Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-06-20
"WocIIy Backs"
viii Pay Profit;
Help ClearLan
BY EDWARD WORKMAN.
Chairman Agricultural Commit
tee Of State Council of Defense.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AS to whether sheep growing can.
be made profitable or not depends,
first. upon the locality. and second.
upon the man. SO far as the locality
is concerned, l suppose that the st.te
of Wisconsin is as well adapted TO the
raising of sheep as any place In the
world.
The fee Is that sheep thrive on grow
here in great abundance; the climate
is cool In the summer and dry In the
winter. while the water for purity aud
wholesomeness is unsurpassed.
Sheep Respond to Good Care.
While sheep require very little work
and attention az compared with other
lines of live stock, that little they must
have with regularity and precision.
otherwise the business is sure to be a
failure Sheep respond to good feed
and careful treatment more readily /
think than any other animal on the
farm, but on the other hand they are
the first to get out of condition and be-
come Improbable II they are neglect5
ed. This matter Of care and feed Is
really OF the greatest Importance. for
1t is money thrown away to invest In
fine breeding stock unless one has the
facilities and the disposition to keep
that stock In n thriving condition. I
speak of this because there are many
people who seem to have a notion that
10 succeed In the sheep business all that
is necessary is to get flock Of regis
tered ewes to begin with.
My advice to beginners would be to
look first TO their facilities for caring
for sheep These being in a satisfae
tory condition, they should then get
the very best foundation flock that can
be afforded, and IN addition TO this tho
kind of purebred ram should be kept
that conforms most nearly TO the type
of sheep which In the locality are like
~ 10 be the most profitable.
Build Sheds, Not Barns.
AS regards the housing of sheep.
their quarters need not be an expen-
sive affair. They should. however be
constructed In such way that the
sheep may be kept dry under foot
and we'll sheltered from storms over
head. II II Is the plan TO raise lambs
for the early spring market. then the
stable must be built that the tempera-
ture can be kept under control.
necessary arrangement In sheep
stable is an opportunity for placing
row u pens about four feet square
around the outer edge of the stable
next 10 the wall These are for the
purpose of combining each of the ewes
with their newborn lambs for short
time, or until the mother takes read
lily 20 the lambs and the lambs are
strong enough to get along without as
slstance. OF course every sheep stable
should be well lighted and well ven
tilated
As regards their care. beginning
with the fall season II should be the
sheep raiser's aim 20 get his flock into
winter quarters in good condition. To
| this end the lambs should be weaned
at least one month before grass stops
growing During this period the flock
should be provided with good pas
ture and when the frost begins to af-
feet the quality of the grass other feed
should he provided TO tive the ewes
proper nOurishment ard to keep their
systems In good condition.
Thrive on Home Grown Feeds.
For winter feed there is nothing bet
ter for a flock Of breeding ewes than
early cut and we'll cured clover hay,
supplemented with good corn silage-
This should be fed at the rate of about
three pounds Of hay per day for each
sheen divided into two feeds aud given
regularly morning and evening. with
about two pounds of silage each day at
No, m. II these feeds are not In FIRST
class condition, II pays to feed grain In
add ton TO the hay end sllage.
II the iamblng season occurs before
the sheep get out TO pasture, the ewes
| should ne fed bran about three weeks
before the lambs begin to arrive. This
is 10 induce good milk flow and gen
orally to get the ewes in the proper
condition for maternity.
Sheep should have access to water
| and some salt every day in the year.
II salt is fed at irregular intervals the
| sheep will frequently eat too much aud
get out of condition as result.
Breeding ewes should be fed and
managed in such way that they will
take plenty Of exercise during the
period Of CESSATION. This is easily ac-
complished by feeding according To
some such plan as have outlined. The
purpose should be TO feed such quanu-
ties as to get the ewes In good flesh.
bur not 50 fat as to induce a logy, slug
| gi~h condition.
II the flock be large and of uneyen
size and strength. It is necessary that
| il he divided: the strong and the weak
ones being kept In separate quarters
and each bunch handled according TO
| It's needs.
lnsures Lamb Crop.
This way Of caring for the ewes in
fures a crop of strong. hearty lambs
| that are easy to raise Even so, It lie
nevertheless necessary TO keep close
watch over the fock at iambing time,
for there are always sorIe lambs that
yaouire assistance. no natter how well
the old ewes have been cared for. II Is
aIwnvs well when the lambs are drop
| - tr cold .rpathpr IA COnfinp the old