372 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



flock, that is of male goats, has to some extent furnished 

 protection to sheep from dogs. Such protection, how- 

 ever, in large flocks will not always prove adequate, as 

 the flock not infrequently divides into groups in large 

 pastures, and in some of these the goats may be absent 

 when the dogs attack the sheep. Nor is it by any means 

 certain that male goats will always prove effective in the 

 fight with dogs when they are present. The same may be 

 said of Dorset males, though in some instances they may 

 drive away timid dogs. Even ewes with young lambs will 

 sometimes fight dogs in defence of their young, but usu- 

 ally they prove quite unequal to conducting such a con- 

 test. 



The corral is a sure means of protection for sheep at 

 night when the inclosure is properly made. When the 

 fence is inadequate to keep out dogs, the corral only 

 tends to facilitate the slaughter when dogs get inside. 

 To the sheep in such an event it becomes a veritable death 

 trap. To yarding sheep in corrals there are also some 

 objections as shown below. 



One of the surest and most effective ways of protect- 

 ing sheep against dogs is by fencing the pastures so 

 that dogs cannot enter them. A fence constructed as fol- 

 lows will protect against dogs : Set posts 8 feet long, say 

 one rod apart, and sunk 3 feet into the ground. Along 

 these stretch barbed wire just at the surface of the 

 ground, say, 3 inches ; above this stretch a strip of woven 

 wire 36 inches broad and with mesh not exceeding 5 

 inches. Six inches above the woven wire stretch a barb 

 wire; 6 inches higher stretch another and 8^ inches 

 higher still a third. The fence will thus be 5 feet from the 

 ground to the top of the barb wire. A strip of strong 

 wood 2x1 inches, placed erect and midway between the 

 posts, and to which the wires are stapled, will prevent 

 them from sagging. A wire woven up and down at the 

 same place will effect the same end. The bottom wire is 

 intended to prevent the dogs from crawling under. . 



