12 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



These are caused by undue heat in the manure in the ab- 

 sence of moisture. This heated condition of the manure 

 is sometimes spoken of as "fire fang." The hazard of loss 

 from this source is much greater when the manure is un- 

 der cover than when it is exposed to the elements. The 

 mold usually assumes a white color in sheep manure. It 

 has then lost nearly all its nitrogen, and its value in other 

 respects has become greatly lessened. Sheep manure un- 

 der cover is much liable to become thus affected owing to 

 the relatively small amount of liquid in the voidings. 



To get the best possible value from sheep manure it 

 should be applied to the land in the fresh form, and as 

 soon as possible after it is made. That, of course, holds 

 true of all manure, but it is pre-eminently true of manure 

 made by sheep. When allowed to mold so that the mold 

 permeates the mass, it will not repay the labor of apply- 

 ing it. 



The cost of applying manure made by sheep is, in the 

 aggregate, considerably less than in the case of other ani- 

 mals. This is owing to the longer period relatively dur- 

 ing which they remain in the pasture. In the autumn 

 they are frequently grazed for several weeks after cattle 

 have been confined to the yards, and usually they are 

 turned out to graze for two to four weeks after cattle 

 have been confined to the yards, and generally they are 

 turned out to graze from two to three weeks earlier in the 

 spring. This, of course, adds to the value of sheep as fer- 

 tilizers of the land. 



