﻿THE MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP ON THE FARM. 41 



Rape. — Rape is one of the most popular of the annual pastures. 

 It is largely used for pasture for lambs at weaning time and for 

 flushing the ewes. There is more or less danger from bloat, however, 

 and it is recommended that the sheep be given a full feed of their 

 regular ration before being turned into the field. One reason for its 

 wide popularity is that it can be sown after sortie early maturing crop 

 has already been harvested, since it takes it but from 8 to 10 weeks 

 to be ready for use. 



Field peas. — Field peas are commonly used for fattening sheep in 

 some parts of the West. The San Luis Valley in Colorado is especially 

 noted for its pea-fattened lambs. The gains with field peas are very 

 economical. 



Oats and peas. — Oats and peas sown together make excellent for- 

 age, and several crops of these can be raised if the time of planting 

 between successive crops is about two weeks. 



Rye.— : Rye is commonly used for fall and winter pasture, and it 

 is also used in the spring until the joints appear. Its use is probably 

 more widespread than that of any of the other annual pastures. 



Vetches. — Vetches are usually sown with some other crop, such as 

 oats, rye, peas, or rape, and have proved a valuable pasture in some 

 sections, especially in the South. 



Cowpeas and soy beans, — These have been used less for pasture 

 than for hay. 



Barley.— Barley is used to a limited extent for sheep pasture in the 

 South. 



Kale. — Kale makes an excellent pasture of somewhat the same 

 nature as rape. It is not commonly used in this country except in 

 the Willamette Valley, where the famous long-wooled sheep of this 

 region feed upon it. 



Wheat. — Many farmers allow their sheep to pasture upon their 

 wheat fields for a short time in the spring, especially if the wheat is 

 making too rapid growth. 



FEEDING ROOTS. 



Roots are to sheep in winter what pasture is in summer. In late 

 years silage has been substituted for them to a certain extent, but, 

 nevertheless, they still maintain a wide popularity. Breeding ewes, 

 especially, thrive upon this form of succulence, roots going a long 

 way toward producing a strong, healthy lamb crop. All classes of 

 sheep are prevented from becoming constipated and kept in healthy 

 condition by their use. The dry matter of roots has no special 

 advantage over that of grain, but on account of their wholesome 

 effect in toning up the system they are invaluable in feeding. sheep. 



Roots should be pulped or cut into small pieces for feeding. A 

 root cutter is almost indispensable where many roots are fed. Up 

 to 10 pounds per sheep per day have been fed, depending upon the 



