SALT FOR SHEEP.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 100, 3 June 1914, Page 11

SALT FOR SHEEP.

Tliere exists in most farmers' minds a dimly conceived idea that-salt is good for sheep, and so at irregular intervals they*-supply it to them in varying quantities;'but probably few of them really the ; effect ctindiihent has upon tlie digestion, nor the actual need that exists for it. It is not an acci.eagerly but . rather it d real, physical want that demands satisfaction. Hydrochloric acid is one of the chief coiist'ituents of the gastric' .-juices ©f the stomach that play so active a part"'in digestion, and it is to: help supply the. chlorine of .acid that salt is necessary. l lt will be noticed: that when sheep have not had salt for a long time, "they eat it in simply enormous quantities. This is because the supply of chlorine has become depleted aud requires replenishing. So it is not simply to lend variety or improve the flavour of food that salt should be give% biit rather to supply chlorine for the gastric juices. . Another reason why salt is useful to sheep'is because it increases theft thirst, and causes them to drink water cient'quantities to carry on the normal functions of the body. If bulky foods are eaten, and only a small amount of water drunk, impaction often occurs hi the digestive' tract, and trouble or loss ensues. Moreover, when the water supply is small,, the assimilated food is not 30 readily carried to the different parts of the body and distributed to tlie tissues. ' , Particularly when sheep are in pasture or living largely on grass and eereal erops do they need salt, because these crops contain potassium salts. Potassium has a greater Affinity for ehlorine than hydrogen. Hence, unless plenty of chlorine is supplied the body, the potassium takes a, portion of .that ■which would otherwise combine to form hydrochloric acid. Either coarse ground or rock salt may be used for feeding, as preferred. There is probably more waste in connection with the ground salt, but licking, the rock salt sometimes makes the sheeps' mouths and tongues sore. ,• If-.coarse; salt is usqd, a. tight trough, covered with a littleiroof as a protection from the;;rain should be provided. The average ewe requires from three to five pounds of salt a year,\the variation depending largely upon the axnount •f natural salts-contained iii .t)ie, feed given.' This would mean that she;Sh,ould have from two to three pounds during the summer. It would be well r tio'weigh out the .amount that the flOck should have during the suinmer "upon this basis; then there will be iio tljinger of giving too little. 5 i ; It is a • mistake to , give . sjieep ,salt, only occasionally, and in large ( quantities, f : or under these conditions /their appetites,are so sharpened for they eat too much. If it is kept before" them, where they cair eat ,it fjit will, they will eat what is neCC.ssa'ry for the carrying on of bodily furteti.qns, and will not take too. much at once. , ; j.i ,