Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-07

proper feeding and to the fact that
some animals bolt their food without
properly masticating it. Dusty or moldy
hay or grain will often cause this trout
BILE. Very fast driving on a full stom-
ach or heredity favor the development
Of the disease. Severe cases are incur
able. though much may be done to obvi-
ate the trouble.
The treatment for heaves is entirely
dietetic and hygienic in character. The
quarters and feed should be free from
dust. Sprinkle the hay with salt water
before feeding ii. Give nutritious but
easily digested and not too bulky food.
Keep the animals on pasture or on sue
culent food as much of the time as pos
sible. The best medicinal treatment is
Fowler's solution of arsenic, given at
the rate of two tablespoonfuls in the
food three times daily for one to two
months. If the animals show any
twitching of the muscles the medicine
should be stopped. Any treatment
which will benefit the digestion is help
full in this disease. Ginger root pull
verified and given in tablespoonful doses
three times daily is helpful. Small
doses of aloes, say dram given as a
ball every few days, will also be beneh-
ciaL
SUGGESTIONS RELATIVE TO SHEEP
BREEDING.
A correspondent, Rome, Ga, writes:
am thinking of going into the sheep
business and would like to ask a few
questions What kind of sheep do you
think best to buy? How many sheep
can put on so acres of land and how
old must a lamb be to market? Would
you advise me to construct dog-proof
fence? What diseases do sheep have?
What aged sheep should 1 buy?
There is no reason why a flock of
sheep should not be maintained on the
rolling lands in Floyd county with profit
able results to the owner Sheep like
other classes of live stock, require close
personal care and attention. One of the
principal reasons why they do not pros
per on so many farms is because they
are turned out and expected to rustic for
a living. There is no one best breed of
sheep, though we think you will find
the Down breeds very satisfactory for
maintenance under Georgia conditions.
The Southdown, Shropshire and Oxford
down have all given good results in the
south. We are disposed to favor. the
Southdown because they are small COM
pact sheep which have plenty of activi-
ty and are good grazers and rustlers.
They mature relatively early and pro-
duce a fine quality of lamb or mutton.
We would advise you to buy the native
ewes and pure-bred sires.
On so acres of land you should not at
tempt to maintain more than 20 to so
sheep. One ram will be enough to buy
at the outset. It is best to get the native
ewes If you possibly can. A good time
to buy them is in June or early July.
If you can find those which have been
raised on the uplands in northwest Geor-
gia or southeast Tennessee so much the
better. Buy they at the age of one to
two years. Old animals are not desirable
because they viii not breed so readily
nor are they as likely to be prolific as
the younger ones. Be sure to obtain
your ewes from good healthy vigorous
stock. Sheep are subject to a number of
diseases of which the nodular disease is
one of the worst. In purchasing be
careful to avoid animals affected with
this trouble, for if they are brought on
your grounds the land will become in
tested.
Having secured good foundation stock,
feed them literally, keeping them on rich
pastures, and even maybe giving little
grain If the grass becomes short. Keep
green feed for them all through the sum-
mer and feed. something like oats which
win provide protein and not tend to fat
ten them. Getting the ewes in high con-
dition is necessary to insure their breed
ing early and thus dropping the lambs
in late December or early January. 1t
is important that the lambs come early
If you are to place them on the market
when they command the highest price.
You should have some sort of a shed to
protect on the north and west to keep
the ewes in at the Landing season. AS
soon as the lambs have acquired some
strength you should try to have some
green feed available for the ewes and
lambs to run on and feed grain addi-
ton. There is nothing better than equal
parts OF corn or cracked corn and oats.
or cats and bran foE-ths- 1amhs. You