Live Stock Breeders' Association. 179 



ful and persistent grazing animals on the farm. They will eat a 

 much larger number of plants than either horses or cattle and are 

 often useful in clearing a pasture of weeds and brush. 



Ewes are ordinarily bred in the fall, and at this time the pas- 

 tures are frequently short and the animals really suffer for a gen- 

 erous supply of good food. It is always desirable before mating to 

 give the ewe flock a generous supply of food for at least two weeks 

 before turning in the ram. If possible turn the ewes on fresh 

 pasture. It is also a good idea to feed them heavily with grain dur- 

 ing this time. This practice is called "flushing" by the English 

 sheperds, and the claim is made, not without some reason, that this 

 insures a larger number of lambs, that the ewes come in heat more 

 uniformly, and that the lambs are stronger and healthier at birth. 



When the ewes are taken from the pastures in the fall they 

 may be infested more or less seriously with sheep ticks, and if they 

 are not treated for this condition the parasites will interfere ser- 

 iously with their thrift during the winter. It is always a good 

 practice, therefore, to clip them in some good dip which will kill the 

 ticks. This should be done before cold weather. 



The ration for the winter should contain some grain ; 1/2 pound 

 of corn per sheep each day, together with all the clover, alfalfa or 

 cowpea hay that the sheep will eat is a good ration for breeding 

 ewes. Some corn stover is an excellent roughage, and will be re- 

 lished by the ewes. In case it becomes necessary to feed the ewes 

 through the winter without clover, alfalfa or cow pea hay, then 

 the grain ration should be of corn and linseed meal, in the propor- 

 tion of 5 of corn and one of linseed meal, or of corn and bran. This, 

 with stover, mixed hay and possibly some straw, will bring the ewes 

 to lambing time in strong condition. Timothy hay is a very un- 

 satisfactory roughage to feed to sheep. It is best to have the lambs 

 come in February or March, provided warm quarters could be sup- 

 plied. Otherwise April 15th to May 1st is perhaps a better time. 

 After the lambs have been born the ewes should be fed heavily on 

 grain, and in the writer's opinion the lambs should be fed from 

 birth until time of selling. It is customary to provide a lamb creep 

 (a small pen) in which the lambs may go to eat and find hay, and 

 into which the older sheep cannot go. It is undoubtedly true that 

 the grain fed to lambs at this time will yield a greater return in 

 gains made than at any other time in the life of the lamb. If the 

 lambs come in February or March and are full fed they should be 

 sold in June. If they come in April or May they must, be kept 

 longer and will probably sell in the fall as fat, if they have been 



