CHAPTER XXVIII. 

 WATER SUPPLY. 



Fresh growing pasture, upon which the sheep 

 thrives so well, contains a large percentage of water, for 

 the soil, as the feeding intermediary of such grass, is 

 moistened by rains. Sheep can do very well without 

 water when grazing upon pasture that is in such a state, 

 but the pasture is not all the time in this condition. In 

 dry weather, or in country that is deficient in rains or 

 dews, the need for an available supply of water is clear, 

 otherwise the working of the digestive organs of the 

 sheep becomes disorganised by an oversupply of dry, 

 moistureless feed, and instead of putting on or maintain- 

 ing condition, the sheep goes back. The feed is not 

 being made the best use of, and the animal becomes 

 thriftless. Even in moist sheep country there are times 

 of the year when a dry spell reduces the water in the 

 grass to under the quantity that is required by sheep, 

 and they look around for the running creek. 



More particularly is abundance of water necessary 

 when sheep are fed upon artificial foods of a heating 

 nature, and it is always incumbent to have it available 

 for animals that are being fattened. When the grass is 

 dried up by a drougbt it is freshly cured by the sun and 

 contains good fattening properties, but its feeding must 

 be accompanied by accessibility to water. Much loss of 

 sheep in Australia through drought could be avoided if 

 sheep had access to water. The feed is often there, of a 

 very dry nature certainly, but the water is unavailable. 

 Without water, in a dry spell, sheep have to contend 

 with the manifest disadvantages of assimilating dry food, 

 difficult to digest, and with great and taxing heat, which 

 draws upon the animal's reserve strength. The drain of 

 heavy perspiration is unreplenished, and the actions of 

 the digestive organs are put out of gear. It is quite im- 

 possible to expect sheep to thrive under such unnatural 

 conditions. 



