580 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



barefaced and barelegged sbeep is a light 

 shearer, and even if the primary purpose 

 is mutton, there is no reason why a good 

 fleece should not be obtained at the 

 same time. Three or 4 extra pounds 

 of wool a head makes a difference in the 

 profits worth striving for, when wool is 

 bringing 25 to 30 cents a pound, as it 

 now is. 



In selecting the ewes, soundness and 

 vitality should be carefully considered. 

 If sheep are thin and ragged looking, 

 unless the cause of their condition be 

 known beyond question, they should be 

 passed by. 



When the sheep reach the home farm, 

 it is a wise precaution to dip them im- 

 mediately to kill all ticks which they 



fences, the bottom wires should be spaced 

 from 2Y 2 to 3 inches apart and the top 

 ones not more than 6 inches apart. 

 Barbed wire, spaced 5 to 6 inches apart 

 all the way up, makes a useless fence 

 against sheep. They walk through it as 

 easily as if the gates were open. No 

 man should ever buy a flock of sheep 

 until he has first put up suitable fences, 

 else he will be continually in hot water 

 from the day the sheep are brought to 

 the farm until the fences are fixed. 



Fall care of the ewes — The care of 

 the farm flock of ewes during late sum- 

 mer and fall is simple. If they are 

 given good pasture, pure water and ac- 

 cess to salt, they will need little, if any 

 further attention, except a daily visit 



Fig. 367 — CHEVIOT EWE LAMBS 



are likely to have on them, and again 

 about 10 days later to effectually free 

 them from this pest which would other- 

 wise annoy them and keep them poor. 

 Directions for dipping sheep are given 

 in Part III. With the mutton type of 

 sheep, no more than 200 should be main- 

 tained in a single flock. The Merinos, 

 Rambouillets and Black-faced Scotch 

 sheep may be herded in bands of 1,000 

 or more. A flock of 50 to 100 is enough 

 for the beginner, and is about the right 

 number to carry with other stock on an 

 eighty-acre farm. 



Fences — Under eastern conditions 

 farm fences are necessary for sheep 

 raising. These need not be more than 

 Sy 2 to 4 feet high, but they must be 

 made tight enough to prevent a lamb 

 from creeping through. With wire 



to the pasture to see that all is going 

 well. Frequently a sheep gets down on 

 its back and cannot get up. Without 

 assistance at this time, the sheep will 

 die. This is quite a common occurrence 

 with the heavier mutton breeds, espe- 

 cially when they are fat. 



There is also danger from dogs, which 

 sometimes chase the flock, lacerate and 

 kill many of them. In a number of 

 states, sheep raising is of minor impor- 

 tance simply because of the number of 

 dogs kept in the state. In some states, 

 a dog tax is levied to reimburse sheep 

 owners for sheep which have been killed 

 by dogs, where the responsibility for the 

 killing cannot be placed. A piece of 

 fresh meat drawn across the fields and 

 left with some strychnine in it, makes a 

 warm trail, which the dog will generally 



