The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-08-10
Management OF Sheep in Summer.

An important point is certainly
gained when the stock-maSter has pro
vided well drained and nutritious graS
ranges for his fiockS. But there arr
other considerations to claim attention
The proper stocking of pastures is {,
matter to be looked after. The eX
tremeS of overStocking and understood
ing must be avoided for best results
Overstocking. the more frequent error
causes a scarcity of pasture and de
ticient supply of nutriment. The sheer
also take up sand and earth into theiI
stomachs with their food, and this causes
disease On the other hand, when the
pasture IS not close-cropped, the herb
age becomes hard and more or less in
digeStible. so that sheep do not thrive
upon it. There is an old adage, fami
liar to many shepherds, that twenty
four hours pasture is best for sheep anc
eight DAYS grass for an OK" In 6
word, the close bite of sheep should bt
furnished with close heritage, the ten
der growth of thick, short paStursge
Pastures not closely cropped ought tC
be either moved or pastured down by
cattle before the sheep are turned on it
1t paws. a a rule, to divide the fiockS
paSturing the Younger and less vigor
ous animals together; in 4 word, sort
ing lambs and yearlings from mother
and older ewes, and giving the former
the best paSturage.
When the range IS limited or the past
ure is not ample. additional food should
be supplied in way of corn. oats, brar
or oatmeal. The day the pasture:
begin to fail, if provision i:
not made for sufficient nutriment
the quality of the wool will begir
s.break in the WOOL will be the result
Care must also be exercised when extrs
food is supplied to proportion it to the
real need of the sheep. An over supply
viii result in an equal disadvantage. eS
pecially when there is overfeed one dav
and little or nothing next dav. Fol
cvenness in the fleece, sheep must be fec
regularly-that is TO say, they must from
pasture, range or feeding trough obtain
a due amount Of nourishment daily.
There is no question but that irregular
feeding not only affects the health and
flesh of the animal but diminisheS the
growth and weight of fleece and weak
ems its fibre.
When pasture is insufficient. an eco
nomical plan is to supplement it by
sowed green crops to be fed on the
ground or cut and fed in racks Roots
are also largely cultivated for this pur-
pose
A very important item is the supply
of water. Of course, when nature pro-
vides living springs or clear, flowing
streams, these are the best source of
supply. Stagnant water is decidedly
objectionable. Most shepherds give the
preference to hard water over soft
water, when either can be had. on the
score that the former contains min
eral matter Waters containing
goodly percentage of lime, soda. mag
nesia, iron, ulphur. etc, are positive
source of nOurishment to sheep. A de-
ficiency in mineral matter NAV be OBJ
waited by giving the sheep an occasional
mixture of common salt, sulphur, phos-
phate of lime, bone dust, etc. A COM
mon source of disease among sheep is
pond or marsh water and water living
in the hollows of undrained pastures
The exposure of 4 pasture also has its
effect upon sheep. Pastures near the
seacoast exposed to moist sea-breezes
render the wool harsh. Sheep exposed
to north winds ere lighter in weight
and less healthy than fiocks on 4 south
ern exposure Long-continued winds
are productive not only of discomfort
but sickness in a fock--N. I. World.