Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-10-13
Care of sheep in Summer.
WATER.

Give your sheep plenty of water at
all seasons of the year, and have it &C
cessible by them every day. The mere
fact that they can survive without it, is
no reason why they should be allowed
to suffer for want Of it. 1t is as neces-
sary for their health and thrift as food,
and were it not for the heavy dews
that fall, those flocks that are deprived
of it would certainly die. Where it is
not possible for water to be furnished
in the field by streams, springs or wells
the flock should be driven to the yard
we'll and allowed to drink for some
length of time every night. Where
such is the custom sheep will seldom
frequent stagnant and impure ponds,
and Will, if allowed, remain at the yard
and under open sheds until daylight
when they will return to the pasture
without shepherd. Where they are
permitted the protection of an open
shed they escape the annoying raids of
mosquitoes and are safe from wolves.
If water can not be given more than
once day it should be given at night,
as the dew and an appetite for grazing
takes away the desire for water, and
the claims of thirst do not begin to be
most intensely felt until after effects of
morning feeding are past and the grass
is dry and parched.
While speaking of water we should
not forget that the reason many hocks
are such poor drinkers, is because salt
is not given them in sufficient quanti-
ties. On: is just as essential as the
other, and when a flock is deprived of
either, the other will be sparcely relish
ed Good sheep breeders differ in their
mode of sailing, the most common
practice being to distribute the salt up
on the ground in numerous little piles
once week But we do not think
that method the best or the periods often
enough, although it is by no means
bad pra ctice. Salt placed in trough
or in little boxes near the watering
place, and so covered as to be kept dry
in rainy weather and still be within the
reach of the flock at all times, is about
the best way to reach the wants of
sheep, or in fact any kind of stock
PASTURES.
This is a feature of sheep husbandry
that should not be carelessly consider
ed, and for two reasons. First, the well
fare of the stock depends upon good
grazing, and they canrot be expected
to yield a profitable income if COMPEL
ed to feed upon briers and pick living
along fences and stone piles, or roam
in large fiocks over barren and over
| Stnrln cd fold SAan,-l he, fol, &c
the land demands that it shall not be
so robbed of its vegetation, that it can
not sustain healthy growth of grass.
The hardihood of the merino sheep is
again the cause of this abuse. Simply
because they can live where other stock
would perish, they are crowded upon
a half allowance of land and expected
to live. In short time the producing
qualities of the soil is so impaired, that
should half of the flock be removed the
rest are but partly fed, and continue to
keep the grass level with the ground, IN
time making an almost barren and UNI
productive field.
FALL STORMS.
Many ofthe hes, breeders OF merino
sheep do not allow their sheep to be
exposed to the severe and chilling
storms of fall, inasmuch as it is very
injurious to the animal and positively
a damage to the fleece. In TACT, any
flocks that are always housed produces
a stronger staple. a heavier, larger,
and cleaner fleece. But The health
of your flock is probably not in any
danger until the cold rains in the fall.
1t almost invariably produces hard
cold, followed by consumption the same
as in the human family.