IIIK. FEEDING OF FARM STOCK. T. v . 



The second common cause of mortality — impaction of various organs is 

 nut si) readily recognised or dealt with, since if is apt tobeofslow onsetandto 

 follow a long period of dry feeding. The tendency is to regard the fad thai 

 sheep have lived for some considerable period on scrub or very dry innutri- 

 tion-, food as evidence that the food is sufficient for them, but as a matter of 

 tact a continuous lowering in tone is taking place, varying in degree accord- 

 ing to the quantity and quality of the food. This lowering in tone may lie 

 s.i slight that no ill-effects are observed, and when good feed comes again the 

 sheep recover their tone : on the other hand, it may be SO marked that the 

 digestive svstein becomes unable to deal with the food, impaction results, and 

 heavy mortality may follow. This is particularly liable tooccur in pregnant 

 ewes towards lambing time, and in sheep that are travelled or put to some 

 other strain. In between these manifestations are all gradations of the 

 trouble, and in many cases only small numbers of the weaker sheep die. 

 What the animals suffer from is actually slow starvation. The impaction is 

 certainly increased by the astringent nature of so many scrub fodders. It is 

 impossible to lav down any hard and fast rules as to when and under what 

 particular conditions mortality will occur, but it is obvious that the longer 

 the period of nutritious feeding the more likely it is to have unfavourable 

 results. Experience with the particular fodders used and the conditions 

 existent on each holding must serve as the owner's guide. 



It is plain that prevention of such mortality as is under consideration 

 depends on the supply of food which will counterbalance both the lack of 

 nutritive quality and the astringent nature of the scrubs and rough, dry 

 fodders. Although to prevent all ill-effects this must be undertaken 

 throughout the period of dry feeding, it is remarkable how rapidly sheep 

 will recover from very severe loss of tone and impaction — even after deaths 

 have occurred in the flock from these causes — if food is changed. Loss of 

 lambs through deficiency of milk in the ewes (an indirect effect of the trouble 

 discussed) may also be guarded against at the same time by use of the same 

 measures. 



The most useful way of considering the question of measures likely to 

 prevent losses will be to take in turn the various feeding materials used in 

 carrying sheep through a dry time and to note their value, and the most 

 satisfactory method of utilising them. In doing so it must be borne in mind 

 that financial considerations and the number of sheep to he dealt with must 

 modify the decision on these points to a degree varying with any particular 

 case. 



Oats. — While this is a very good grain food for sheep, it does not appear 

 to equal maize ; as a sole food, owing to its larger husk content, it is superior 

 to wheat. It is usually fed either by scattering or in troughs, but (as with 

 all grains) scattering has considerable drawbacks, as a certain quantity 

 is wasted, and in picking it off the ground the sheep are bound to become 

 sanded to a certain extent. In some instances sanding has increased the ill- 

 effects of impaction, if it has not directly caused mortality. It may be said 

 here that no grain alone can be a satisfactory feed for a ruminant animal 

 over long periods, and the fact that sheep have been brought through certain 

 periods of drought on a grain ration does not invalidate this fact. Owing 

 to their comparatively high nitrogen content oats form a useful adjunct to 

 silage, straw, and chaff feeding. 



Maize. — This appears to be about the most suitable grain to feed to 

 sheep, and owing to its larger size there is probably less lost in scattering 

 it than is the case with oats and wheat. It does not alone provide such a 



