396 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



sheep farms to get their rams iuto good hard working coudition aud 

 not " hog " fat. To be fair to the rams they should not be asked to 

 work with more than two months' wool on. 



Various foods are used to feed sheep, such as crushed oats, 

 crushed mealies, bran, lucerne hay, oaten hay, and also teff. It ifl not 

 advisable to feed grain or hay independently. They should he mixed 

 to get the best results. I have found the following* a satisfa(;tory sheep 

 feed : 40 lb. crushed oats, 10 lb. bran, 50 lb. finely chopped good 

 oat-hay. This is thoroughly mixed and a little salt can advantage- 

 ously be added. A change can sometimes be made by adding or 

 substituting crushed mealies and using the lucerne-hay and oat-hay 

 in equal proportions. Bran should always be added. There is no hard 

 and fast rule regarding the different proportions, but I have found 

 the above very good. Sheep should only receive Mliat they will clean 

 up at one feed. 



Powdered raddle is generally used to put on the ram to show 

 which ewes he has jumped on. The raddle mark on the ewes' rump 

 is, however, no guarantee that she has been tupped. I have seen rams 

 repeatedly jump upon ewes and not serve them. Personally I never 

 worry about raddling rams. 



The farmer must remember that it is his business to see that 

 the ewes are in good condition so that they may easily come in season. 

 To my mind this is the only way to ensure a good percentage of lambs. 



I consider it is a mistake to put ewes in full wool to the ram. 



However fit the rams are, if the ewes do not come in season you 

 cannot expect a good lambing. 



Recent Outbreaks of East Coast Fever. 



Pecent outbreaks of East Coast fever have given rise to con- 

 siderable alarm and the following brief statement on the subject is 

 made for general information. In Natal and the Transvaal the 

 situation is not regarded as critical, though in the latter Province 

 i-ecent developments in certain areas are causing much anxiety. Out- 

 breaks have occurred in parts of the Zoutpansberg, Barberton, and 

 Piet Retief , and are being dealt with by the Veterinary Division, but 

 public attention is centred on the occurrence of the disease as reported 

 from various centres in the Pretoria District. The situation in this 

 district is one of great difficulty, for hundreds, if not thousands, of 

 cattle entering the bushveld for winter grazing must have traversed 

 the infected areas. Every effort is being made to check the spread of 

 the disease by increasing the police supeiwision in the district so as to 

 prevent illicit movements of stock, and it is trusted that the measures 

 adopted wilj have the desired result of stamping out the disease. 



The adequate control of East Coast fever has been seriously 

 hampered during the years of the war. Shortage of staff, high cost 

 and lack of dipping and fencing materials, and. recently, the severe 

 drought, have all combined to make the task of dealing with the 

 disease a most formidable one, and it is feai"ed that the position in the 

 Union has not improved as much as it might have done under more 

 favourable conditions. Indeed it is fortunate that under the circuni- 

 staufes more nutbreakfl have not occurred. 



