Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-12-26
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From tho American Farmer.
WINTER MANAGEMENT or sHEEI

everywhere. where the winters are Sc
we're, that sheep should be provided with
good light warm dry shed. In such
locations. shelter, comfortable shelter
should be the first thing to be looked to
in the winter management Of Sheep
We do not think that they should be con-
fined therein; but have access to it when.
ever their inclination, or the state of the
weather should render protection neces-
sary. The sheep she'd should face the
south, or south. east, and open into yard
in which tho sheep might exercise at
pleasure. The shed to be Of such dimen-
sions, AS 10 allow each sheep when stand
log at his rack to feed, from ! 5 to 10 in
ches Of space, racks and troughs should
be provided. The floor of the shed should
be Uttered some inches in depth, with
leaves or straw, which should be increas-
ed or added to, at least once week, so
as to keep tie sheep clean. Protection
from the weather, increases the weight of
the fleece. improves its elasticity and soft
ness, and saves food. Their food should
be Al!ernated between folders, straw,
hay, roots, and grain meal, as change of
diet is conducive to health in their shed
there should he trough. in which a sup
ply Of rock salt should always be kept:
the yard should have pine boughs brought
iuto it At least once week, for the sheep
to browse upon the sheep should be as
regularly watered as cattle.
With regard TO the quantity OF food
per day, Thayer, who is excellent author
i!y, says 81 lbs. of dry fodder for a
sheep daily are necessary, and the great
er proportion Of this in nutritious hay,
compared with dry straw, so much the
better. Who're hay is not plenty, it is
usual to have recourse TO grain-fodder,
oats, rye, and barley are equally good !;
where peas. beans, and vetches are large
ly cultivaled-those may be used. The
grains are given them either threshed or
unthrcshed more frequently they have
the rough grain mixed with cbatf. some~
what muisLened. It is customary also,
especially with the kernels of the lcgu~
minous fruits (peas, beans, &C.. to soak
them others prefer TO fodder with the
pods strewed on chopped straw, &c.
Sheep which have daily ! : ID. of hay and
l 1b. Of potatoes. or ID. of hay and 2
lbs. OF potatoes and some straw, can be
kept in well-Fed and milk producing
state.
Vtit. the professor OF agriculture in the
Royal Institution of Bavaria, says, that
the need Of fodder is proportoned to the
live weight of the sheep, and O. lbs. of
the value OF hay is required daily for eve
~ 100 lbs. Of live weight, to keep the
animal in profitable state.
Spooner. says, shat sheep grown take
up 81 per cent OF their weight in hay per
day. to keep in store condition.
From these opinions OF eminent authors,
it is evident. that the quantity Of food per
day depends upon the size of the sheep ::
80 that the Southdown, which probably
weighs 100 lbs, would require 81 lbs. Of
hay per day, or its equivalent in roots,
or other food, willie the Blackwell, or the
Co'swold. or other largo breeds would
require much more, say S lbs. Of hay
daily, or its equivalent in other food.
Morrell in his American Shepherd, i'll
speaking Of the Importance of green food
Tor sheep, says:
THE feeding Of green food, such as
potatoes, apples, hemlock, or pine houghs,
&c, is strangely disregarded by large
majority Of American sheep growers
This is n prominent point Of attention in
German management; indeed it is thus
in every section of the Continent where
fine wooded sheep are cultivated. The
sheep, in localities suitable to its general
habits, at no period of the year is it So
perfectly healthy and thrifty as during
the season of green pasturage; and from
this the inference should be deduced. that
succulem food is the prominent inducing
cause. Confinement wholly to dry food
does not comport with that vayicty Of con-
diment, which has been SO frequently
urged and consequently, if a provision
is not made Of something else, it will be
followed by disorganized action of tho d.
gestive functions, producing costiveness
and constipation. The disease SO frequent
and fatal in American tlocks. called the
4" Stretches" results from costiveneSs'; but
this is scarcely known in England, which
arises from the large quantities Of succu-
lent food the sheep are supplied with du-
rnr the winter months. In addition to
this, further proof may be found in the
fact that it is never known to attack the
animal during the grass season. The
writer speaks from personal observation,
IN StaNu5 thaI Il supply VI green IoOu IS
indispensably necessary asa Preventive Of
this disease"
elm addition to green food operating
thus, it has tendency to increase the
wool and yolk secretions, and thereby
those valuable properties Of wool, such as
elasticity, so(lness and soundncsS, are in
creased and perfected ; and withal being
conducive 10 health, the condition is i'm
proved, and consequently an augmented
quantity OF wool is a certain result.
To PRESERVE SMOKED MEAT.-How Of
ten art we disappointed in our hopes Of