158 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



Where the pasture is restricted, as it frequently is, 

 green food is fed as soiling food. For such a use nothing 

 is more suitable than well-grown rape or alfalfa, cut not 

 later than the stage of early bloom. Many other kinds 

 of green food will answer, as corn of tender growth, peas 

 and oats or vetches and oats grown together, field roots 

 with the tops, cabbage and also pumpkins. Such food 

 may be given, up to the limit of consumption, providing 

 the digestion remains undisturbed. Rape and alfalfa, if 

 fed somewhat wilted, will not produce bloat, which may 

 happen if the rams were to graze on these, or even on 

 clover. No grain food is more suitable for such rams than 

 oats if only one kind of grain is fed, but an addition of a 

 small amount of Canada peas, wheat or barley, may im- 

 prove the ration. In the absence of green food, wheat 

 bran and oil cake, especially the former, may be added 

 with profit to the grain. The amount of grain fed may 

 exceed two pounds daily in some instances. In any event 

 the amount should be liberal. Such rams will also turn 

 to good account some hay, especially when leguminous 

 in character. 



When the rams run with small flocks of ewes in the 

 fields, no especial attention for the ram may be necessary 

 further than to rub some kind of coloring matter over 

 his breast and brisket to indicate which ewes have been 

 served (see page 162). In some instances rams are fed 

 grain while running with the flock. This, however, in- 

 volves the necessity of a daily visit by the shepherd, and 

 a further draft on his time while the ram is consuming the 

 grain. When they are kept up, the ewes are usually 

 driven to the yard morning or evening. The ram soon 

 singles out any in heat and these should be at once re- 

 moved. When all have been served, the ram is at once 

 removed and the ewes are kept away from the flock for 

 several hours. In other instances what is known as a 

 "teaser" is used to indicate which ewes are in heat. A 

 teaser is simply a ram carrying what may be termed a 



