The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-10-21
department
PREPARING FOOD FOR SHEEP.

run, when they will do we'll for a few
days., provided it has not been fed too
short during summer, and then changed
to uucroppcd moving fields, when they
will do a benefit rather than damage to
the next years crop, if there is a good
second growth of grass On tie ground.
Our own practice has been not to turn
old sheep on the moving but little, as the
lambs are weaued in 8th mo-, (Aug.)
aud they crop. the fields, whilst the old
flock have the whole run of all the pas.
lures and are fed for several weeks from
case these fail before snow falls, the flock
is taken in at night and fed with hay,
aud returnd 10 the pasture next morning.
When SNOW falls, tie flock must be taken
in imn. lately. [ know farmers who
take no pains TO feed their sheep for
days or even weeks after the ground is
covered with snow, unless it be deep.
Now this is cruel to the animals, as
we'll as a loss to the owner, by the flock
losing flesh rapidly, and every dollars
worth lost in this way will cost him two
to replace. When cur flock is in for
winter quarters, the lambs are kept sepa-
rate, rams also, from the main flock of
ewes.
Commence feeding on good hay, and
continue this feed to lambs through the
winter. After a week or two, bat not
until the weather is pretty steady cold,
we commence feeding morning aud neon
with straw, evening with one bushel land
more if we have them Of ruth bagas to
25 sheep, and IS much of our poorest
hay (Which is not very bad) they will
eat clean. | think it very important to
the interest of the farmer, humanity al
so requiring it, that all domestic animals
lie down these long, cold winter nights,
with ihair stomrchs well filed with sub
sxRlal food, in warm we'll Uttered stalls,
stables or cotes.
Some winters hen We have had more
straw than could be fed out twice in the
day, we give straw at night, not omit
ting to increase the ruta bagas, or give
some grain, as hold, aud after many
years experience it is in my mind a fix
ed fact, that all our stock, though it
does not work nor give milk, must, to
make the keeping of it profitable, have
winter feed equivalent to as much good
hay as it will eat without waste.
4 change OF feed is vecy acceptable
now and then, as the haplm ofpeas, beans
and vetches, buckwheat aud corn stalks.
Our flock is never kept 50 short as to eat
any kind of straw clean, and the refuse
after using literally for bedding, all The
stock on the premises daily, is deposited
in 4 large loft over the sheep, for next
summer and fall use.
Straw feed should be discontinued to
breeding ewes one month at least, before
yearuing time unless we have a large sup
ply of roots, and some grain to feed,
sufficient to increase their strength, and
the secretion Of milk at this Important
season. We have never fed but very
little grain, bat u baga turnips liber-
ally, aud, as we think, to very great ad-
vantage.
The question is frequently asked, "Do
not turuips weaken your sheep, and in
jure their lambs?" No, and l am tempt
cd to relate a case in point, to prove it.
Some twenty years ago, the ioxes were
very destructive to young lambs, and
those dropped in the pasture were very
likely to be taken by them. Having,
say 20 or so ewes that had not y~carned
when the main flock was ready 30 turn
off the pasture, we concluded to keep
them up in a large we'll ventilated shed,
where the air could be let in on all sides
in fair weathar, feeding with as many
turnips as they would take, aud the best
of hay, without grain. The lambs were
strong, and SO were their mothers. Civ
ing plenty of milk.
Straw feeding being over, best hay,
takes lis place with turnips as before,
49,. 5000 -. L. -, H. 800 III-ol,- 70,
hold out, until grass has grown a small
bite, and the gro@ud becomes somewhat
firm, when they are let out a part of
each fair day, near about home, until
feed in their pastures is sufficient to sup
ply them when they are turened of, bat
are careful to take them in during
cold storms fer weeks after.
Pure water is indispensable fer the
aud thrift of the flock, aud this
mus, be within their winter enclosure,
and if convenient under shelter, as they
like to drink q little several times a day.
Salt should be kept constantly by them,
both winter and summer. We find that
a flock Of $50 consume from 5 to 6 quarts
per week, when fed on straw and turuirs
on hay, as we put "a few quarts to
a load when putting it in the now
SulpEer is miEed with the salt frequently
the year round, and wood ashes some
times in the winter. Our flock is, and
has been for years, uniformly healthy,
losing one by any disease, or more
than one lamb in the hundred.
From the beginning until past mid
homlpck and white pine bougbs,
are every few days placed in the yards
where the focks can browse on them,
they DO with great avidity, and
much to the preservation of health.
When [ first commenced keeping
the p%rsctice universally prevailed
as far as I knew, offecding on the snow. !
ice or bare ground, as the weather might
be. [ found there was a great loss in
this way, and scoa set about putting up
racks and cribs. !
But the greatest loss Of outdoor feed 5
ing is in rliny or thawy weather, which I
occasionally happens in winter, aud the |
most of the two last months before go
ing to pasture. At this last season of
feeding, l have seen ioeks tread uH2er
and waste as much good hay as
would, if fed, keep them in good condi-
ton, whilst at the same time they were
growing weak and losing flesh.
Some farmers think their sheep would !
be diseased If fed under cover, and pro- :