Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-08-08
Stock 8aising.
LONG WooLED SHEEP.
A Paper read by II. G. Hill, Esq, of Elmore,
before the Farmers Meeting, Worthwhile
january 81, 1s72.

| ~
before the Farmers Meeting, Worthwhile,
| january 81, 1874.
In writing this paper shall cOn6ne my
self exclusively to the Cots,oOld Sheep, as this
is the only breed have had any experience
with. l shall not attempt to write any but
my own experience aud observation.
Henry Comau in his work upon European
Agriculture, (which was written about lS4O)
says: The cotswolds are coarse-wooled,
coarse-boned sheep, who have their partlzans
in particular districts, but have not attained
the enviable distinction Of being cultivated"
However some of those lately imported show
very uneven fleece For a number Of
years past there have been many attempts
by the farmers of Vermont to breed these
sheep, which have in most cases failed They
found it took too much care to keep them
up. The reason for this is plain; they buy
of fancy breeders sheep that have been over
fed and kept in forced condition for many
generations. The farmer gets hot-bed, and
no amount of care will keep them up, and
they run down and die seemingly without a
cause.
Over-feed is by no means the only cause
of destroying the constitution OF the sheep.
Short feed, aud exposure to wet and cold will
destroy the constitution Of the hardest flock.
To breed up u constitution is work not to
be desired by any farmer. 1t will be found
to be much more profitable to purchase sheep
from flock that can show a good profit, for
years; for the flock can show this without
constitution.
In starting flock the FIST thing to be
considered is constitution, the second is con-
stitution, and the third is constitution ;
without constitution there can be no profit.
The next thing to be considered is opposition
A quiet peaceable sheep will fat much easier
and with less food than a nervous, restless
one. There is more in this last consldera-
ton than is generally supposed. (The
cotswolds are noted for their quiet, peace.
; able disposition.) In shape they should
have straight, fiat back broad, deep chest
: short legs, with fine, small head. Avoid
large, coarse-bOned sheep they will not feed
with profit. the fleece should be long ant
open, soft aud fine, with good luster /; they
should be we'll wooled all over with an ever
: and heavy fleece. When young they should
Il have good foretop, aud the skin light pink
). Our constan! aim should be to improve
d Great care should be taken in selecting
g bucks, Il have no fears of paying too mucf
for good stock getter,) and when you get
n good one he should be kept as long as hi
. stock is satisfactory, lin this way flock ca
l. be got that is uniform.
n There is great improvement in crossin
3, our common ewes with a cOtswold buck
e with this cross we increase the fleece both
o weight and quality, and value of the mutton
10 at least one.third. 1t is an erroneous ide
% that the farmer cannot afford to buy a fu
r blooded buck,-- certainly cannot afford
& do without one, even if be has but sma
flock. A buck should be kept in good col
dition at all times, aud never be allowed
run with the flock. The ewes should be
a thrivin ng condition at coupling time. Ew
will thrive and do well on good hay, howev
few roots daily are beneficial. (If my hG
is good feed no grain until after yeaning
IS if not very good, one gill OF oats day
z When intending to feed grain, VIC shou
q, begin when we commence feeding hay.
BY we have fed no grain to the ewes befo
in yeaning, we should not commence until d
lamb is week old, and then increase grad
Mt ally. feed potatoes and shorts after yea
n ing II is very easy matter TO make Il
It, lambs gain pound day, but it is mu
30 safcr for them to grow not more than on
sh half Of that for the first three mOnths, part
80, ularly early lambs. l have had ewes grC
be two lambs, pound day each, but when
his March lamb grows this it is very tender, a
nd is fit subject for paralysis, and is liable
es. rheumatism. The lambs should be fed a
Ity tie grain every day in winter. 1t isve
lid important that they should be well kept
Ite first year. No stock will better pay for 60
ne keeping and care than these sheep, but gr'
ne care should be taken not TO feed too hi
or No farmer should let his flock get wet at
Pc it becomes cold, for many disease is c.
as tracted in the fall by exposure, which she
The itself iu spring. If nature RECEIVERS
er, is with great effort, and the profit Of
lily sheep is much reduced The whole Ac
NIB should be got up every night after it becOr
9 a freezing weather, and little good hay
md them. To drive up flock Of OOtswOlds is
r little trouble; a small child can do it,
OPP cotslOOld sheep need only to be fully and
ST. stood to have them become as indispensa