The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-07-07
How the Failures Come.

OF all the causes of failure in sheep.
raising, none or all put together
equal the lack Of proper 4 care
and attention. Too much stress.
perhapsJ i'has stbeerfs given Ato breeds
and varieties. All sheep we'll vafettgfse
pay. No poorly cared for sheep pay,
no matter of whatsbTeed. Often there
is reported to us some Iiaw dsaase THAI
no one ever heard Of before, that deci-
mates somebody's flock, and no remedy
can be found. It is true, sheep must
die, but they need not perish, to the ex-
tent they do if well managed. Flocks
should be kept young, so there shall
not come a hard year every once in a
while, when old sheep will die off in
numbers, to dishearten and disgust their
owner, and of still more Importance is
the keeping the health of the flocks in
tip-top condition. Usually fat sheep
is considered healthy sheep. But
there are ailments that come to fat sheep
as well as thin ones. We believe in
keeping a sheep fat, but prefer bright,
lively, vigorous condition, to any other.
A sheep may be thin in flesh and be
perfectly healthy. Yet such one will
not be so profitable as if in good flesh or
even fat. The fleece will be dry, and
consequently Hight, and of a weakness
and inelasticity of fiber that lessons its
value for the manufacturer. The same
sheep fat would shear from one-third to
one-half more pounds, and the wool
would be of more market value per
pound. A thin eve might he more
attentive mother, but her milk would
neither be so plenty nor of such rich
quality to push her lambs vigorously
forward into a good, healthy, we'll de-
veloped sheep. Much can be told Of
the health of a sheep by looking at it.
The appearances, though, do not tell
the condition, even to a practiced eye.
A sheep. may appear round, SMOOTH,
andSeven fat, that. when, caught. will
be found 70 Pc g mere .shadoY,4lig ht. as
.,, CORK, De- dead q u Po9rssasalsAgainss@ .
te lah passossa sRfeR hMPfn caught
inside and healthy No TITLES can be
given for the care d sheep that will
apply to every locality or manner of
handling g. The conditions vary so
much between different mems feed,
water, pasturage, and fitness for man.
aging flock. know men who watch
their hogs eat corn and they believe the
eye of the master helps to fatten the
hog. The real truth is the man who
watches his hogs eat learns their whims
and appetites, and suits his care to
both. So of a sheep. Some are dainty
and fastidious and require more time
to eat and different feed from the main
flock, and should be put into flock by
themselves, or better be fed separately;
once in a while there will be found in a
flock one or more that are perfect hogs
to eat. One of these will occupy more
room at the trough or rack than three
sheep need, and is perfect tyrant, but
ting and pounding its way at all times.
Such are good sheep, but are not fit to
be among ordinary sheep. Every flock
needs culling every year to line of
! profit; all delicate sheep and those that
fail repeatedly to raise lambs from any
cause-particularly lack of milk, as no
one wants mothers who are by inheri-
lance poor sucklers-and all badly
crossed, poorly fleeced sheep should
be fattened and sold to the butcher.
Keep nothing that does not pay its way,
not even a pet. Pets are nuisances and
not to be tolerated at all. A well bred,
well selected, healthy flock of sheep.
with good water, where they can get ii
every hour they need it, with plenty Of
feed in variety, will be the paying flock
always. Such a flock viii be the
pride of their owner and the standard
4 Hook of the neighborhood. All these
conditions belong not so much te
the breed as to the care and handling
j given, them. Such a flock will hardly
have queer diseases lor mysterious all.
ments; such iock-master is looked
upon as having some secrets in his care
that makes him the best sheep-man Of
the region. The man who succeeds is q
good handler. The man who fails is &
poor sheep-man.-R. u. Rel, in Farm
and FIreSide.