A NEW SHEEP PRO I'KC TOR.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2081, 3 January 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

A NEW SHEEP PRO I'KC TOR.

"Town and Country." Now that many settlers arc engaging in nheep farming on a limited scale, we think the following notice and illustration of a new sheep protector well worthy of consideration. For many obvious reasons it is Tery desirable that our fanners, free selector.-*, and settlers of small means should be encouraged to give attention to this husbandly, which, from a national, as well as a personal point of view, is of far greater importance than other kinds of stock farming. Une of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all deterring influences is the danger from dogs. The yearly losses from thi* cause arc in some distiicts enormous and the nuisance is, greatest in those very districts where it is most desirable the husbandry should be most general, namely, agricultural districts. It is by the general pacticc of sheep farming- that we hope to make our land productive and enduring, which cannot be done without manuring ; and sheep would pay the farmer well even il the wool and the increase realised no moro than would pay the cost of keeping. It is estimated that the annual lo*s in the United States through the destruction of sheep by dogs is more than a million of dollars. In the State of Georgia alone, the yearly loss from this cause amounts to the round sum of 73.000 dollars. To remedy this evil, Captain Uiltiert, of Uuckv ville, S. C. , has, alter several experiments perfected the sheep protector shown in the engraving. It is stated that dogs invariably attack the necks of sheep, the object being to sever the arteries and drink the blood. The device consists of an oval collar formed of hoop iron, with overlapping ends, which are straight and parallel with each other. In one of these ends there it a rivet, the head of which projects through a slot in the other end. One end of the slot is enlarged to admit of fastening the collar. The part of the collar that comes under the throat is straight, and to it are secured by a single rivet two bars, which are crossed ' and pointed. The same rivet that fastens these bars is used as a pivot for the spring button which is employed to secure the collar against accidental unfastening. Besides protecting the sheep against dogs, the collar nerves another purpose, both important and human. The common method of indicating the age of the sheep ia to alit or punch the ears. This collar is an excellent surface on which to stamp dates and the owner's name or mark (brand), The inventor states that the oil from the wool protects the collar against corrosion. By means of a suitable crook, the sheep may be readily caught by the collar, thus avoiding the tearing of the skin and injury to the sheep which frequently results when they are caught by the wool. This doice might be made use of by some of our agricultural manufacturing firms, and a supply made fend kept on hand. The cost should not exceed a few pence each, and doubtless owners of stud flocks would in the first instance avail themselves of the protection, and from them their employment would rapidly spread, until all our flocks exposed to the danger would be protected against it.