518 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK iv 



CHAPTER III. 



THE FEEDING ON PASTURES, THE FOLDING, AND SHELTERING 



OF SHEEP. 



rTlHE successful feeding of sheep, on the first of these methods, must 

 J_ greatly depend on the quality of the pasture intended for their 

 reception, and the resources at the farmer's disposal for supplying 

 them with food during the trying winter months. It will always be 

 necessary to suit them to the pasture, and on no account to procure 

 sheep from grounds of a quality superior to those which are destined 

 for their support. The larger breeds, as a rule, do best on good and 

 luxuriant pasture, where they have not to travel too far for their day's 

 food, while the smaller kinds are best adapted for the less fertile tracts, 

 and for a shorter bite of grass. 



The tendency with most sheep-keepers though an exception exists 

 in the case of mountain flockmasters is now to bring their sheep into 

 the market as early as possible, maintaining them in good health and 

 condition throughout their lives, as the mere keeping alive without any 

 improvement in condition is expensive and unprofitable. The aim is 

 now to dispose of the sheep while they are tegs, and the early lambing 

 breeds are usually sold at from 10 to 15 months, being fattened out on 

 roots during winter. The longer- woolled sheep are not brought to quite 

 so rapid maturity, and though some are got out young and during spring, 

 a large proportion are carried through the winter on roots or grass, 

 and then sold to be topped up on rich pastures and leys, by which means 

 profit is made of the valuable fleece, which is clipped and sold separately. 

 The time at which they are fattened out of course depends to a great 

 extent on the way they have been treated when lambs. Those which 

 have received corn are naturally fit for killing before those which 

 have only received ordinary bulky farm produce. 



Before turning sheep into pastures, particularly water-meadows, and 

 also into those places that are subject to the rot, it will be expedient to 

 give them hay or cut straw. When an} r kind of dry food is given, 

 plenty of water should be supplied, particularly during the intense 

 heat that usually prevails in the middle of the summer, and often 

 renders the grass as dry as stubble. Clear running water is always to 

 be preferred where it can be obtained. While ewes are suckling, they 

 should have access to water, otherwise their milk will be diminished in 

 quantity or injured in quality, or they may become covered with a 

 mangy eruption. Some caution is required when sheep which have 

 been long kept from water again have access to it. 



Wet grass land is highly dangerous at certain seasons, as sheep are 

 liable to contract liver-rot or fluke, which in wet years has been known 

 to more than decimate the flocks of this country. 



