WINTER. MANAGEMENT. 243 



economy in feeding, and unsurpassed mode of management 

 in all things. 

 ■ The next point which will claim attention, from a review 

 of the tables, is, that the quantity of 



FODDER SHOULD BE PROPORTIONED TO THE LIVE WEIGHT 

 OF THE SHEEP. 



That animals, after arriving at maturity, consume of food 

 in the ratio of their size, is a fact which admits of no dispute. 



Petri, it appears, estimated 3 lbs. of hay, or with some 

 hay 3 to 4 lbs. potatoes, or 14 to 18 lbs. of cabbage leaves to 

 be necessary for a sheep of 70 lbs. live weight, when fatten- 

 ing — and with this amount daily of food would gain 1^ lbs. 

 of ilesh and wool weekly. 



Thaer's estimate is 3^ lbs. of dry fodder for a sheep daily, 

 and " the greater proportion of this innutritious hay, compared 

 with dry straw, the better," 



Veit, from numerous experiments, determined that 2^ lbs', 

 of the " value of hay" is required daily for every 100 lbs. live 

 weight, to " keep the animal in a profitable state." 



Now we will suppose, taking Veit's estimate as the stand- 

 ard, that the average weight of a flock of sheep to be 80 lbs, 

 per head, and the foddering time 150 days ; this will give 2 

 lbs. daily to each, and^for 150 days 300 lbs., and consequent- 

 ly for that period 100 will eat 30,000 lbs., or 15 tons. 



This certainly seems a low estimate as to the quantity a 

 sheep requires daily, it being i^jths less than the English 

 standard, as rendered by Mr. Spooner. But different breeds 

 and their subdivisions vary so materially in weight, that to 

 form a proper estimate, the sheep-master should weigh some 

 of each of different ages of his flock, and by classifying them 

 according to their relative size, he may feed with greater ac- 

 curacy. _ He must remember, however, that sheep when 

 growing, of any breed, require nearly as much food as when 

 tliey have arrived at maturity ; and sheep growing should 

 never be stinted. 



Another very important consideration must not be lost sight 

 of, namely, the quality of the hay. If it is coarse, much of it 

 sheep will reject-; and consequently an allowance of from 

 10 to 35 per cent, must be made accordingly. It is for this 

 reason, old meadows produce a better quality of hay for sheep, 

 than new ; that of the former being finer, and more miscella- 



