Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-09-15

trouble with sheep. There are many
different explanations for this annoy
ance to the flock master, but few of
these hint at all at the fact that wool
must be fed, or it cannot grow, and
any failure in its nutrition must result
In such a weakness that the fleece fails
to keep up its connection with the
skin, and thus drops off as II 1t were
severed-as it really is-at It's root
The fleece of hundred-pound sheep
makes up ten per cent, or more, OF
the animals weight, and 1t consists OF
far greater proportion OF the most
exacting elements of nutrition than
the flesh of the sheep does. Flesh has
seventy-fve per cent. of water IN 1t !;
wool has only fifteen per cent The
flesh has in its dry matter the follow
ing elements, and wool has the guam
titles set opposite to them. thus the
composition of flesh is: Carbon, 81. 50
per cent. hydrogen, 1877; nitrogen,
1901; oxygen, 21.37; ashes, 4.23.
Wool: Carbon, 49. 65 per cent. I; ny
drogen, 693; nitrogen, 17.3z: oxygen,
%. IL; ashes, 20; sulphur 20.
Taking into account that the wool
has only one-ffth as much water IN 1t
as the flesh, it is easily seen that 1t re-
quires five times as much of the ele-
ments of nutrition for each pound
weight as the flesh, and thus, II the
fleece OF merino weighs fifteen
pounds and the carcass, after shearlng,
weighs seventy-fve pounds, equal
quantities of food are required for the
production of each. This is, perhaps,
never thought of by any feeder of the
flock, for, SO far, it seems to have been
completely ignored by all writer's
upon sheep husbandry; and yet the
Importance of it is paramount. The
common ignorance Of these urgent de-
mands of the fleece for special nutrl-
ments is, doubtless, the cause why the
sheep suffers SO much from the exhaus-
tive requirements of the wool. AS the
fleece must be supplied after the ami
NAL itself, the wool suffers while the
sheep escapes, at least to some extent !;
and as the wool cannot exist without
its necessary accompaniment Of the
yolk and grease, which natural
ly protect it from injury by the rains,
heat, or cold, this is to be considered
as calling for requisite nutriment as
well as the actual body of the animal.
It is worthy of note, too, that as wool
contains considerable sulphur, this is
also to be provided in the food.
Every time the sheep is underfed, or
suffers from any other cause, it appears
in the wool, the fibre of which shows
or1 oooh Of fhoco
weak spots represents O. fault IN feed
ing or other part of the management
This weakness in the fibre is ruinOus to
the wool, as it causes it to break in the
carding or combing, and thus become
too short for the spinner, and tit only
for felting. This defect is known by
the wooden manufacturers and buyers
as 'break," and makes it unstable.
Consequently, the matter of feeding,
and the regularity of it, are special
points to be regarded by the shepherd.
Yet it must not be supposed that the
wool only suffers; the sheep must
necessarily suffer, for the damage to
the wool is only one Of the visible
signs of injury to the whole animal.
In estimating the amount of food
necessary for sheep, all these points
are to be taken into account, and the
gross weight of the animal is to be in
creased, for estimating the allowance
of food by the proportion to be added,
on account of the extra dry substance
of the fleece. To be on the safe side
it will be reasonable to add to the live
weight of the sheep fully 100 per cent.
that is, to double the weight, and esti-
mate the ration accordingly. The
normal allowance of three per cent. of
dry matter 100 pounds of carcass may
thus be doubled. without any fear of
overlooking. Agriculturist.
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.