14

SHEEP AND WOOL B

Winter Feeding of Sheep

Extracts from an article by Mr. Hugh Gilmour, of Griswold, Man., and from various bulletins
published by the Dominion and Provincial Governments.

For further information on this subject write to your nearest Agricultural College or
Experimental Farm. A list of these is given in Farm News Sheet No, 46.

ISSUED BY

EATON’S FARM NEWS SERVICE

WINNIPEG, CANADA

Before sheep go into Winter quarters and Winter rations commence, they should be
put in good condition. This can usually be accomplished by turning them on to the
stubble fields, fence strips in plowed fields, patches of willow scrub and the like. They
will clean up nearly all of the weeds which may be growing alongside fences or in the
stubble. On summerfallow they are of threefold service, as they clean up the weeds,
help pack the soil, and also fertilize it; sheep manure being one of the best fertilizers
known.

Lambs should be brought as near maturity as possible, and have plenty of flesh on
them before going into Winter feeding.

Some farmers Winter feed their sheep with the idea in mind of just “pulling them
through” the Winter. Other farmers feed with the object of continued gain and growth
of the animals in mind. The latter plan will be found the most economical in the long
run, and is the best plan to follow, both in regard to condition of the sheep and the
farmer’s pocket-book when he markets them.

FEEDS

The feeds available for Winter feeding of sheep are Fodders, Roots and Grains. A
good ration will contain some of each of the first two, and grain when needed; that is, for
lambs and thin ewes. Ewes in good condition require little or no grain during Winter
feeding except near lambing time, but the ration for lambs may contain a small amount
of grain always.

FODDERS

The best fodders for sheep are: Clovers, alfalfa, oat sheaves, prairie hay, peas and
vetches. Timothy hay is not good sheep fodder, and neither is slough hay, but many
varieties of weeds, especially sow thistle and fine scrub growth, give a variety that is
relished by sheep.

ROOTS

Mangels and turnips are the roots most commonly fed to sheep, but owing to the
cost of cultivating them, they are not used as extensively as they should be for sheep
feeding, which is unfortunate, as there is no better succulent feed for sheep than roots.
Silage is fed in lieu of roots by most sheep raisers in Western Canada, but is not quite
as good as roots in producing results.

In Great Britain and parts of Eastern Canada, where practically every farmer has a
small flock of good sheep, lambs are commonly given all the turnips they will eat. Ewes

[OVER