THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



205 



even inatcliiiig lot of ewes in liighly appreciated, and com- 

 inanils a better price in a marlcet than motley or niongrel- 

 lookiiijf onus. Tiie ewe should have a straight and broad 

 back, wide loins, deep breast, good neck (or scrag, as termed 

 by some), the head rather long, but not broad, an open 

 clieerful countenance crowned with a tuft of wool, which not 

 onl}' adds to its beauty, but is in a measure a preventive 

 of sore head, and last, not least, a robust hardy constitution. 

 I will commence with or at about the time of wcaaiiig the 

 lambs — a period that must be partially regulated by circura- 

 stances, as how you are provided with proper and suitable 

 food to keep them in a healthy and thriving state, as also if 

 there is any tendency to scour ; if so, the sooner in reason they 

 are removed froai their daras the better, a change of the sys- 

 tem which is most effectually Rccorapliahed by a change of 

 food — being the likeliest means of checking it. Tu an ordinary 

 way I believe the first or secoud week in Juue to be as f^ood a 

 tiroe as any; this will allow of having the ewes washed and 

 shorn. A few days should then intervene for them to get ac- 

 cu«tomed to the loss of their coats, or at any rate the weaning 

 of the lambs should take place at as great a time as possible 

 from the shearing of the twes, either as long before or as long 

 after ; for if they take cold at this time, it is tnore than pro- 

 bable it will fly to the udder, producing inflammation, which 

 oftrn turns to mortification, and generally ends in the death 

 of the ewe. I prefer deferring the weaning till after the shear- 

 iug, as it cannot well take place soon enough for the milk 

 to subside to any great degree; consequently the ud- 

 der would be very susceptible of injury, and whirh 

 may occur in washing or shearing. I do think (un- 

 less especial care is taken in driving to the place 

 of washing, and allowing them to get cool before commencing) 

 this to be the most dangerous operation of the two. Again : 

 if the lambs are allowed to remain a few days after shearing, 

 they take cold ; the lamb's sucking would iu some measure be a 

 means of preventing its spreading to that extent it otherwise 

 would. On removing the ewes they should be put into a bare 

 pasture, and at a distance, where the bleatings cannot be heard 

 by either; otherwise both will be much excited, taking a longer 

 time to settle aud content themselves. After a day or two the 

 uddera should be carefully attended to, and those that are full 

 aud hard — causing a stiffness in the ewes' walking — should 

 be occasionally milked. As soon as they have forgotten their 

 lambs, and the milk is reabsorbed, I believe it a good plan to 

 dip them in a solution of arsenic, soft soap, pearl-ash, aud 

 black brimstone, to free them from the irritation and annoy- 

 ance of insects. Those not intended to be kept on for stock 

 should now be drafted off and placed in better keep ; in ad- 

 dition to which a small quantity — say three-quarters of a 

 pound — of linseed-cake eacli daily may be given, I do believe, 

 with profit and advantage. The time of putting the ram to 

 them varies in different localities : for this neighbourhood the 

 first week in October for long- wool ewes I believe to be a very 

 good time. Downs may be put a fortnight earlier. They 

 should now, and for three or four weeks previously, be kept tole- 

 rably well, for the purpose of bringing them quick to the ram ; 

 and the better condition they are in, the greater number of 

 twins they are likely to produce. The usual custom is to turn 

 the ram at large with from fifty to sixty ewes, which I repeat 

 again should be carefully selected to that ram most calculated 

 to rectify the several defects they may possess ; every facility 

 should be afforded, by trimming the ewes' tads, and the shep- 

 herd be particular to see that he does his work ; it is best, 

 however, to smear his breast with rc'ldle or some other colour- 

 ing substance, and which may be changed at stated intervals : 

 it serves as a guide in drawing them for the lambing pen, as 



well as being a more ready detection in case the ram should fail 

 iu doing his duty, not being always to be relied on, even when 

 apparently performing his work satisfactorily. Many of us 

 know too well that such sometimes is the case. I have myself 

 hnd sheej) of different agta ccaae to get lambs, even after 

 doing their work well foi one and two years. This mode of 

 proceeding by some breeders is not approved of, believing that 

 from the hij<h condition rams are often iu, and the heat of the 

 weather, they becon^e careless of their work, allowing many of 

 the ewes when coming up fast to go by. The plan they re- 

 commend is to keep the rams in small paddocks,.placing a stag 

 with the ewes to ascertain whon they are in season, then 

 bringing them to be served by such ram as may be considered 

 best suited for the ewe. When served, they are taken to a 

 fitld, and in the course of a week or ten days a different teaser 

 is placed with thein, to show if any shoubi return (it must be 

 borne in mind this would require the constant superintendence 

 of the shepherd, and almost day and night). It is alleged, 

 however, the extra trouble will be amply repaid, by the greater 

 certainty of tlieir being in-lamb, and that a sheep will serve 

 80 thus treated as easily as oue allowed to run at large will 

 60 ; or that three will do the work of four for the first three 

 months. After conception it ia not necessary to keep them 

 particularly well ; but at the end of that time I do think it 

 requisite to pay particular attention to their diet, as I am of 

 opinion that this is as criticul a time as any of their gesta- 

 tions ; aud I attribute many of losses, and some of our want 

 of success— such as the ewes casting their lambs, shedding 

 their coat.", weakness after lambing, and a short supply of milk, 

 the lambs dropping water-bellied, rickety, weak in their limbs, 

 and otherwise dull and mopish— to some neglect, or not sup- 

 plying them with proper aud nouriahing food at this time. 

 My reason for arriving at these conclusions is that in seasons 

 when roots have been plentiful and hay scarce, consequently 

 my ewes been supplied plentifully with the former, and spa- 

 ringly of the latter, invariably 1 have had greater casualties, 

 both as regards ewes and lambs, than when the reverse has 

 been the case, or when they have had plenty of hay, and tur- 

 nips sparingly. I also think that should there be a great 

 quantity of rain about this time (or I should say from now to 

 the time of lambing), so as to make the ground wet and 

 tender in feeding off turnips, it would be better to remove 

 them for a few days to a field of old seeds or dry pasture, 

 having known great losses occur ; and I have sustained such 

 myself, by allowing them to remain on turnip-laud when very 

 wet and dirty ; consequently if running on pasture, whenever 

 the weather is unpropitious they should have dry food of 

 some kind. If on turnips, give them moderately ; at the same 

 time, plentifully supplyiug them with hay. When within 

 three weeks or a mouth of lambing, they should be bounti- 

 fully supplied with the most nutritious and invigorating food 

 procurable, for the purpose of giving strength and vigour to 

 the system, and creating a sufficiency of good and wholesome 

 food for the offspring. This brings me to the time of lambing, 

 which usually occurs about 21 weeks after conseption ; but 

 often, I have observed, rather longer with a ram than with a 

 ewe lamb. The lambing-pen I prefer having in au open, dry, 

 airy place, taking care to well shelter it from the north and 

 east winds ; having always experienced less losses when so 

 situate than when for the sake of warmth a low, close, damp 

 place has been chosen. Shelter from the cold and wet being 

 necessary for a short time after lambing, temporary huts, 

 made with hurdles and straw, should be provided on each 

 side of the pen, or at least on the east, west, and north ; so 

 that advantage may be taken when the wind or rain comes 

 from these quarters. The ewes, when they come into the pen, 

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