SALT 



361 



economy to use it for bedding, because it will not only keep the 

 sheep in better condition, but it will serve its purpose better as a 

 fertilizer. 



Water. — Fattening sheep or lambs need clean, wholesome water, 

 every day. In cold weather, lambs that are receiving nothing but 

 dry feeds will drink a half-gallon (four pounds) daily, and on warm 

 days they will drink much more. Care should be taken to keep the 

 watering troughs clean and sweet. The water can be kept in more 

 wholesome condition if the troughs are located out of doors, but if 



Fig. 217. — This man, who is sorting out the fat sheep to send to market, realizes that 

 feeding is a fattening process. 



this is done, some provision has to be made to keep it from freezing. 

 Salt. — All sheep kept on feeds that are produced in the Middle 

 West and East crave salt. The reason for this is that there is not 

 enough of this mineral in the feeds to satisfy the demands of the 

 body for it. Salt may be given periodically, say twice a week, or it 

 may be kept before the sheep all the time. As a rule the latter is the 

 better practice, as it more nearly insures that the animals will get 

 all the salt they need. But it should not be kept before them con- 

 stantly until they have become accustomed to it. Cases have been 

 reported of sheep and lambs dying because of their almost constant 



