The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1910-07-28
SfASONAblE ShHP TALK.
Hints to Those Interested In Growing
Industry.
Seasonable Sheen Talk.

animals, constant and thrifty growth
must be maintained for the best re-
suits. When the condition OF an ami
NAL becomes stationary that animal is
on the verge of retrograding and, as it
Is always difficult and costly to regain
lost vigor, 1t is at danger point
Sheep will do so mucn toward car
ing for themselves during the summer
season that they are sometimes igror-
ed until long after the time when they
should have careful attention. 1t is a
costly delay for their owners to put
of the care necessary to compensate
for barren pastures until the stock
suffers from short rations,
A writer in Farm World says:
The late summer Is very trying
time on the breeding ewes; and unless
a man maintains the flock in strong,
vigorous condition, deleterions influ-
ences are bound to creep in and cut
down the annual profits. 1t Is very de-
sirable at weaving time to have an
abundance of pasture and supplement
al forage crops so that the ewes may
be able to recover their normal condi-
ton gradually and be ready to be
mated as soon as the mating period
arrives.
Ewes that have sucked their lambs
we'll during the summer are sure to be
reduced in flesh at weaving time, and
every effort should be made to bring
them to strong. vigorous condition
before the mating season arrives.
The ewes that produce the best
lambs at weaving time are usually the
best breeders in the flock and should
be given the best food and care. Right
here many flock owners make mis-
take by disposing of the ewes that
show lack of condition when wean
ing time comes.
The safest way to Judge the value of
a breeding eve is to examine the quail
ity of the lambs at weaving time. In
nine cases out of ten we shall find that
the best lambs belong to the indivi-
duals which are run down in flesh, and
show lack of condition.
Many make mistake by feeding the
ewes a ration of fat-producing foods
to hurry along their condition, but this
is not to be recommended except III ex-
IRENE cases.
During the late summer and early
autumn the flock-owner should not de-
pend too much upon natural pasture.
At this time of the year it is impossi-
BILE to produce good pasture of any
kind unless preparations have been
made early in the season by sowing
forage crops.
With good pasture and forage and
the addition of a very little grain food,
the ewes can be kept in a vigorous,
flesh-forming condition until the mat
ing period arrives.
n q
condition as the pastures begin to fail
is emphasized by Mr.. G. w. Chandler
of Iowa, in letter to Farmers Tri-
bune.
Now the question is, what are the
essentials of thrift? / say good feed
water, shelter, and close attention OF
the shepherd 1t is the worst possible
practice to allow the sheep to fall
away in flesh as the grass fails in
the autumn. The increasing wool con
Goals the shrinking carcass often much
to the disappointment of the flock
master. Better confine the sheep in
yard than allow them to ramble abou1
| in some field which furnishes a little
| green feed, but too little to be Of any
real value.
For winter fodder, there Is nothing
better than clover, cut whin in full
bloom and well cured. Hay from ole
| meadows consisting of variety O
/ grasses is very good. Solved or thick
/ ~ drilled corn for fodder, cut, ant
we'll shocked in good season, is also {
splendid feed A little bright oat straw
two or three times week can be fet
to good advantage, and the leavings 0
/ the straw and stalks make splendid
| bedding and good absorbent for. ma
nure. Bright sheaf oats fed once O
/ twice a week in racks is also an excel
/ lent feed; it answers for both grain
and fodder.
Salt and hay should always be fe,
under cover, hay In racks and salt il
troughs; economy in feeding demand
this system. for water soaked hay i
always rejected by sheep, and sal
wastes much from rain.
1t pays we'll to feed sheep. FRS
they return more pounds of gain TO
the amount of food consumed tina
cattle or hogs; second, mutton bring
more per pound than beef or pork
i and third sheep manure is better tina
cattle or hog manure.
On the subject of sailing sheep Wis
4 consin Farmer has this to say:
i Sheep can go through the year o
the cornbe1t farm with perhaps as Iii
tie attention as any other kind c
farm animal There are a few item:
pertaining to their care, however
which should be properly attended tt
for instance, sailing. The importanc
of salt for sheep is told by promiI
ent writer on sheep, as follows:
"Salt is about as necessary to tn
system of sheep as food Sheep ar
the best judges of how much salt the
need, hence it should be placed wheT
they can reach it at all times. Th
old-time way of sailing regularly is a
right, but it is better to give thel
access to it at will. Where sheep al
not salted regularly they are liable
partake too much of it at time, an
! sometimes dropsical conditions are til
result.
1.-The ash of the blood of a shee
contains nearly so per cent of sail