Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-06-22
Sheen Husbandry.


Mr.. A. r. Perkins of this Stale, a we'll
known breeder Of sheep, read useful essay
before the Vermont Board of Agriculture,
from which we make few extracts:
Good sheep husbandry costs less than
poor, and pays threefold more. Good sheep
husbandry consists in great measure in
doing the right work at the right time.
Thus, If we shear sheep, we do 1t in season;
do not let them wear their fleece a month
after il has become burdensome to them.
June is one of the best months in The year
for sheep 10 thrive, if they are shorn. 1t
costs less TO house a flock OF sheep that are
just shorn, before a storm, than it does to
cart them 10 the barn when they are be-
numbed and chilled. 1t costs less TO mend
the fence before the sheep get into the hab-
1t of being unruly, as we call IL. 1t costs
less TO cut and cure the hay in season and
when the sun shines, than it does TO do it
out OF season and in rainy weather. If from
any cause our hay is poor, it costs less to
feed some grain in season, than it does to
let the sheep lose flesh and get poor, and
then spend our time in nursing and doctor
ing them. 1 think there is proverb
which is, that good food is cheaper than
doctors. Without pursuing this subject
further, repeat that good sheep husband
ry costs less than poor, and pays threefold
better.
A flock Of sheep require but little care
during the summer months, except that
they have plenty of good feed and salt, and
are seen to that none of them are sick or
diseased. The principal work to be done
In this season is TO raise suitable quantity
Of roots, &C., and cut in the proper season,
aud cure we'll, and store the necessary sup
ply of hay and grain. Roots, apples, and
pumpkins are necessary, TO some extent,
for the sheep in winter, not only on account
the nourishment they contain, but to
supply the lack of green food, and 10 keep
the sheep in healthy condition.
The cutting of the hay in proper season,
and cutting we'll, and storing the same, is
one of the essential points of good sheep
husbandry. Ii, from any cause, we fail to do
this, oursheep the next spring are poor and
weak, and we have bad luck in raising
lambs, the sole cause Of which is, that the
sheep during the winter have been eating
poor hay, and vainly endeavoring 10 OBJ
tain from the same their necessary amount
Ofnourisbment which the hay did not con-
tain. Coarse and rank timothy makes fair
sheep hay If it is cut few days before it
begins 10 blossom, and is we'll cured.
Nearly all kinds of low lands aud swamp
hay are good sheep hay, If cut in season
and we'll cured. Sheep prefer variety of
good hay instead of being confined TO one
kind only.
Lambs should be weaned when they are
four months old, and turned into good feed.
Ifthey are fed daily, in addition TO good
grass and hay, one pint of cats and shorts
apiece, until they are turned out to grass
next Spring, they will have good start
toward making sheep with a good consti-
tuition. believe il TO be a fact, if we would
raise sheep with good constitutions, we
must supply them literally during their
growth with that kind of food that " i'll fur
nish them with the necessary amount of
bone, muscle and strength.
Sheep, and lambs In particular, should be
housed during cold storms in the Fall and
be fed with Ray, which they should learn to
eat before they are entirely deprived OF
grass. All kinds of sheep, and breeding
ewes in particular, should come TO the barn
in good condition in the Fall, This Is ne
cessary in order that they may well de-
velop their lambs. All kinds of sheep
should be allowed to run out upon the
ground daily in the late Fall and early
Winter, as long rs the ground Is bare. This
Is necessary for their exercise, which pro-
notes health, strength aud yigor. A rea-
sonable amount of exercise is necessary for
sheep during the entire Winter and Spring.
Sulphur aud ashes should he fed to sheep
with their salt during the Winter. Sulphur
is healthy for the sheep, and is offensive to
vermin.
Ashes are also healthy and are essential
for breeding ewes. presume that some
OF you have seen lambs that when they
were first dropped were strong, their dams
gave good quantity Of milk, yet, in a few
days, the lambs would begin 10 droop and
finally die. II you were TO open the stom-
achs Of such lambs, in some cases you
would find them packed and distended
with hard curds, which were the cause of
their death. The remedy for this is 10 feed
tho breeding ewes with some kind OF a
mild alkali, like ashes, for some time pre-
vious to their being dropped.
Sheep should be turned out upon the
ground daily. as soon as there is spot bare
large enough for them to stand upon, for
the air in their pens and stables is general
ly impure, and no amount of good feed
will supply the lack Of good air and exer-
else.
There are various diseases which sheep
and lambs sometimes have, and troubles to
encounter in breeding sheep. There are
causes for all these. II should be one Of
the Studies of the sheep breeder TO learn
what those causes are and how to avoid
them .. when We do that we shall have good
luck In sheep husbandry.