Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-09-13

While grass is the natural food, for
sheep and most conducive to their
general health, it IS not always safe
to assert that if the flock is turned
to grass in the spring in a healthy.
thriving condition they will remain SO
until again put into winter quarters.
Each succeeding year brings to us new
and troublesome maladies. 1t is no
longer policy to wait until disease
manlfeStS itself in the flock before
adopting preventive and curative meas
ures. 1t is as imperative, says the
American Sheep Breeder, and perhaps
more so, TO see that the sheep are pro-
ylded with an abundance of salt and
pure drinking water in summer as in
winter. Do not conclude because the
sheep do not drink large quantities of
water from stagnant pools or foul
tanks that they will do as we'll without
water in summer. 1t is true, how
ever, that they will do better in the
long run without any water than to be
compelled to drink from stagnant pools
which are teeming with parasites 50
destructive to sheep. Better fence out
such places and furnish them good,
pure we'll water to drink The extra
trouble and expense incurred will be
more than returned in the health and
improved condition of the flock
While there are objections to feeding
copperas in salt, yet from the grow
ing prevalence of stomach worms we
believe it advisable to mix it with the
salt in the proportion of one pound
of powdered copperas to ten of salt,
for we consider it useful preventive
Among other enemies of the sheep
to be guarded against during the sum-
mer season are dogs, grub in the head,
foot rot, liver fiuke, ticks, lice, scab,
etc. The number of dogs which are
helpful in herding sheep are small as
compared with the multitude of ours
which comprise our numerous canine
population. The average dog is a nui-
Sance in at least two particulars l. If
he is not an out-and-out sheep killer he
worries and tormentS the sheep to
such an extent that it would have
been better for the sheep and their
owner if he (the dog had never been
born. =. They have been found to har-
Dor certain parasites destructive to
sheep. If you must keep a dog land
you must dose him periodically with
vermifuges as you would a sheep af-
fected with internal parasites. Unless
he IS trained sheep dog never per-
nit him near the sheep. And as a
preventive against attacks of sheep
killing dogs we have made a practice
of putting a sheep bell on every TWEEN
ty-tivn sheen. and. while neighbors
have had some sheep killed by dogs.
we have lost none from this cause in
several years.
In laying your plans for pasturage
try and arrange it so you can change
the flock to a different field as often
as once in two weeks. We find they
thrive better, even if the feed is no
Improvement. 1t is an acknowledged
fact that sheep favor close grass rather
than tall, fresh feed, so it will be I'M
necessary for me to do anything more
than to make a note of the fact.
Let your f1ocks be as small as pos
sible and graded according to size,
age, etc. If you have some which are
thin in flesh and out of condition put
them by themselves and give them a
little extra chance. A light feed of
grain daily will do much in a short
time to place them ION their feet"