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MISC. PUBLICATION 194, V. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



and shrubs, wliich other farm animals do not reUsh, causes them to be 

 kept on many farms chiefly to clean up fields, pastures, and fence 

 rows. However, they cannot use large quantities of rough forage, 

 such as coarse-stalked grasses and cornstalks, to nearly as good 

 advantage as can cattle and horses. Their service is chiefl}'^ in biting 

 off the tenderest grass, leaves, and shoots. By such practice the sheep 

 keep down weeds and slirubs when there is sufficient density of stock- 

 ing to cause them to graze the pasture rather closely. 



An acre of good arable land used exclusively for sheep \vin ordinarily 

 support from 3 to 5 ewes with their lambs until the latter are marketed 

 (fig. 21). On pastures suitable for either cattle or sheep, 5 ewes may 

 be considered the eciuivalent of 1 cow or mature steer, and the winter 



Figure 21. — Lambs produced with no grain feeding during the grazing season in the southern Appalachian 

 region. After the lambs are weaned the ewes are put on high, rough land until snow falls. 



feed required for 1 breeding cow not in milk would be equivalent to 

 that needed for about 8 ewes. 



The practice of flushing ewes, that is, putting them in a gaining 

 condition in the fall before breeding time, commonly increases the 

 lamb crop by about 20 lambs per 100 ewes. Tliis can be accom- 

 plished by turning the ewes on an abundance of fresh green pasturage 

 or by feeding each about one-half pound of grain daily. 



Good winter pasture or range supplemented by good legume hay, 

 when the snow is deep, will keep a breeding flock in good condition. 



AVOIDING STOMACH WORMS 



The flockmaster's greatest troubles are likely to be caused by 

 internal parasites, the eft'ects of which are particularh" evident during 

 the latter part of the pasture season. Of these parasites the stomach 

 worm, Hatmonchus coidortus, is the most common and troublesome. 



