90 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



EARLY LAMBS. 



L. W. OVIATT, NORTH WILLIAMS. 



The time to begin to grow an early lamb is when you breed and raise 

 its mother, from the fact that no sheep is prepared to bring into the 

 world and care for a pair or more of early lambs with the best results 

 that is not herself large, strong, vigorous, and of good constitution; 

 and we should weed out of our flock with unsparing hand everything 

 That does not meet these conditions. Having done this, and having 

 each ewe bear her own mark and number properly recorded in the 

 shepherd's book, we are prepared to set out to grow esivlj lambs. 



The period of gestation of the ewe is, on the average, 152 days, or 

 approximately five months; and to grow early lambs the coupling, of 

 course, must take place early in the fall. This naturally does not occur 

 until cool or frosty nights come on, but the condition of the flock at 

 the time has much to do with the results. To induce eaily coupling 

 we should have the lambs weaned early and the ewes put into the best 

 possible condition, on full feed and in perfect health, but not too fat. 

 Then the ram should not be allowed to run with the flock, but only 

 put in for a short time each day and then returned to his confinement, 

 for, as you know, ''familiarity breeds contempt." In this way the 

 shepherd may easily know, by keeping his record properly, just when 

 he may expect the lambs from each ewe. 



Now, as to the winter care of the flock, we are strong advocates of 

 an abundance of rough forage and little, if any, of the heavy grains 

 or concentrated foods, because to these heavy foods, in our judgment, 

 is attributable many of the diseases and weaknesses of 3'oung lambs, 

 especially goitre. Nature intended that our animals should roam at their 

 own sweet will and feed upon rough forage; and man often makes a 

 ^grave mistake when he attempts to improve upon Dame Nature. Clover 

 hay and roots or ensilage, with perhaps a few oats or oats and bran 

 mixed would be as heavy feed as we would choose, and we should never 

 allow our breeding ewes to get too fat; but better feed corn than allow 

 the flock to run down in condition. I wish to emphasize the necessity of 

 either roots or ensilage as a succulent food to keep the animals in per- 

 fect health; and as ensilage is so much cheaper and more easily pre- 

 pared, we prefer the ensilage to roots. 



Up to the time the first lambs are expected allow the sheep plenty 

 of exercise and an abundance of pure water and keep in a cool, airy 

 place. We need never fear our flock suffering from cold, provided 

 they are at all times well fed and kept perfectly dry. Moisture is the 

 natural enemy of the sheep, and they will never thrive in close, damp 

 stables, nor do their best if allowed to stand out in the rain. One of 

 the poorest uses that we know of that a farmer can make of good feed 

 is in the maintenance of a crop of sheep ticks and lice. Grub in the head 

 in sheep and hollow horn in cattle both have a peculiar connection, we 

 think, with hollow stomachs. 



When lambing time comes see that the sheep are kept in close, warm 



