The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-02
e1asss From the Wool Growerl
PRACTICAL HINTS IN SHEEP HUS-
BANDRY.

-HI .f@fs tFrom the Wool Grower1
PRACTICAL HINTS IN SHEEP HUS-
BANDRY.
Allow me. through your valuable jour
nal, to reply to a few questions often put
to us by young wool-growers.
FOULS OR FOOT ROT.
Is it durable, and by what process p
Experience afirms that it can be cured
effectively by the following method
LIST. Pear and scrape the hoof most
thoroughly, Kidding it of all offensive
matter by means of a sharp knife. I'd.
Then apply a strong decoction of tobac-
blue %vitriol, (pulverized, as will dissolve,
to which is added a small portion of spir-
its of turpentine. The vitriol is a caus-
tic-the tobacco is healing-and the
t~urpentine is penetrating. In slight af-
fections, two applications, five or six
days apart, will effect a cure. In several
cases it must be followed up for a few
weeks. I have known sheep that walk
ed on their fore-knees, not being able to
touch their fore-feet to the ground, cum
p~letely cured by this remedy. Remem-
Der that the knife performs an essential
part in the cure use it thoroughly
Butter of anthony, lime, alum, white
lead, ~vitriol, and other caustics, have
been used and failed. The tobacco is
needed to heal.
FOR SHEEP.
Do sheep require housing in the win
ter months? Most certainly no do
nestle animalneeds it more, and none
live hakko- -ak,-n e. kla-a-k1o-- . Ec-
pecially is this true in Ohio and other
Western States, where the winters are
open and rainy, and the weather very
changeable. & Let a flock of sheep be
once thoroughly drenched with rain and
sleet, and then exposed for fifteen hours
to a northwest blast, which freezes the
fleece around them, and consumption
and death will mark many a victim
and ere spring, greatly enhance the
amount of crowbate upon the farm. o
Said an enterprising wool-grower of
Vermont, in our hearing the other day,
az would not have my flock of600 sheep
once thoroughly wet to the hide in
winter, for $50 Rather than suffer
with out food or drink !" The advan-
tages of housing are manifold. LIST
A large per centage of deaths arc avoid
ed. End. Much less food is consumed.
Sd. A much heavier and better fleece is
obtained. 4th. The flock comes through
the winter In a much finer and healthier
condition. 9Th. The lambs are more
vigorous and likely to live. In short,
reason, economy and humanity, all con
spire to teach the important lesson
provide suitable stables for your sheep.
And he who can, and will not do it,
ought himself to sleep barefooted and
alone, on a couch of straw, with open
windows and under a leaky roof where
the winds go piping and careering
through every crack of his cabin, for six
months at least, until he shall have
learned to sympathize with the dumb
beast God has committed to his care
and keeping.
-
November is the month for coupling
the eve and sire. AS five months usually
intervene between conception and deliv-
er every hockmaster can decide for him
self how early to have his lambs make
their appearance. Ohio can adopt a
period three or four weeks earlier than
Vermont. The buck should be kept up
to generous feed during the tipping sea-
son, and allowed to serve from 8 to IL
ewes per day only. One leap is con-
sidered sufficient, and the ewes served
should be taken from the flock and placed
in another field. In IL or Is days, a
flock of $50 ewes can be served by one
buck, with less injury to himself than he
would feel by being turned out to run
with 60 ewes. Again, his lambs come
more vigorous and healthy, from the fact
that they were begotten when the sire
was in proper trim. After the flock has
been all served, turn the buck and ewes
to gether for a few days, to insure service
to any delinq uents. a sS
$50 SALT IN wINTER. v
Place a box in the shed, in a secure
place, where only one sheep can approach
it at a time. Fill this with six or eight
quarts of salt, and it will be found that
the flock will partake of it in such guam
titles, and at such times, as nature di-
reefs. When the box is emptied fill
again. g
DO SHEEP NEED WATER IN WINTER?
They do, most certainly. A Dutch
man of my acquaintance once shut up a
flock of sheep, and fed them on dry hay
and corn, with no water. Within six
weeks several died. Apost mortem ex-
animation came to, the very correct con-
clusion that they died of thirst. His
only excuse was, when Intercepted up
on the subject, that she supposed sheep
could live without water" His sup
position was a costly one, and taught
him an important lesson. He remem-
bers it to the present time. The fluids
of the system must be supplied. Hence
water is highly necessary to the well-be-
ing of the flock.
The kind and amount of grain fed to
a flock of sheep, willbe regulated wholly
by the object in view. For mutton pur-
poses, corn is best, because its properties
are to lay on fat. If growth of carcass
be the object, as it should be with lambs
from four to twelve mont of age, then
oats, peas and beans are the best grains,
as their properties are to favor the
growth of bone and muscle. If wool
be the main object, then wheat and rye,
peas and beans, are the best, as they con-
tain a larger per centage of the constitu-
ent properties of wool than other grains,
and directly promote the wool secretions.
Breeding ewes may be kept In too high
condition to bring a healthy and vigor-
Gus lamb. The error is usually On the
other side. Sheep that are kept up in
close winter quarters for five months, not
being permitted to roam in the fields,