CAEE AND MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 849 



SHEEP* 



The management of sheep is largely centred in the 

 lambing-pen, for it is here that the chief mortality occurs. 

 There is no difficulty in fattening sheep, they give very 

 little trouble under the watchful eye of a good shepherd 

 when intelligently fed and looked after, but the lambing 

 time is one of anxiety and mortality. 



The diseases from which they suffer are mainly those 

 which are preventable, and within the bounds of cleanliness 

 to either control or completely eradicate ; abortion, septic 

 arthritis of lambs, septicaemia of ewes, contagious mam- 

 mitis, and contagious aphtha of lambs, are doubtless all 

 microbic. Turning to other diseases not connected with 

 the parturient period, contagious and non - contagious 

 foot-rot, may both be controlled by hygienic measures, 

 and the several parasitic attacks of the skin due to flies 

 and acari are entirely within the laws of prevention ; 

 while even the ravages caused by such internal parasites 

 as fluke and bronchial filaria are capable of considerable 

 control. 



Feeding of Sheep. \- — The management of sheep varies 

 with the part of the country ; Scotch and English methods 

 are not identical, and even in the various parts of England 

 they differ greatly. The system of management depends 

 upon the nature of the farm, and whether the animals are 

 to be brought up under natural conditions or forced. 



The summer feeding of sheep which are living under 

 natural conditions is very simple, and consists of grazing 

 with or without trough food, depending on the nature of 

 the pasture and the custom of the country, but as a rule 

 some oats and cake are given in addition. 



* In the preparation of this subject the following works have been 

 drawn on : ' Stephens' Book of the Farm,' by Mr. J. Macdonald ; ' The 

 Complete Grazier,' by Dr. Fream; 'The Lambing-Pen,' by Mr. Harold 

 Leeney, M.B.O.V.S., Journal of the Boyal Agricultural Society, 

 vol. vii., part iv., 1896 ; ' Sheep, Breeds and Management,' Professor 

 J. Wrightson, M.B.A.C, F.C.S., Live-Stock Handbooks, No. 1. 



f See also p. 131. 



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