FATTENING SHEEP IN SUMMER. 223 



feed par excellence, but this caution must be borne in mind: 

 Parasites that are extremely destructive to sheep are far 

 more liable to find their way into sheep when they are 

 grazing upon short, close grass such as bluegrass is than 

 when they are running upon higher growing grasses, such 

 as red clover and alfalfa. Besides this, these parasites never 

 trouble sheep that are feeding on a pasture where sheep 

 have not previously fed; hence it is that new pastures insure 

 freedom from the parasites which are the bane of the sheep 

 grower's existence. Bluegrass is the earliest and choicest 

 feed we have, but if sheep have run on it for several years, 

 there is danger from the parasites, even in the case of ma- 

 ture sheep; and it is almost certain death to lambs. Hence 

 judgment must be used in allowing sheep to run on blue- 

 grass pasture, and it must ever be remembered that one is 

 taking considerable risk in allowing sheep on old pastures. 

 When bluegrass has been decided upon, however, and where 

 it is abundant and not too washy, no other feed need be 

 given. If soft or somewhat scarce, some corn and bran 

 should be fed with it. In starting the sheep on pasture in 

 the spring, it is best to turn them on some pasture where the 

 old grass makes up a large part of the feed; on such pas- 

 ture the sheep will get a bite of old grass with the new, 

 which will prevent scouring, which is very liable to occur 

 if the sheep are turned on pasture that consists wholly of 

 new grass. The pasture should be abundant and particular 

 care should be taken not to overstock it during May and June, 

 for if this is done, no feed will be procurable in July and 

 August; and it cannot be too thoroughly emphasized that 

 more feed can be secured from a pasture by grazing it mod- 

 erately than by keeping it grazed close to the ground. Corn 

 is the staple feed in the great central states, and gives the 

 most satisfactory results of any grain fed in conjunction 

 with bluegrass pasture. In starting the feed begin gradually 

 giving not more than one-third of a pound of shelled corn 

 with about the same amount of bran to each animal for the 

 first few days. The corn should be gradually increased and 

 the bran decreased until at the end of ten or fifteen days 

 the bran may be wholly discontinued, and the sheep should be 

 receiving from two-thirds to three-fourths of a pound shelled 

 corn per head per day. If the feeding period is to be a short 

 one, the sheep may be brought to full feed, about two pounds 

 shelled corn per day, within thirty days. But if the feed- 



