CHAPTEE XXXVII. 



THE GRAZING OF A PADDOCK. 



A paddock that is composed of English grasses im- 

 plies considerable stock-carrying power, and it is there- 

 fore inadvisable to graze sheep in it for too long a time 

 continuously. Perennial grazing of such a pasture with 

 a fairly full complement of sheep means vitiation of 

 the herbage, and this is followed by reduced condition 

 and health of the stock. If continuous light stocking 

 is pursued, on the other hand, it will mean less pasture 

 poisoning by excreta, but it is a wasteful plan, for the 

 feed outstrips consumption, and what is not trampled 

 and soiled grows fibrous and unsuited to sheep. More- 

 over, during a long-continued wet time the damp-retain- 

 ing grass will not help to ward off footrot. It may, 

 therefore, be conceded that short heavy stocking so that 

 all feed may be consumed quickly and without waste is 

 the plan. Several paddocks have to be available for the 

 stock to enable this to be done, and better the land is the 

 more fencing it can profitably stand. 



The exact time when the stock, under such a scheme 

 of change grazing, should be removed from one paddock 

 to another is important, and is best left to the judgment 

 of the grazier, who knows what feed there is ahead in 

 the other paddocks ; but care may be taken to see that 

 the grazing is not done too close, particularly when the 

 weather is cold and inclement. This may be easier said 

 than practised, but collateral root and fodder feed pro- 

 vision, which should be undertaken wherever English 

 grass sheep grazing is followed, or well-planned gracing 

 arrangements will see the rule through. If grass is 

 grazed too close in cold weather the plant's crown be- 

 comes exposed, growth is arrested and vitality injured 



