14 CIRCULAR 804, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



early spring and greened up again in the fall, were grazed considerably 

 both spring and fall but largely disregarded during the remainder of 

 the grazing season. 



The sheep seldom grazed one species to the exclusion of others 

 but usually mixed the species sufficiently to provide a wide variety. 

 They grazed the pastures irregularly and often returned to closely 

 grazed areas for any new growth that might have appeared since 

 the last visit. 



HABITS OF THE YEARLING EWES 



Knowledge of the natural habits of range sheep is important both 

 in the management of the range and in the proper handling of the 

 animals themselves. Study and observation of the yearling ewes, 

 their responses to weather conditions and topographic features, and 

 their preferences for different forage species through the season 

 provided some knowledge of their habits. 



In this experiment the sheep were not herded but were free to 

 move and graze as they wished. However, each group was located 

 and counted twice daily and periodically was driven to the corral 

 for weighing by the attendant, who spent full time looking after them. 

 No effort was made to direct their movements over the range. Under 

 these conditions all the vagaries of sheep nature were allowed full 

 freedom except as restricted by weather, available water and forage, 

 and the pasture fences. Some concentration and unnecessary 

 trampling occurred under this system of handling, and distribution 

 of grazing was uneven and irregular. The Rambouillet yearlings 

 were gregarious for the most part, but occasionally a group would 

 divide into two or more small bunches following a predator attack or 

 other disturbance. 



Principal Activities 



grazing 



The yearling ewes grazed largely during the daylight hours, partic- 

 ularly in the spring, early summer, and fall, when days were not 

 too hot. In midsummer, however, when insects were bothersome 

 and the days long and hot, they frequently grazed at night. 



Various grazing formations were observed, depending upon the 

 forage, the weather, and other factors. A wide arc formation, three 

 or four sheep deep, was frequently observed on rolling blue grama 

 areas when the sheep were very hungry in early morning or following 

 confinement in the corral at weighing time. In this formation they 

 were well spread out and moved very slowly, obtaining the maximum 

 amount of forage for the time involved and area covered. At other 

 times the ewes moved rapidly in a close, compact formation, grazing 

 only the most desirable or easily accessible plants. This habit was 

 frequently observed in late evening immediately before bedding, 

 when hunger was not very evident. Apparently only choice forage 

 was sought during this period. An unusual formation was often 

 seen around skunkbush sumac or chokecherry thickets when the 

 ewes would crowd in closely and browse until nearly every ripe fruit 

 within reach was taken (fig. 3, p. 6). Sometimes they reached the 

 higher ones by standing with front feet in a bush or on another sheep. 



There was a tendency toward spotty, irregular grazing in all the 

 pastures. The ewes would return repeatedly to closely grazed areas 



