The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-02-05
BEARING SHEEP.


As the wool business has become a
very important branch Of American Lus.
bandry, and is competent Of being m lde
much more so, we shall give few brieI
directions with regard to the "winier
management" Of sheep. Aud il what
we shall say, we wish i! distinctly under
stood tina. we are only presenting a br ei
abstract OF the rules laid down in the
most able work Tie american Shep.
herd" published in 1915, by one of the
most enlightened sheep breeders in the
country, and whose books should be in
the possession Of every sgricnllor in the
country, as without doubt. i, combines
more true philosophy connected with the
rearing ani Management. of sheep. and
more of these unerring results arising
from practical knowledge than any other
ever printed.
Necessity Of Proiectior.-Thers j.,
nothing. says The author, appsrlainiug to
sheep economy, more generally neglect
ed than the provisions OF ample and warm
accommodations for shelter. and from no
other cause does such large losses occur.
Its repeatedly praciised in Prussia. Ger.
many, Scotland. snd the northern part of
England; and every sheep historian re-
commends it. SO indispensable is il held,
that the author Of a Scotch work upon
the subject, lays down this emphatic rule:
"Shel,er ia the first thing 10 he attended
10 in the lwln'er) management of sheep"
rule, whose common sense must com.
mend i, TO the al,piion # every sheep
owner. While every good shepherd i.
decidedly hostile To Their being contine |.
or 10 their being forced into shelter,
whether they wish II or not. il cannot Ice
too strongly recommended 10 ali sheen
farmers. to put the means Of avoiding the
severity Of the stormy weather within The
reach of their iloskS at all tmes. TO il.
lusuaie the advantage of shelter. our au
thor adduces the example Of Mr.. SPOON
es's experience, which we will give in
hto V"H "piuSs TIC riyS.-
"Uniil the last ten wears, the writer's
hocks, like thousands of Others al The
present lime. in this and other States.
were denied The benef, Of shelter: and
the loss, in proportion 10 the severity of
winters, varied from ) TO 10 per cent
The diseases caused By their exposure
were such as the scab, pel'. rot. dysen,e.
~ and colds, which caused an excessi?e
discharge of mucus from the nos,rils.
while many died from no other cause, az.
psren.ly, than sheer pnver,y ofconl,ion.
Since then, his sheep have been protect.
ed. the deaths have not exceeded one and
half per cent. in regard to number, and
IT comparative value were the STANDARD, i, |
would not be considered of any moment.
az the loss has been mostly among dim
nu,ive spring lambs--so from bad nurs.
ing, and old ewes which, from supcrnr.
~ OF fleece or carcase, were retained thus
long, 10 breed from"
Protection materially increases the
weight of the fleece. and improve it's
quality. The comforts of shelter enables
the animal, better. to retain its flesh, as
also, to receive accession, and as a con.
sequence, 10 increase It's fleece. as the Sc.
crelions which! produce flesh and fluids
which inparts growth to the wool. all
proceed from the same source. Blu, as
facts are more reliable than theory. we
will stale tha, the flock Of the winter in.
creased in weigh. of fleece. by shelter
from 2 lbs. S o., 10 9 lbs. 0 o., to 3 lbs.
or, making an aggregate difference in
the weigh! OF the wool Of his flock of
1000 pounds. The wool too, is greatly
improved in sofIness, as also in I've
evenness Of the fibre, properties which
tend much TO enhance lis value in the
market. The superior condition of the
ewes. induced by The comforts of shelter.
materially enhances the number OF lambs
Shelter SAVES Prouender, as animal,
consume less food when exposed to the
inclemency Of the weather; under the LAT.
ter circumstances large portion OF their
food. by the law of necessity existing in
animal economy. being appropriated to
the purposes Of heat. whice under the for.
mer condition would have gone TO The
production Of flesh, muscle and fat.
Eeiing.-iIay is the standard for
sheep feeding, and II is presumed ,h.,
sheep which receive daily, per head, 3
lbs II first quality hay. or its equivalen,
in tina, and other food. can be subsis,ed
in heal,hfrl wool and milk producing
state.
Ca all A.. a.. .....,:-- ef .s.-L