90 FITTING SHEEP 



Sheep love a change of pasture even if, as far as the 

 pasture is concerned, the change is from better to worse, 

 and vice versa. This is amply proven by the fact that 

 sheep that may be lying in a luxuriant piece of pasture, with 

 every evidence of their appetites being appeased, and their 

 stomachs comparatively full will, upon being moved to 

 another pasture, no matter how poor, immediately com- 

 mence to eat as if exceedingly hungry. Then, again, frequent 

 change of pasture takes the sheep away from where they are 

 bound to inhale odors from their own excrement in a very 

 strong degree. Frequent change of pasture allows of the pas- 

 tures becoming purified to a great degree. Where sheep are 

 pastured almost continually in one field the land becomes 

 what the English shepherd calls ''sheep sick," i. e., the land 

 smells "sheepy;" the sheep tire of the pasture and do not 

 thrive, but on the other hand seem to get smaller, year 

 by year, appear puny, sickly, and even become diseased. 

 This is a very important matter for consideration and one 

 which the young shepherd should give due attention to, if 

 he is in hopes of ever reaching the goal of success as a 

 shepherd. 



Feeding the Breeding Ewes. 



The shepherd should see that his breeding ewes get a 

 light grain ration just as soon as they show the least signs 

 of losing flesh, which would be about, or not later than 

 Nov. I5th, unless the fall be very mild and pastures abun- 

 dant. While they should not be kept fat they should be 

 "kept coming" right along, and be gaining in flesh slowly 

 rather than be allowed to run down. Oats and bran, mixed, 



