10 Practical Sheep Husbandry 



Samuel 25:18, "Then Abigail took five sheep ready dressed," etc. 



Leviticus 13:47, "Whether it be a woolen garment or a linen gar- 

 ment." 



Genesis 31:19, "and Laben went to shear his sheep." 



It is very interesting and striking to note the enormous number of 

 sheep raised in Palestine in Biblical times. The following statement 

 is made by Smith in his Bible dictionary: 



"Chardin says he saw a clan of Turcoman shepherds, whose flock 

 consisted of 3,000,000 sheep and goats, besides 400,000 beasts of car- 

 riage, as horses, asses and camels." 



Every bit of care and breeding that has been given the sheep in the 

 past has tended to mould the sheep of today. The rat family really 

 thrive and do better, looking after themselves, than they do with the 

 best care man can give them, but sheep are just the opposite and re- 

 quire attention. 



The sheep, since we have any record of it, has been under man's care, 

 and so it is a law of their very nature to depend on man for their pro- 

 tection. Looking back through their entire history, we find them folded 

 at night, protected through the day, and feed, water, salt, etc., furnished 

 them, and so today it is not the nature of sheep to look after themselves. 



It was the ancient custom for the shepherd to go before his flock, 

 calling them to follow. 



John 10 :4, "And when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before 

 them, and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out, and 

 a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know 

 not the voice of strangers." 



Sheep respond quickly if called by their names, and a good shepherd 

 can call one from a large flock and have it at his side at once by calling 

 its name. However, they will not respond to a strange call, showing 

 by this characteristic their educated love for their master. 



In early history the better classes considered sheep raising a very 

 honorable occupation, and both sexes in some of the best families fol- 

 lowed sheep husbandry. 



Exodus 2:16, "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and 

 they came and drew water to water their father's flocks, and the shep- 

 herds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them." 



We also read that King David was a shepherd boy and many other 

 noted men as well were shepherds. 



DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIFFERENT BREEDS 



The development of sheep, as they concern the people of today, 

 began in England and Spain around the year 1000. At that time both 

 countries were manifesting a great deal of interest in sheep develop- 

 ment; and by the year 1500 they were recognized as the great sheep 

 breeding countries of the world. 



The Merino 



Spain at a very early period developed the Merino, a small sheep, 

 quite free from wrinkles. Its wool was very fine and its fleece of wool 

 very heavy. The early record of the Merino forms an interesting chap- 



