The record-union., 1892-01-13
FARM AND ORCHARD.
Feeding for WooI---The Wool Suf.
fers, But the Sheep Escape.
shipping Healthy FowIs-The Farmer
Bears a Heavy responsibility
Docking Horses Tails, Cruel and
Absurd Practice-BarefootedH Horses
Farm Notes.

Few shepherds take sufficient thought
Of the necessities of the fleece, in the feed
ing of the flock And yet in the majority OF
cases this is the most important part OF
their business. The wool of the sheep is
special product, and calls for special
feeding. It is a highly nitrogenous sub
stance, and thus needs food Of the same
character for its good quality. In all
feeding there are two important ends to
be thought of. One is the sustenance OF
The animal, and the other the special
product of it. In feeding COWS for butter,
The expert dairyman gives the most par
ticular care to his special product, but the
shepherd rarely does so. When a COW is
20 be tested for butter product, the food is
selected with the utmost care in regard to
The fitness of it for the end in view. But
now few wool-growers take thought in
This direction.
1t is well known by ali intelligent
shepherds that the least fault in the con-
dltlon Of the sheep is apparent in the
wool There are weak spots in it where
she fiber has not been nourished suffi-
GENTLY, or where the sheep has been sub
5ect To some adversely. The wool suffers,
out the sheep escapes, just as if the fleece
we're a safety valve or a spring to take up
some extra pressure on the animal. And
his is true. The first necessity of the
animal is to live. The next is to store up
any surplus vitality in the fleece. And
n a eve, the lamb comes in between
these two necessities. Thus the fleece
gets the surplus nutriment after the sheep
and the lamb are provided for.
Wool consists of about so per cent. of
skas1. 4
and nearly per cent. Of sulphur 1t has
nearly the same composition as skin, and
s really an Outgrowth Of the skin. In
she winter feeding Of sheep, which is the
period of the most growth of the fleece it
IS well known how frequently the sheep
suffer in regard to the condition of the
skin, and how this affects the fleece The
wool falls off, and under the bare spots
-he skin is red and irritated so that the
animal bites it. When this happens, the
wool is found to be dry, and the natural
grease and yOlk deficient in it. This is
due every time to some fault in feeding.
Perhaps this is irregular, or it is over
done, or the food is wanting in nutri-
lnent 1t is very certain that very little
care is given to the selection of food, ex-
cept by the expert shepherds who have
mad long experience TO guide them, but
even these need to give more study to the
WOol-growing part Of their business, and
This is proved by the very irregular
weights and quality Of the fieeces at the
ghearing exhibitions.
There are two main considerations that
concern the feeder Of the flock that is kept
1Or wool. One is the nutritive quality of
he food, and the other its digestibility
Or one is the right material TO be used,
and the other its availability. Both are
equally important. Certainly the food
must be rich in nitrogen, because the
fleece is nothing less than so much flesh
hat must be put on the animal. 1t must
also be rich in fat-fOrming clements be-
cause the yolk and grease are so much
rat, If they are outside the carcass. But
food rich in nitrogen is difficult of diges-
lion, and all animals fed on such food re-
qUiTe the other elements 10 be such as
viii aid in the digestion of it. It is on
this account that roots are found SO use
Jul for sheep. The reason is that they are
wholly digestible, are BEAUTIFULLY Taxa
tive, and aid greatly to make other food
more digestible. Thus it might go with
out saying that the best wool is the pro-
duct Of root-fed sheep. And that this is
so, we have to look only to the English
iiocks, whose wool is the best in the
world, and this because the sheep are fed
lor the production of the best mutton in
the world. The wool is simply flesh in
another form, but chemically identical
in composition. And roots form a stand
sIu JdIG Ol lAC 1GClADB VI Tue I-ilg!lSu
Jlocks. Experience has proved that the
change from this kind of feeding, when
sheep have been imported to America,
las been the cause of the rapid deteriora-
lion of the animals, and the disappoint-
Inent of their owners. No doubt the cul-
lure of root crops must be more generally
adopted If we wish to excel in the growth
Of fine sheep and the best kinds OF wool
The Canadian sheep greatly surpass
those of the United States This may be
attributed to the better feeding by the
Canadian shepherds. They use more
roots and peas. Peas are highly nitro
genous. The 10 per cent. of legumin,
which this grain contains, has almost the
identical composition of wool. Chemi-
Cally considered, typical ration for
sheep might consist wholly of peas. For
{ wool bearing eve that is carrying a
lamb, peas contain the exact elements
that are required for the wool and the
milk, excepting some Of the fat needed.
hus this gain, with some fat-making
food, would make up the most nutritious
food for a wooI-bearing flock. Corn
would supply the deficiency in fat. But
& lone. this grain is a most undesirable
food for sheep. Why it is so is apparent.
considering the above facts. And the
prevailing corn feeding is unquestiona-
bly, the cause of much loss and disap-
pointment among beginners in sheep
leeping. Clover hay is, no doubt, the
hest rough fodder for sheep. But it must
lie in the best condition, and quite free
from mold. This defect Of clover hay is
cutie common, due, perhaps, to the diff
Guilty in curing it. But mildew has a bad
effect on the sheep by reason of its in
fJammatory effect on the system, and its
almost immediate result on the skin,
causing irritation and congestion. by
which the wool is deprived OF nutrment
and loses its attachment to the skin and
falls off. In one case a flock that was
Going well was fed on moldy clover hay
and in q week the wool was Ioosening,
and by the spring half the flock was al
most wholly bare. That flock, as might
lie expected, reared but few lambs, and
the ewes had but little milk
Protection from the extremes of weather
j. necessary for the good quality of the
I eece. Wet has bad effect on the wool
Of sheep that are crowded together and
al sheep are fond OF budding. The wet
wool, under the pressure and influence
Of the warmth, teltS, or as il is termed,
becomes ''cotted," and in some cases
splits and the split ends interlace and mat
together. This, of course, destroys the
value of the fleece. German shepherds
clothe their sheep TO protect them from
the winter rains, and the English grease
the fieeces. These precautions are almost
unknown here, but it may sometimes be
found profitable at least to protect the
sheep for the sake of the quality of the
fleece.
But no doubt the most effective means
Of improving the wool is to produce good
mutton. Even the merino may be made
a mutton sheep. The fine French Ram
bouiIIet sheep is as good mutton animal
a could be desired, and the Delaine sheep
Of parts of New York and Ohio is equally
good for its carcass. But without roots
for the winter feeding and better pastures,
j. is in vain to expect excellent mutton,
and this brings US round again to the