White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-02-03
for tge farmer.
sfFrorn the American Agricultural
MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP
BY A MICHIGAN FARMER.


The sheep is perhaps more sensibly
affected by ill-treatment. than any other
of our domestic animals; and It may be
as truly said that none repay the owner
as well for good keeping. and constant
care and attention during Winter. The
losses usually sustained by the country at
large, in consequence Of tie negligence
in the care Of sheep during the feeling
season, is immense. During the Winter
of 1923, friend Of mine lost ~ fine
sheep. lie trusted careless man to take
care Of his hocks, being absent himself
most of the time, and this man neglected
to shelter. neglected to feed properly, to
water, to salt, etc., ETC.. and the result
was 20 rotten pelts in Spring. Another
farmer within my acquaintance lost. du
ring the last Winter and Spring. upwards
of forty, just from sheer negligence. And
1t is 30 the country over-immense num-
bers die every Winter for want Of care.
SHELTER.-Two purposes are served BY
shelters-they save food, and they pre-
serve the wool from the highly injurious
effects Of storms and changes of weather.
Where sheep are kept without shelter,
the wool is wanting in those fine felting
properties, which sheltered wool always
possesses in SO superior a degree. An
old wooden manufacturer once told me,
he could tell without fail, whether sheep
had been sheltered or not, as soon as he
began to work the wool.
Shelter is equivalent to food, in somo
degree. Food is required to keep up the
animal hcat-it is the fuel the stomach
is the fireplace, where it is consumed.
and the body is the house to be warmed.
The warmer a dwelling house is, the less
fuel is required. Even a belt of trees
about the exposed portions saves a large
amount of fuel So with sheep, or other
animals, the warmer they are kept, the
less food is required to preserve the nat
ural warmth of the body. Shelter, there
fore, serves as an equivalent for food to
a certain extent.
Furthermore Good shelters reduce
the losses to mere nothing. The most
successful cases of the winter manage
ment Of sheep, are where the Aocks are
comfortably housed during the entire
Winter and not allowed in the fields at
all. know of cases, where this prac-
tice has been continued for six or seven
years, and TIE losses have not amounted
to more than one quarter of one per cent.
The stables were well ventilated, and
Uttered daily.
FooD.-Sheep need great variety of
food. No animal partakes of so many
different plants, hence they are fond of
change, even from better to worse, some
times, rather than to feed on one kind
continually. A constant adherence to
dry food, the Winter through, is sure to
engender the ailment known as stretches,
which, if not attended to, often proves
fatal to sheep. A feed of roots, apples,
or any succulent vegetables, three times q
week, will obviate all danger in this d.
rection. To produce the finest and even
est heeees, or an evensized and even
lengthed fibre, nothing is more important
than good food, and an even condition of
flesh throughout the year. Fat at one
time, and poor at another, will surely
produce an uneven fibre, and materially
injure the qualities of the wool for most
manufacturing purposes. High feeding
as certainly not favorably for the growth
Of the finest wool. Ruta- barga turnips
in large quantities, fed to sheep during
the Winter, injure the quality of wool
for fine fabrics, and SO does Indian corn,
when given plentifully. These articles of
food .sparingly do little harm other
grains, roots, and beans are preferable.
WATER.-Many farmers hold to the
notion that sheep need no water during
Winter but surely there is no ground
for it, for no animal drinks more freely,
oEwith a better relish and it is as es-
.seatial to their health and condition, that
they have full supply regularly. as that
they have full supply Of good food reg
ulsrly.
Every good and experienced flock
master knows how important it is, to
keep sheep up in, good condition in the
Fall, and to have them come to the sheds
at this season in full flesh and health.
No animal is so hard to bring up again,
alter becoming poor, as the sheep. In
deed, having had the experience myself.
l speak feelingly on the subject. There
is nothing more unsatisfying, than the
very humane occupation of nursing up a
poor, weak, diseased animal, which has
been reduced, and brought upon the sick
list by ones own careleSsness and neglect.
Conn STALKs.-The best time, place