Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-03-26
SHEEP NEED HOUSING
They Need Shelter More Than
any Other Farm Animal.
A Fleece Weighing Five Pounds VIII
Carry Ten of Water.

1t is one OF the most prevalent and
persistent errors OF the farmer that
sheep need housing less than any
other domestic animal. because they
have a better natural covering. We
are told by these disbelievers that
sheep will stand quietly for hours ia
a rain when by moving ten feet they
could get under cover There are
generally two reasons for this fact
First: The house is so foul with am
monia Though the fock-master,
whose nostrils are several feet above
the floor, may not perceive III that
they viii suffer before they viii enter
it. Second: Unless the rain Is violent,
it takes it some time to penetrate to
the skin Of the animal and cause them
inconvenience. An animal bearing a
pelage of short thin hairs, though 1t
experiences discomfort from the fall
ing drops sooner than one which has
a dense coat, is really better prepared
to resist the hardships of outdoor life
than the other. for the reason that
the water dries off sooner.
While the sheep is not SO hardy as
it was in its primeyal state, it is COM
PEELED If allowed to remain out dur
ing the storms, To carry burden OF
wet wool, five times as heavy as 1t
would have had to carry when wild.
and which is five times as long in
drying out. The COW or the horse,
though degenerated from its ancestors
in point of hardness, has no greater
coat Of hair to carry about wet than
they had Therefore, | argue, the
sheep needs shelter more than any
other farm animal and that for the
very reason which some urge in ex-
cuse Of their negligence in providing
shelter because it has heavier coat
to carry. A fleece weighing five
pounds will, when on the sleeps
back, probably hold ten pounds Of
water without dripping perceptibly.
A man with a heavy ulster overcoat
on might for the first half hour be al
znost oblivious to the fact that rain
was falling on him; but after he was
wet through to the skin. If he was
obliged to stand still. it is quite pos
sible that lie would. for the next
twelve hours, rather have the over
coat off than on. The more a sheep
becomes loaded down with water. the
less it Is inclined to stir about and
take the exercise which is needed to
dry its coat and warm its blood In
our capricious climate soaking rain
is generally followed soon after by
brisk winds and colder temperature.
and the consequent evaporation with
draws heat
Cold is an enemy of life, and chills
are always loss. External chills
drive the blood In upon the viscera
and produce congestion in greater or
less degree pneumonia, fever, COLDS
in the head, etc. The farmer who
suffers his sheep 70 get wetting
every few days through the winter,
wonders why they are shutting so
much with their nostrils constantly
plugged up with disgusting accumula-
tons of dried mucus. He smears tar
over their noses; he holds them be-
tween his knees, pulls their tongues
well out and thrusts tar far back into
their mouths! What they need is not
tar on the roots Of their tongues. but
tar on the roof, dry footing, and dry,
wholesome atmosphere. They want
plenty of warm red blood instead of
tar.