The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1882-12-21
Fattenipo and Winter Keen.

A correspondent in Michigan writes:
81 have no doubt that your excellent
paper has contained time and again
full directions upon matters that now
wish TO inquire about: but ! am in
need of information all the same, and
come 10 YOU for instruction a To fat.
tening sheep in winter. We reply
that one purpose of the publication al
this journal il to answer any question
that its subscribers NAV feel like, with
reference To practical affairs on the
farm. and that while il hopes that all
may peruse its columns carefully every
week, the fact that il has answered II
question before, il no reason that the
same question should not he asked
and answered again. la sheep hus-
bandry a. in every other sphere of life,
the way Ia acquire knowledge, is t.
inquire concerning what we 10 not
understand, and no man. whatever
his position, If he does his duty, will
think IL "a trouble Ia give information,
If he has il Ia give. In regard Ia the
matter inquired about, different feed
ers have somewhat different plans, but
this one thing they all keep in view
10 keep the animal steadily gaining
through the fall months, and when
from the deterioration of the pasture,
there is "A probability of the animals
losing, they resort Ia feeding. Al iAc
beginning at the winter, during No
vemher "r December, according 4"
climate. the sheep should he placed ia
the yards, and when brought up they
should be in quite good condition. in
fact fair mutton. If we have good
wheat or barley straw, sheep will gain
on il, ii ici with linseei meal. corn
meal or grain, about "A pound of the
latter To each sheep per ,iay. The
main fattening process, however, will
he hay, grain or meal. IL straw il fed
at all. il should Ice supplanted by good
hay after the first month, and IL the
hay is good clover, sheen will fattcn
very fast on il and meal or grain.
Buckwheat will he found a most en-
cellent fat Producing food. Feed il nj
the rate of about "a pound day. half
in the morning aud half at night.
We feel that we cannot impress too
deeply upop the mind of the amateur
feeder the necessity of regularity in
feeding fa,tening sheep, or indeed for
that matter sto.e sheep There is no
one little thing that conduces more to
the profit of sheep husbandry. The
animal will learn tn mark the feeding
time with as much accuracy as the
watch marks il, AMI Ii il is not fed, il
will grow exceedingly restless, a con-
dition that does not help any fatten-
ing or indeed other animal. Ii Is the
experience of observant fiockmas.ers
that sheep that are fed regularly aud
otherwise methodically, will do much
better ON even inferior food than will
sheep on a better quality of food. fed
irregularly. As 10 the number of times
a day sheep should Toe fed. practice
differs and opinions as 10 the best
number are mot unanimous. Some
feed three times, aud contend that IL
IL better than twice. Others feed
twice and think that sufficient, early
in the morning aud a couplt. of hours
before dark. The afternoon feed should
ALWAYS be given hetore lark. for sheen
do not eat 50 well in the dark. What
ever the time Toe that they are fed. the
the most importaht thing i TO make il
uniform
Then the amount j. of the utmost
importance. A little careie,sles- i'm
feeding hay will soon caus,. TN. sheen
TO be wastefuI. Irtoo much is given
them. they will ni,.k out the h,..t ami
then wait for the next feeding even
wher, they are hungry. They shouId
have inst enough 10 last from ON. f,.d
TO another The hay may he So h,d
as moi 10 make il advisable 10 ,pmn.I
them 10 ent /, aII I'M clean hut orer
feeding will cause an UNNECESSARY
waste even with such bay. As 10 sail