6 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



the food fed. For this and other reasons it would be 

 only possible to state approximately the relative value of 

 these. Roberts has given much thought to this question 

 and his investigations have led him to conclude that the 

 average value of a ton of farm manures from horses, cows, 

 sheep and swine ranks as follows : 



Horses $2.49 



Cows 2.43 



Sheep 4.25 



Swine 3.20 



In this estimate the nitrogen in the manure is rated 

 at 15 cents a pound, the phosphoric acid at 7 cents and the 

 potash at 4j4 cents. The superior value of sheep manure 

 is thus clearly apparent from the standpoint of chemical 

 analysis. Add to this the other points of superiority, and 

 the showing is very pronounced in favor of sheep manure. 



The readily available condition in which the drop- 

 pings of sheep are found adds greatly to their value. 

 When they fall on the soil it is usually in the form of 

 detached particles. These come in close contact with the 

 soil. The first shower which falls upon them carriei; 

 down more or less of the manurial constituents into the 

 soil. This is all the more readily accomplished because of 

 the finer and more thorough grinding which sheep give 

 to their food than other domestic quadrupeds. The drop- 

 pings of other animals fall in masses, hence much of their 

 bulk does not come in close contact with the soil. The 

 loss from these, therefore, by washing and leaching is 

 much greater than from the droppings of sheep. It is 

 also much greater from oxidation and from pests that 

 prey upon them. 



As the droppings of horses and cattle fall in masses, 

 they destroy vegetation beneath them, and they overfer- 

 tilize the ground for a short distance around, and there 

 is also waste from the causes named. But the droppings 

 of sheep scatter when they fall. Sheep travel much when 



