174 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



loss is not worth mentioning when the advan- 

 tage to the flock is considered. 



It is a custom of some shepherds and feed- 

 ers to shear sheep and lamhs before placing 

 them on feed in the fall and early winter. 



There is little advantage in this; It forces 

 and crowds them close together, and they do not 

 gain any better. 



The one advantage is that it is easier to free 

 them from ticks after tliey- are shorn and if 

 they are dipped less fluid is required. 



MARKING. 



When sheep go to pasture it is well to have 

 a mark upon them so that in case they acci- 

 dentally become mixed with other sheep they 

 may be known. 



A large letter made of wood, with a handle 

 to it, is used, some thick paint serving for ink. 

 Linseed oil and lampblack make a durable mark, 

 plainly seen. 



Permanent marking is done by splitting, 

 cropping or notching the ears. This is the 

 universal custom on Western ranges, but such 

 disfigurement is seldom practiced in the East- 

 ern states. There arei metal labels that are 

 inserted in the ears; these bear the name of 

 the owner, or numbers, or the numbers as- 

 signed to registered sheep by the breed secre- 

 taries. 



There are various forms of these metal ear 

 labels. None of them is very sure to remain 

 in the ear. The difficulty is that the ears be- 

 come sore and pus formation eats away so 



