Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-02-04

Winter Care of Sheep.
AS usual thing farmers give their
sheep better attention and care than
they do their cattle and horses! It is
we'll that it is so, for being of naturally
| more delicate constitution, they are
less able to withstand the rough and
tumble life that too many farmerssub-
ect their cattle to.
With perhaps the exception of hogs,
sheep will bear closer crowding, or
confinement, than any other farm
animals. They do not crowd Or drive a
companion away that they may
monopolize the best position for
themselves, but tamely and graciously
lie down close to a companion with
whom they may have had terrible
bunting trouble during the day, thus
most clearly teaching forgive and
forget principle that many bipeds
would do well to emulate.
Notwithstanding the close communion
principle of sheep, ewes or wethers
weighing 100 pounds each should each
be allowed sleeping surface in the pen
equal to four feet long and q feet wide,
or ten square feet for each sheep, or
twenty-five sheep for room sixteen
feet square. Of course sheep of lighter
averge weight will require less space; in
fact, we have known cases where as
high as thirty-tive sheep have been
lodged during the winter in room
sixteen feet square, but the flock was
of light weight, composed of a good
sprinkling Of late spring lambs; yet
overcrowding should always be avoided.
However, in mild climates, where
sheep are housed only for a few weeks,
no great inconvenience will be observed
or detriment to health manifest.
Unless you have an abundance of
room under shelter, it is best to have
a double set of hay racks, one under
shelter for inclement weather. the
other in the open yard, for pleasant
days or for noon feeding, even if the
weather be cold as the flock will then
be forced to take exercise, which they
are 10th to do in cold weather. 1t does
not matter whether you have plenty of
covered space or not, you need two
yards or apartments for each flock, that
you may evenly and leisurely put the
hay and feed in the racks and troughs
without having the sheep interfere
with the operation. You should also
arrange to throw down the hay from
the building without scattering or
littering over the sheep. Feed regular
ly, and if you from choice or necessity
feed them each day ration of straw,
give it at noon, as they then have
plenty of time to pick it over, and will
eat it quite as close as in the morn
ing.
Clean out the racks every morning,
and if ration Of grain be fed, arrange
the troughs SO that they may be
covered up or turned on their sides to
keep out dirt, snow, etc, give plenty Of
bedding, and the atmosphere in the
enclosure is made purer, and the
manure richer, by each week scattering
over the pen liberal coat Of plaster
(gypsum) !; this should be done just be-
fore new bedding is added.
During the winter, for a flock Of
fifty sheep, at least ton of plaster
should be used, and if during the last
SHOWS of winter this manure be hauled
and evenly spread upon clover, or
timothy meadow, or fall-sown wheat
or rye, the crop will be very much
increased over that where manure
without the plaster was used.
In flock of fifty sheep there are
usually found several whose condition
is not as good as the majority; all such
ones need extra attention, which they
cannot receive unless they are in
separate apartments, which can often
be fenced off from one corner of the
main enclosure, as three Or four feeble
sheep will always do better ii near or
in sight of another flock; it appears
to give them more contented feel
ing.
Not few farmers argue that water is
not necessary for sheep during winter,
as they will eat snow to Quench thirst.
They simply eat snow for want of some
thing better, for the same reason that
they eat poor or damaged hay or other
fodder. 1t is the best they can do, or
in other words, eat it or starve. Hope
there are but few farmers who still use
snow-bank for a watering trough.
Even in the coolest weather ten
apparently healthy sheep will drink a
pailful of water daily. The trough
should be placed under shelter and
emptied each night DO not allow hay
or other filth to accumulate in any
watering-trough.
IfyOu have an abundance of turnlps
or other green food in the cellar, give
the sheep an occasional ration Of them;
| in fact, a change from clover to timothy
or cornstalks, and DAT or barley straw
will prove beneficial, as ali domestic
| animals tire ola sameness of food, and
a few farmers of our acquaintance are
so thoroughly interested on this point
that during the winter and early spring
months they will cut green bushes, also
pine and hemlock boughs, and throw in
the sheep and cattle yard, and it would
surprise most people to see how
greedily they eat the buds and small
twigs 1t no doubt acts as a tonic and
system regulator. Sheep will also
gnaw the bark from most kinds of large
green limbs that may be thrown in the
yard. Try it and see. 1t will do the
stock good, and the exercise will not
harm you.-Americde Rural Home.
| Raising BrOiIers.