208 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



drift and swirl. The yard should be on the sunny side 

 and should have the protection of a high board fence or of 

 stacks of straw on the exposed side, or sides. Of course, 

 convenience in feeding and providing water should be 

 given careful attention. When sheep thus fed are shorn, 

 the quarters in which they are kept must be warm enough 

 to meet their needs. 



In areas reasonably mild and dry, the protection of 

 a shed even may not be necessary. But the cover of a 

 grove or the protection of a bluff is always advantageous 

 in shielding the sheep on feed from the wind. In many 

 of the western mountain valleys sheep are thus fattened, 

 and even as far north as Montana. In some instances no 

 other protection is afforded than that of a fence surround- 

 ing the inclosure. The temperature is seldom too low 

 for the wellbeing of sheep on such food, the days of sun- 

 shine are almost continuous and the storms accompanied 

 by precipitation are light. Even as far north as Minne- 

 sota sheep have been fattened with reasonable success 

 with no other shelter than that of a bluff and a grove such 

 as grows in the ravines of the prairie. 



In areas mild and moist the protection of a shed or 

 covering of some kind is, in a sense, necessary to shield 

 the sheep from rain and from snow or sleet should these 

 occur. In some instances sheds devoted to other uses 

 during. a part of the year may be used for feeding sheep 

 in winter. Sheds, for instance, in which tobacco is cured, 

 are sometimes thus used for protecting sheep that are be- 

 ing fattened at that season. 



Leading sheep up to full feeding When sheep are 

 first put upon a fattening ration, much caution should be 

 exercised with reference to the amount of grain fed and 

 the rate of increase in the feeding of the same. If the 

 food is too stimulating in character or excessive in quan- 

 tity, derangement in the digestion will result that will 

 greatly retard increase, if it does not lead to even more 

 serious consequences. Time must be given to allow the 



