Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-11-14
Winter Management of Sheep.

Winter management of Sheep.
Much has been said and written in re.
gard lo the successful wintering of
sheep, but one OF the most important
,hnSs may he summed up in two words
love them. II is love for our pursuit
that insures it's success, for that love
ever prompts to constant care and
makes labor pleasure. To those who
have been long III the business, | need
not repeat the advice--take good care
Of your sheep and they will take good
care Of you; but those just starting will
be the gamers Ivy remembering that
sheep well started in. the fall is half
wtutered.
Sheep should have better care in early
winter than farmers are in the h ,hit of
hestowing, Wintoring sheep to make
them live only, is not attended with
profit, let prices rule high or low. Sheep
are commonly neglected more in early
winter than any other farm stock, for
they are often the very last taken from
the pastures.
II sheep 50 into winter quarters IN
declining state, tho result is n demand
for extra feed and care during tho win
ter, and n light clip of wool IN the spring,
When n sheep is thriving, wool grows
rapidly; when n sheep is declining the
growth is checked. Ii kept fat, large
fleece; il poor, ~ light one. Sheep
should have little grain every day,
from tha time grass begins to fail in the
fall until il has y good start in the
spring. would rather my sheep would
have n giil of corn or oats per day from
the middle OF November ill April, than
\ pint day from january till June.
There sAonld he ono object constantly
before tho mind ol the tlock.master,
and that il, to keep his sheep in thriv.
ing condition.
Shelter il one Of tho first objects in
wintcriug sheep successfully. Farmers
often condemn barns and sheds M un-
healthy places for sheep, when il il u
want OF ventilation that does the IN
Jury. 1t IN no argument against hous-
my because some people keep them 40
poorly ventilated ~ To iWure their
shelter for stock, because IL is improper
" used. am no believer II having
,hecp shut up too closely, like warm
comfortable quarters for thom nj night,
hut they should not remain there all
day. They should 90 ont, yet some OK
eroise, and have some sunshine after II
storm. We ought 10 know and appre.
ciato its beneficial effects ON animals,
Too large number of sheep should
not he wintered together. believe
seycntytiyo is enough for ono lot; by
no means let there hu moro than ono
hundred There IN much more danger
of disease in large llocks than in small
ones Tho proportion OF sheep that do
not thrive is always greater in large
llocks than in small ones. The division
should he sde 80 rs to put sheep Of
the Same ,trength together Lambs
should be by themselves, with few
tame old sheep to keep them tame. All
large and strong wCthers should bo 10y
themselves, also all breeding ewes. BY
this System OF division nll have an oqnal
chance which IL impossible whore large
numbers OF all ages and conditions run
together.
Feeding sheep cannot be too carefully
and scientifically done. 1t should be
attended to, ns near M possible, at tho
same time every day. Sheep, above
all other animals, should have u variety
of food. They arc naturally very par
,icnlar about their diet, are fond of
dainty hlts, and refuse everything not
clean and wholesome; they will go
hungry before they will eat musty hay
or grain or that which has been trod-
den under foot.
No other animals should he tolerated
III yard with sheep, for il will only
result in vexation and loss.
Keeping sheepis pleasant and profit
able il attended To properly. Wool is n
sure thing, every year, and brings cash.
II has its ups and downs, but let any
man make up his mind that rono but
his wife or his administrator shall sell
his wool for less than fifty cents per
pound, and he will come out all
right.
have bred all kinds of stock in the
last thirty years. My flock Of sheep
was originally bought Of the Archers,
Of Virginia, and the Lees Of Washington
county, Pa. have no sheep for sale,
but il ! was u young man, and begin
ming with the knowledge have gained,
| would go into sheep and stick to sheep
through thick and thin. Eliot.