SHEEP OX NEW ENGLAND FARMS. 



21 



recommended, while large Mammoth Clover is too coarse. Some 

 make use oi this, however, by allowing the sheep to pick it over and 

 eat only what they want, feeding the coarser parts to other stock. 

 " Rowen." as it is known in New England, or the aftermath from 

 hay lands, is said to make an excellent feed for sheep, and many plan 

 to save their rowen to feed the sheep just prior to and al lambing 

 time. Redtop, fine lowland hay. and what is known locally in many 

 places as June grass, all make good sheep hays, whereas " Herds 

 Grass " (timothy), millet, and other coarse hays are not to be desired. 



In addition to dry roughage, some form of succulent feed should 

 be provided. This form of feed is too often lacking; but it is par- 

 ticularly essential in keeping sheep in good condition during the 

 winter, and if fed with the right kind of hays probably reduces con- 

 siderably the amount of grain required. For New England, prob- 

 ably nothing is better than rutabaga turnips (see fig. 6) for this 

 class of feed. Sweet apples are sometimes fed in the place of or to 

 supplement roots, with good results. Corn silage is available on 

 many farms and could be used as a succulent feed for sheep much 

 more extensively than it is. 



Practically the only grain fed to the farm flock in New England 

 is fed just prior to and at lambing time, and most growers agree, 

 that some grain at that time is essential. Whole or ground oats and 

 wheat bran, sometimes with a little oil meal, is the grain mixture 



Fig. <>. — A crop ot rutabaga turnips grown to feed sheen. This form of succulent feeJ 



should Ijc more generally used as a part of the regular winter ration for sheep. The 



topography and vegetation of the pasture in the background is typical of much New 

 England land, 



