SHEEP FATTENING. 49 



lambs may be born at any period, it is well to adopt the system 

 of placing something tempting for the lambs. As regards the 

 quantity of water to be allowed sheep, authorities differ, some 

 declaring the less water the better, some that a few quarts daily 

 are sufficient. Too little attention has hitherto been given to the 

 feeding troughs, which should be constantly cleansed, and the 

 cossette ration not eaten removed and replaced by fresh. 



In the general rush at sheep feeding on an extended scale importance of 

 with the view to utilizing cossette fresh from the factory, too sheep selection, 

 little attention is given to medical examination of the animals 

 to be fed, and the result is that disease soon spreads and plays 

 havoc among the flock. 



Just as is the case with milch cows, sheep must be fed at reg- Sheep fattening, 

 ular intervals and treated with constant kindness; they become 

 accustomed to special attendants, and they alone had better 

 handle the question of feeding. In whatever State the sheep 

 feeding is carried on, there are always certain essentials for the 

 market; but just what these are would carry us beyond the scope 

 of the present writing. The fattening proper cannot commence 

 until sheep have been not only weaned, but have got their full 

 set of teeth. 



In countries presenting passable conditions the sheep grazing 

 can commence when the cattle leave off. It is important that 

 the sheep be not allowed to walk distances out of proportion 

 to the food gathered, otherwise the exercise would not lead to 

 very beneficial results as far as the farmer is concerned. Evi- 

 dently the best meat is obtained from sheep that are familiar 

 with good pasturage on lands more or less charged with salts, like 

 those near the seashore, which frequently offer the best results. 



The fattening of sheep is a much more difficult process than 

 that of cattle, owing to the individual characteristics of each. 

 They must be classified not only according to weight, but also 

 in regard to special characteristics. The rule is to give stimu- 

 lating food, so as to obtain the greatest possible consumption 

 per diem. 



When rams have commenced to give evidence of their 

 maturity they require a very different ration from sheep that 

 have been altered or females. 

 4 



