Feeding Sheep for Market. 233 



piricliing cold weather of December and January tell upon 

 tlie vitality of sheep, and unless the feeder has warm sheds, 

 and good liav and water, with tine care, they will lose with- 

 out grain. I claim that the fattening animal should have 

 a continual gain, from the first feeding until ready for the 

 butcher. I prefer feeding through the months of December 

 4ind January, commencing with one bushel of corn per hun- 

 dred per day, and increasing gradually throughout the winter. 

 A change from food of store to fattening sheep, from that 

 whicli is barely capable of supporting the condition which 

 they have already attained to that which is adapted to 

 their speedy improvement in fattening, should be gradual 

 and progressive ; if the food this month is to be more than 

 that of last, let the change l)e gradual, commencing with 

 the last week of the past month and Continuing into the 

 tirst week of the present with that increase. 



General Rules. — There are certain general rules that I 

 tliink should be observed in selecting and feeding sheep — 

 rulcB essential to success. I will mention some of them. 

 First, we select a sheep that has a hardy and healthy con- 

 stitution. 



In a climate as rigorous and changeable as that of Ver- 

 mont, it is essential that our stock of sheep should be hardy, 

 to endure the severities and vicissitudes of the weather. 

 Breeds are different in this respect, and there is a great dif- 

 ference in animals of the same breed. The desirable qual- 

 ities of sheep destined for feeding for their meat, are size, 

 liardiness of constitution, quietness of disposition, quality 

 of llesh, disposition to fatten ; and if for l)reeding, prolitic 

 properties. "We must look more to the cost of food in feed- 



