Annual report of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Minnesota . to get poor, and the lambs will not makethe best growth, as an all brush pasture seems to shortenthe milk supply of the ewes. This has been amply demon-strated for two different summers with the flock on the sheep will destroy the brush quicker when confined uponit. It therefore becomes a question of which is the moreimportant end to be attained. Should it be impossible tofurnish the sheep with any pasture except brush, one mustnot expect the sheep to get fat upon it, for they will seldomdo so unless
Annual report of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Minnesota . to get poor, and the lambs will not makethe best growth, as an all brush pasture seems to shortenthe milk supply of the ewes. This has been amply demon-strated for two different summers with the flock on the sheep will destroy the brush quicker when confined uponit. It therefore becomes a question of which is the moreimportant end to be attained. Should it be impossible tofurnish the sheep with any pasture except brush, one mustnot expect the sheep to get fat upon it, for they will seldomdo so unless there is a large amount of grass or peavines inthe pasture. It is possible however to make extensive useof the sheep to pasture off brush and at the same time bringthem through the season in good form. This can be donewhen the farm is sufficiently well developed to devote someof the cleared land to sheep pasture. The sheep may then bekept on the brush in the spring into July, at which periodthe foliage is fresh, and browsing does the most effective 240 NORTHEAST EXPERIMENT Land, Sheep Pasture well broused. work. After the middle of July the brush is dr\r and un-palatable, browsing does not kill it as well, and the sheepwill rapidly run down. It is then that they should be turnedupon other pasture. In the early spring a little grass or ryepasture will also be of great help. Such a rotation of pas-ture requires fencing, and this will often deter the farmerfrom adapting it. But it should be held as a goal to workfor, if sheep are to be a permanent addition to the farm. Success with sheep depends upon the lambs. The oldsheep may thrive, apparently, but if the lambs are weak anddie the flock soon melts away. The strength of the lambsdepends more than all else, on the care and management ofthe flock through the winter. A common mistake, and onealwa\s attended with fatal consequences to the lambs, is tokeep the sheep too warm. No amount of cold will hurt asheep with its thick
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectagriculture, bookyear
