378 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



better arrangement would be to have the extra barbed wire on the 

 outside 6 inches from the fence and just above the ground surface, 

 though this might result in injury to horses and cattle on the out- 

 side range. With the wire on the outside the coyote could not work 

 near the fence, and in either case it is doubtful if he would be per- 

 sistent enough to dig the distance that would be necessary in order 

 to go under both wires. 



Loss of Sheep During the Pasture Period, June 22 to September 

 %g. September 29, 7 a. m., the experiment was closed and the sheep 

 counted and turned over to the owner. 



Count turned into the pasture, June 22, 1909 1,942 



Count turned into the pasture, July 6. 1909. 98 



Loss during season, June 22 to September 29, 99 days : 



a. By poisonous plants 



Ewe (One ewe, poisoned before entering pasture, 



died immediately afterwards) 1 



Lambs 



b. From "bluebag," ewes 2 



c. On back between logs, ewe 1 



d. Sickness, undetermined, lamb 1 



e. For mutton 3 



Total 



Count when taken from the pasture September 29, 1909. . . . : 2,032 



Total count 2,040 



Actual loss in the pasture , 



Per cent loss in the pasture 0.2 



Separating into Small Bunches. In order to handle a band of 

 ewes and lambs under the pasturage system in a way best both for 

 the forage crop and for the sheep it is essential to know: First, the 

 extent to which the ewes and their lambs will naturally be separated 

 from each other and remain apart; second, to what extent the ewes 

 and their lambs may separate and remain apart without retarding 

 the growth of the lambs, or without loss of ewes from inflammation 

 of the udder, caused by an excess of milk ; and, third, to what extent 

 they should remain in small bunches in order to secure the best 

 utilization of the forage crop. 



During most of the time for the first twenty days after the 

 sheep were turned loose in the pasture they were in one band. They 

 would scatter widely and occasionally separate into two or three 

 bunches for a short time during the day, but toward evening they 

 would invariably work together. Except on two occasions they were 

 together on the oed ground at night. This action, no doubt, was in 

 part due to the fact that there was no heavy timber grazing during 

 the period, but in greater degree to the tendency of each ewe to look 

 after her lamb, and to the fact that the band had not yet outgrown 

 the habits acquired while herded. As the season advanced the actions 

 of the sheep were characterized by greater freedom. The number 



