LEICESTER EWES AND LAMBS. 163 



in many cases gives him his judgment at this time. In the first 

 place, the lambs chosen must be of large and strong frame, care 

 being taken to select only those animals which have black noses and 

 feet, good necks and fleeces, white faces and well set on ears ; and 

 all those which have woolly heads and legs must be rejected. The 

 symmetry of each sheep should be looked at as a whole ; the back 

 as nearly as possible in one line from rump to poll, the breast broad 

 and full, shoulders broad and well rounded, no rising at the 

 withers, barrel deep and round, and the wool white and fine. 

 Although these points are not fully seen in the lamb, yet 

 there are always indications of what will turn out as such 

 when it has reached maturity ; and from experience a good 

 breeder knows well which lambs are most promising. The reason 

 for selecting such a large number of lambs as eighty when 

 only fifty are to be sold is, that, during the feeding and keep- 

 ing of the tups for so long a time, many do not turn out all 

 that was expected of them, and thus are unsuited for the ram 

 sale. If there were no sheep to come and go upon, the breeder 

 would not be able to sell the wished for complement. Many 

 things, which were or could not be seen when they were lambs, 

 will afterwards show themselves in the sheep, for they are 

 always more tender than the ewe and wether hoggs. Thus some 

 will fall victims to sturdy and other diseases, and frequently 

 some showing symptoms of lung disease must be sold fat. 



Castratiox. 



About ten or fifteen days after birth, it is usual to castrate all 

 the male lambs which are not to be kept for rams ; and at this 

 time the opportunity is taken to dock the tails of both ewe and 

 wether lambs. The earlier this operation is performed, the 

 less likely is it to be followed by injurious effects. A favour- 

 able day should be selected, dry, but neither cold nor hot. 

 If the llock is large, it is better to operate upon the lambs at 

 different periods — so that they can be operated on at pretty 

 nearly the same age — than to wait and perform on the whole at 

 the same time. There are different methods of operating, but 

 the following, which we have usually seen and practised, is as 

 expeditious, convenient, painless and satisfactory as any. The 

 lambs to be operated upon are driven carefully along with their 

 mothers into a pen constructed in a corner of the field, either of 

 lamb netting or hurdles. If the Hock is large, a portion only 

 should be put into the pen, say two score, which when finished 

 should be turned out and another supply put in. To perform 

 the operation properly, three persons are required, one to catch, 

 another to hold, and the shepherd himself to castrate the lamb. 

 The operation itself is carried out thus : — The catcher having 



