DISPOSAL AND MARKETING OF SHEEP 361 



When shipping sheep from farm pastures to the mar- 

 ket it may be necessary, in some instances, to put them 

 on dry feed for a day or two prior to shipping. The object 

 sought is to lessen the tendency to scouring that might 

 otherwise result. Such a course is important when sheep 

 are being finished on succulent pastures, such as rape. 

 When shipped from feed lots, the grain ration should be 

 materially reduced for a day or two before shipping. Oats 

 furnishes the safest grain food to feed at such a time. 



Instances may occur in which the individual may 

 have only a part of a carload to ship. His aim should be 

 to get some neighbor similarly situated to join with him 

 in completing the loading of the car. Such co-operation 

 in localities far from market is" highly important, and 

 should be made a matter of pre-arrangement before the 

 feeding begins. Swine also may be used, of course, to 

 complete the loading of the car, but when so used the 

 partition that separates the sheep and swine should be 

 strongly made. 



When shipping sheep out of the stock yards to be 

 finished on the farm or elsewhere, it is a wise precaution 

 to dip them before removing them from the stock yards. 

 Such dipping is a safeguard against scab and ticks, but if 

 scab is suspected the sheep ought to be dipped twice with 

 an interval between (see page 439). The stock yards 

 furnish the dipping plant and materials for dipping, and 

 they take charge of the same at so much per head. The 

 charge is usually a moderate one. The aim should be to 

 carry the sheep in disinfected cars after they have been 

 thus dipped. As the run from the stock yards to the farm 

 or other place where the sheep are to be finished is not 

 usually a long one, the car is furnished with bedding only. 

 When the sheep will be long in transit some hay is put 

 around the sides of the car, which they will consume, in 

 part at least, on the way. 



Shipping stockers from the ranges When sheep are 

 shipped as stockers from the ranges, the numbers are such 



