

From a distance, Shi Wen spotted two familiar figures: Zhang Deyuan and Fu Meng, whom he had just seen yesterday.

Thinking of the message Fu Meng had sent the previous evening, Shi Wen figured he had come along to keep Zhang Deyuan company.

He hurried forward, calling out as he walked, "Why didn't you call me?"

"We were just about to," Fu Meng said. "Then we saw you coming over from a distance."

As he spoke, Fu Meng slid back the bolt and led Zhang Deyuan inside.

When they met, Zhang Deyuan handed Shi Wen the gift box he was carrying, an embarrassed look on his plump, swarthy face. "It's a good thing you told me yesterday. I had a vet check them, and he said it was bluetongue. It's somewhat contagious. If you hadn't told me, I'd have suffered heavy losses."

Shi Wen smiled and tried to decline. "I just noticed something seemed a little off and mentioned it. I didn't really do anything."

Zhang Deyuan insisted on pressing the gift box into his hands. "You still did me a huge favor. My sheep are being treated or quarantined as needed. That's nearly all taken care of, and the situation is under control. You deserve a lot of the credit, so don't stand on ceremony."

Seeing them going back and forth, Fu Meng changed the subject. "Shi Wen, how did you tell there was something wrong with the sheep? Sikewell said they were still in the incubation period, and even he wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't examined them carefully."

Zhang Deyuan was curious about that too and stared at Shi Wen, waiting for an answer.

Shi Wen really didn't know how to answer. He could tell when something was wrong with livestock purely by instinct.

It was like how ordinary people might not be able to tell if livestock were sick, but had little trouble noticing whether a person was ill.

It was the same for Shi Wen. Sick livestock were a little off one way or another, and he could tell at a glance.

He thought for a moment, then said, "They just seemed a little off. Those sheep looked pretty listless, and their faces seemed a little swollen too. They weren't quite like the healthy sheep around them."

Zhang Deyuan said admiringly, "You're incredibly observant. I couldn't have noticed that."

Shi Wen smiled. "I deal with sheep every day, so I've picked up a thing or two."

Shi Wen took them to his house for tea.

After they sat down and chatted for a bit, Zhang Deyuan said, "Brother Fu told me you want to buy some sheep. Rams or ewes? Meat sheep or breeding sheep? Tell me what you're looking for, and I'll keep an eye out."

Fu Meng said, "Old Zhang travels all over the area and knows what's available nearby much better than I do. He can definitely find you some good sheep."

Shi Wen said, "I don't have much money, so I'd like to buy some half-grown ewes. Breeding sheep would be best, but if I can't find any, I can raise them for meat and send them to market this winter or next year."

Experienced herders generally had a good idea of what kind of sheep would make good breeding stock.

It was possible to find an ordinary breeding sheep for a bargain, but finding a top-quality one that way was practically impossible.

Those top-quality breeding sheep could sell for tens or hundreds of thousands, even over a million yuan. Given Shi Wen's current finances, he couldn't even dream of them.

Although he could take out a loan and the authorities would give him the green light, there was no real need for that in his current situation. He still wanted to proceed steadily, spend a year or two getting used to things and honing his skills, and only then think about expanding and building a stronger operation.

After Shi Wen explained what he was looking for, Zhang Deyuan fell into thought.

This shouldn't be too hard, should it? Seeing Zhang Deyuan's expression, Shi Wen asked, "Brother Zhang, are they hard to find?"

"No, no, no, don't misunderstand." Zhang Deyuan came back to himself. "You just want to pick through some ordinary half-grown ewes and see if you can find ones with relatively good conformation, right?"

Shi Wen nodded.

Zhang Deyuan said, "I was just thinking, the sheep I bought are local half-grown ewes too. If you want to pick some out, I don't know if it would work for you to come straight to my place and choose from mine. I'll give you the wholesale price."

He could do that?

Shi Wen's eyes widened.

Zhang Deyuan explained, "I bought these sheep to raise for meat. They're all six-month-old ewes, and none of them have been spayed. If you want to pick out some relatively good ewes, you'll definitely find them among mine. You saw them yesterday. They're an old local breed, and their frames and builds are pretty decent. I've already picked through them once, so they're bound to be a bit better than the sheep you'd find elsewhere. I just don't know if you'd think they're good enough."

"How could I possibly look down on them?" Shi Wen immediately caught on and said, "Brother Zhang, you're too good to me. You must think of me as your own brother to come up with that."

Fu Meng chimed in, "Old Zhang is known for being a good, honest man."

Shi Wen thought about it briefly and felt it really could work.

If he bought sheep elsewhere, he would also be picking out the relatively suitable ones from a flock rather than buying breeding sheep outright.

And if he bought them elsewhere, he wouldn't have nearly as many to choose from.

Shi Wen asked, "Brother Zhang, what price do you pay for the sheep you buy?"

Zhang Deyuan said, "I buy them live. The ones I've bought lately have all been nineteen yuan per jin."

"In that case," Shi Wen said, "if I pick sheep from yours, how about I add one yuan per jin and pay twenty?"

Making forty or fifty yuan by reselling each sheep was a decent profit, so the price Shi Wen offered wasn't low.

Zhang Deyuan hurriedly waved his hands and refused. "No, no, how could I charge you extra?"

Shi Wen smiled. "Business is business, and friendship is friendship. Just think how much of an advantage I'd be getting by picking them straight from yours."