184 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



pasture, and salt mixed with air-slaked lime should 

 be kept before them. 



They should never thereafter be removed night 

 or day, rain or shine, as long as they are desired 

 to graze the field. 



Of course they may have the run of an adjacent 

 grass pasture, and be permitted to go and come at 

 will, but they must never be taken away even for a 

 few hours and allowed to get hungry and then re- 

 turned to the clover or alfalfa field. If they are, 

 there is danger that they will gorge themselves too 

 suddenly and bloating may result. 



The writer devotes considerable space to the sub- 

 ject because he has had a long and successful expe- 

 rience in pasturing clover and especially alfalfa 

 with sheep, and in his practice he has found these 

 rules essential to success. It is well worth the risk, 

 seeing that this pasture returns such well nourished 

 and healthy sheep and is so free from danger of 

 parasitic infection. The writer, has annually lost 

 from 2 to 4 per cent from bloat on alfalfa pasture, 

 commonly of animals not in the best health, and if 

 it has returned the other 96 or 98 per cent in fine 

 health to him, he considers the sacrifice of small 

 amount. 



The following remedies for bloated sheep are 

 good: 



When first in distress, administer three table- 

 spoonfuls of raw linseed oil in which is a teaspoon- 

 ful of turpentine. 



If this does not relieve at once, tie or hold a large 



