TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 481 



ewes at this time exercises a stimulating influence on the secretory action 

 of the ovaries, while at the same time causing the graafian follicles (or 

 ovarian vesicles which contain the ova) to reach maturity more rapidly, 

 and a larger number to discharge during the early "heat" periods of the 

 mating season. Besides causing the ewes to take service of ram at an 

 earlier date, this additional and fresh feeding tends to increase the num- 

 her of lambs dropped. Perhaps the results to be obtained from "flushing" 

 have never been fully explained to all, therefore we w'ish to give the de- 

 tails of some experiments made by Francis H. A. Marshall, lecturer on the 

 "Physiology of Reproduction" in the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. 



In 1905 there were three pens of ewes in the experiment. One pen was 

 fed on only grass during the summer months previous to mating. During 

 the three weeks they were with the ram they received a full supply of- 

 turnips, and during pregnancy received dried grains and turnips, and were 

 fed on "lamb food" about three weeks previous to lambing. The rams were 

 fed on "bruised oats during the time they were with the ewes. From this 

 pen of ewes 12i^ per cent had triplets and one ewe had four lambs. In 

 this instance the exact percentage of lambs was 191.5. None of the ewes 

 were barren and none aborted. Unfortunately, however, not all of the 

 lambs could be reared, so the number still living at about one month after 

 lambing was reduced to 183 per cent. 



The second lot of ewes were given Bombay cake ( a mixed feedstuff), 

 bruised "barley, a small amount of linseed cake, as well as turnips during 

 mating time. Previous to this they were fed only on grass. Some tur- 

 nips were allowed during the period of pregnancy. The rams received the 

 same feed as the ewes. Thirteen and one-half per cent of the ewes produced 

 triplets. None aborted or were barren. The ewes were all 3 years old 

 and produced 193.75 per centage of lambs. 



In the case of the third lot of ewes, they were placed on a fresh better 

 pasture just previous to mating time, and from this time on until the mid- 

 dle of April they had good pasture, a reasonable allowance of turnips and 

 all the cut hay they would eat. The rams received no special treatment. 

 Out of 184 ewes. 23 had triplets, 2 ewes were barren, and 1 aborted. Alto- 

 gether this pen produced lamb percentage of 196. 



Further Mr. Marshall states that it is obvious that lambing returns as 

 a whole confirm the conclusion that extra feeding at mating time results 

 in a larger crop of lambs at the subsequent lambing. 



One correspondent stated that he put 60 ewes on rape and clover at 

 mating time and that 90 per cent of these had either twins or triplets at 

 the ensuing lambing, far exceeding the other sheep, which were treated 

 differently. 



There is distinct evidence, also, that the barrenness percentage is less 

 with ewes which have been specially fed in the way indicated. 



These facts should be of great interest to every sheep breeder, because 

 it is quite an item to produce a large percentage of early lambs, and the 

 outlay of additional feed is very small. 



The result of this practice has, of course, been perfectly well known to 

 numerous individual flockmasters, who have consistently "flushed" the 

 ewes on their own farms for a period of many years. It is surprising, 

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