The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-02-21
THE STOCK-RANCH,
Management of sheep in Winter.

Management of Sheep in Winter
The sheep fold in winter cannot be
too closely attended to, for with our
variable climate, which at one time may
be mild, balmy spring weather, and at
another cold and freezing MS the Arctic
zone, the sheep have great strains i'm
posed upon them. The best manage
ment of winter hocks is, therefore, a
question not easily decided. Some of
our sheep ~raisers advocate one method,
which has given them the best results,
while others, having suffered losses
from their method, condemn it. The
summing up of the whole matter is that
differences of climate, feed, ind breed
and health make all of the disagreement.
If q small flock, even of full-blood
Merinos, is kept on a tough sod with
bushes and clumps of trees and bitter
browse as o sort of wind-break, they
will thrive and come out of the severe
winters in good condition when prop
erly fed with q good ration Of corn on
the ear or shelled. The individual
but when it comes to a large flock they
do not as q rule take sufficient exercise.
On warm days they roam about all day,
but should a week. of cold weather fol-
low they will refuse to leave their shell
tered places. In fact, they will often
remain on the lee side of their shelter
while they ought to be eating their
food.
The ranging method may answer in
some places; but the best management
of sheep in winter is to have u good shell
tering place for them, with a southerly
exposure. The shed should be in the
pasture lot, or near some large field.
The animals then should be forced to
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food and water. Turn them out in the
field for q few hours each day, and thew
will be grateful for it. Sheep like to
pick up part of their living, nibbling
here and there in all sorts of corners
and holes.
If snow continues OF the ground for
u long time, so they have no inducement
to take exercise in search of grass, they
should be turned out into u corn-feld,
where the fodder has been hauled out.
They will roam up and down this, pick
ing up pieces that have been left, and
enjoying the work of searching after
their food. Even after~Eney have picked
up everything igztae field they should
be turned oyt,eand forced to move about
o little. usdathis way the owner can reg
ula;aElieir meals and time of exercise.
is on cold days, when the weather
sNNo . ~ s01J
severe weather, the sheep suffer most.
Theywill then refuse to leave their
shelter unless driven out, and even
then they become so terrified with the
cold that they will often refuse to eat
or drink. It is only by driving them
about, and getting their blood to circu-
lating, that they can be made to cast off
their slothful ways. Fodder may be
thrown out in@the open field, and water
placed near it; but they will not venture
to approach either until tho cold abates
somewhat, or they become exhausted
with hunger. It is atthis juncture thpt
the wise sheep herder can make himself
useful by stepping in and forcing them
to do what they should. It is a good
practice to.throw some of the fodder out
into the field, and force the sheet to go
out to it and eat. They will not eat
enough to satisfy their hunger, and
other food should be given them in the
shelter Of the shed, but the change will
do them good.-W. e. Farmer.