PRACTICAL FARMER 



157 



PEEDIXG CATTIiE. 



It lias been ascertained that 1 lb. of oil cake, is 

 ns two pounds of hay. 



200 lbs. of good straw of j)eas and vetches are 

 equal to 100 lbs. of hay. 



300 lbs. of barley and oat straw are equal to a 

 100 lbs. of hay. 



400 lbs. of wheat straw are equal to a 100 lbs. 

 of hay. 



Wheat produces the greatest increase in the 

 flesh of the living anitnal, though but little greater 

 than o-ats, peas, wheat, rye, and hay niixed with 

 straw, produce the greatest increase of wool ; bar- 

 ley and wheat cause the greatest increase of tal- 

 low. As an average, grain generail}' gives about 

 three times the increase in the flesh, that roots and 

 hay do, when in equal weight ; grain produces 

 abciit twice as much wool as is caused by an 

 equal weight of roots, and several times the amount 

 of tallow, that is |)roduced either by roots or hay. 

 But as an equal weight of mangel wurtzel may be 

 raised at an expense of less than one tenth of 

 what is required for the production of most kinds 

 of grain, the vastly superior economy of its use as 

 food for sheep for every thing except fattening, 

 will be at once perceived. 



De Raumer found, that Fheep ate with avidity, 

 eight pounds per head of mangel wurtzel a day, 

 intermixed with straw ; during which time they 

 drank one quart of water, and remained in good 

 and healthy condition. 



That of raw sliced potatoes, they ate with good 

 oppetite, at the rate of seven pounds per day, al- 

 so with straw-, and drank three pints of water in 

 24 hours. Also, remained healthy. 



That they ate two pounds of peas per head dai- 

 ly, drank from two to three quarts of water, and 

 remained fine and healthy. It was necessary to 

 soak the peas to prevent injury to their teeth. 



That wheat produced nearly the same results as 

 peas. 



That they do not eat rye readily, and it appears 

 not well adapted for their food. 



That of oats and barley, they ate about two and 

 a half pounds per head daily, with avidity, did ex- 

 tremely well on it, and drank about 3 quarts of 

 water in 24 hours. 



That buckwheat produced excellent effects up- 

 on them, which they eat with avidity. 



And that of good hay they ate four and a half 

 pounds daily, and drank from two and a half to 

 three quarts of water. 



As a large number of fine-wooled sheep have 

 been introduced into the country within a few 

 years, it is absolutely necessary, in erder to ren- 

 der them most profitable, that they be well shel- 

 'tered during winter, • In those countries in Eu- 

 rope which are mOot famous for the growth of fine 

 wool, strict attention is given to this subject, and 



sheep are not only sheltered in the night, but 

 whenever the weather demands it during the day. 

 It is said that on this depends in a great degree, 

 the fineness and quality of tlie wool. Shreds, at 

 least, should always be provided for the most har- 

 dy breeds of sheep ; much more so then, ought 

 they to he for the more tender, fine-wooled varie- 

 ties. Henry D. Grove, of Hoosick, Rensselaer 

 county, who has been uncommonly successful in 

 raising and wintering fine-wooled sheep, says that 

 shelter against the inclemency of the weather, 

 " is almost as necessary to the health and gocd 

 condition of sheep, as food itself, and for this rea- 

 son stables for that purpose aj-e of great benelit. 

 Not only do sheep do much better, but it is also 

 a saving of fodder and manure. The latter is as 

 important as the former; for manure, properly 

 applied, is money to the farmer ; and it is well 

 known that sheep manure is of the best kind. — 

 These stables ought to he so constructed, as to 

 admit of a great quantity of hay being put over 

 head ; and for this reason I would recommend a 

 side hill facing the south, and a dry spot around 

 it for their location. E:ich full i,n-own sheep re- 

 quires six square feet 'including racks. These 

 ought to be so constructed as to have a manger 

 attached to each, for the jjurpose of feeding grain 

 and roots, and to catch the hay the sheep draw 

 through the racks. The stable ought to be eight 

 feet high at least, nine feet is preferable, and suf- 

 ficiently ventilated. It is also necessary to have 

 vvindoVvTs for the purposL of light. The differ- 

 ence between wool grown in a dark and light sta- 

 ble, is really surprising. In a dark one, wool does 

 not get the brightness it has in a light one. Of 

 this fact, I have witnessed the most surprising 

 proof. Over head, the stable ought to be tight, 

 that no fodder, chafi', &c., may fall into the wool, 

 which reduces its value. The stables ought to 

 be littered with straw from time to time, to keep 

 the wool clean and add to the comfort and health 

 of the animals." 



We conclude these observations with the re- 

 marks relative to the importance of water atKl 

 succulent food to sheep during winter, of J. Bar- 

 ney, Esq. of Philadelphia, whose experience and 

 skill on this subject are well known. To a gen- 

 tleman who visited him, he showed from 50 ewes, 

 upwards of sixty lambs, all lively and brisk, with 

 a loss of perhaps three or four. 'I'he gentleman 

 observed to him that he had his shed covered 

 with dead lambs, and asked wherein the secret of 

 breeding lay. He answered, "you stuff your 

 sheep with dry food ?^' " Yes, as much good clo- 

 ver and hay as they will eat," was the reply. — 

 " You give tliern no water, but suffer them to go 

 out in time of snow, and eat it as they are dis- 

 posed to do ?" " Yes." " Then their lies the se- 

 cret. Your sheep fill themselves with bay ; they 



