6 WISCONSIN BULLETIN 263 



fed with the brush ration. When the sheep have an oppor- 

 tunity to eat grass as well as the brush, no grain is needed. 



Many of the northern sheepmen buy a bunch of sheep in 

 the spring, graze them during the summer, and send them to 

 market in the fall. Others are finding it profitable to retain 

 a flock of breeding ewes during the winter and sell the lambs 

 in the fall. 



During the early spring and late fall if the flock is allowed 

 to graze along the roadsides and in fence rows, considerable 



FIG. 3. A TYPICAL FLOCK OF WESTERN EWES 



Such a flock as this can be bought reasonably on the market, and if bred to a good 

 mutton ram, produces lambs of good mutton quality. 



useless vegetation which harbors insect pests will be de- 

 stroyed. A small flock will do much toward cleaning out the 

 fence row r , and if fed some^ grain will fatten while doing it. 



KIND OF FENCE NEEDED FOR SHEEP. 



Fences can be built in upper Wisconsin for less than it 

 would cost in many other parts of the country. In many 

 instances, the settler can cut all the posts needed on his own 

 land. A fence made of four-foot closely woven wire, with two 

 or three barbs on top, and one barb at the bottom to keep 

 the dogs from digging underneath the woven wire will keep 

 the sheep in and will also prevent any dogs from getting in and 

 molesting the flock. The fence will not cost as much to con- 

 struct if a 36-inch woven wire is hung on posts 20 feet apart. 



