FATTENING SHEEP WHILE GRAZING 195 



possible to reduce the hazard from bloating so as to almost 

 entirely eliminate it by the judicious feeding of grain, espe- 

 cially in the early morning, but grain is a more expensive 

 food than rape. It should be the aim to visit the flock at 

 least twice a day, and more frequently at first. Should any 

 be found suffering from bloat, it may be possible to relieve 

 them. Should any be found not long dead from this cause, 

 if the throat is cut open with promptness, the meat is still 

 good for food, notwithstanding the prejudice that some may 

 have in regard to eating it. In any event the hide and wool 

 thereon will far more than pay for its removal. 



When sheep are first put upon rape, in some instances 

 many of them scour, especially in the absence of access to 

 old grass pastures and in the absence of a grain supplement. 

 The animals affected may be known readily by the soiling 

 which this condition induces. They should be tagged with 

 promptness, and if subsequently the scouring continues, it 

 may be necessary to remove them and put them on a dry 

 ration for a time. Sheep have a great craving for salt when 

 on such grazing, and it should be so abundantly supplied to 

 them that they will at all times have access to it. When given 

 in covered troughs the rain cannot dissolve it as when ex- 

 posed. It is believed that the salt tends to correct the scour- 

 ing, and the belief would seem well founded. Sheep will 

 seldom take additional water when they are feeding on rape. 



In some areas prolonged storms occur during the rape- 

 grazing season. When these do occur the sheep should not 

 be allowed to remain long exposed to them. The rape plants 

 are so tall that sheep and lambs grazing among them at such 

 a time get much bedrabbled, and as such rains are usually 

 cold, such a condition is decidedly harmful. To remove the 

 sheep at such a time may call for the aid of a saddle horse. 

 When visiting the flock at any time, a saddle horse will make 

 it possible to greatly expedite the work. 



When white frosts come and cover the leaves, they bring 

 with them additional hazard. When such food is taken into 

 the stomach in very large quantities, the irritation following 



