142 



MANAGEMliNT OF SHEEP. 



number, if supplied with what, and permitted to run 

 about, will consume that quantity in a week. In 

 spring, from half a pound to a pound of oil cake is 

 given daily to each of them, along with turnips. 



In places where the cold during spring is any way 

 severe, the Swedish turnip ought always to be preferred 

 for feeding sheep, as from the formation of the upper 

 part of the bulb, water cannot collect within it as it 

 does in other varieties, to their serious injury when 

 frost sets in. 



Turnips must be cut for such sheep as are shedding 

 their teeth. The mouths of those that refuse to eat 

 them should be examined, that in the event of a tooth 

 being loose or broken it may be removed. Occa- 

 sionally a sheep will be unable to gnaw a turnip, 

 owing to a peculiar formation of the head, the lower 

 jaw being so very short as to give the profile some 

 resemblance to that of a pig. Such deformed animals 

 are said in this quarter to be ^rwn-(ground).mouthed : 

 I believe from the elongation of the nose suiting them 

 better for poking in the earth than for feeding in the 

 usual way. 



The fattening of sheep on turnips is much promoted 

 by their having access to a grass field, more especially 

 if it happen to contain whins or heather. It is from 

 want of attention to this that sheep are so liable to dis- 

 ease when eating turnips, for, apart from the benefit 

 that accrues to them from a dry lair, they are enabled 

 to turn their food to better account when consuming 

 bitter herbs. It is no unusual thing for turnip -fed 

 sheep and cattle to become quite lean, as the farmers 

 say, " almost at the lifting,** for no other reason than 



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