Sheep Without Water.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 81, 29 September 1894, Page 3

Sheep Without Water.

An account was given in a late number of the Hughenden Observer of an experiment made by Mr W. Hammond, manager ot the Hughenden Station, with a view of ascertaining bow long sbeep in the paddock could do without wuter. About the middle of April last he put 18 sheep in one of the Station paddocks in which there was no water, ani they were kept there until the middle of August, when they were shifted, as the paddock was wanted for other purposes. When taken to water, the sheep (we are told) showed no inclination to drink. A somewhat similar experiment was made by accident three or four years ago by > rW. Murray, of Cappeedee, South Australia. A few sheep were left in a paddock for a considerable time during summer, it being forgotten that there was i\p water for them to drink. When taken out they did not exhibit any appearance of having suffered from want of water. The sheep were merinos ; indeed, I (Bruno) do not think any other breed can do without water for more than a few days at the farthest. In these experiments the nature of the pasture must be taken into consideration. At Cappeedee the pastare was full of saline plants which hold a large amount of moisture, and it was probably owing to these that the sheep were able to do without water in such a hot climate. In the Hughenden experiment, the sheep were kept without water during the wuter months, when naturally sheep do not require much water.