Fitting Wethers for Shows. 207 



FITTING YEARLING WETHERS. 



The writer will now give the course pursued by 

 him in fitting yearling wethers and lambs that 

 have been successfully shown at the largest fat 

 stock shows. 



All the animals which have been fitted for these 

 shows have been fed experimentally on different 

 rations in order to study the value of various feeds. 

 In so doing all the feed except pasturage is weighed 

 and recorded, enabling the writer to give here the 

 most successful rations. 



The yearlings are sheared from April 30 to May 

 10, according to the weather. They are turned out 

 on grass about May 20. No grain, hay, or other feed 

 is now given them. About July 10 they are brought 

 to the barn, and from this date a small allowance 

 of grain is fed every morning, after which they are 

 driven into a small pasture near the barn where 

 there are nice shade trees. 



About July 15 the first trimming or so-called 

 blocking-out is done. A cool day should always 

 be chosen for trimming any sheep, as otherwise 

 they are apt to become overheated from struggling 

 before they become accustomed to being trimmed. 

 About August 10 the pasture is generally becom- 

 ing scant and some nice clover hay is therefore fed 

 to them in the evening. At the same time the early 

 cabbage is ready for feeding, and each wether re- 



