LECTURE XLVIII. 



FEED, CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF A EWE AT 

 LAMBING TIME. 



If the lamb comes at a season when plenty of grass is 

 available, a ewe will require no other food. On the other 

 hand, if the lamb comes in the fall or early spring, consid- 

 erable nutritious food must be fed the ewe immediately be- 

 fore and after lambing. 



As lambing time approaches, a ewe weighing 150 pounds 

 requires daily about one pound of such grain as bran and 

 oats, three or four pounds of succulent food, and about the 

 same weight of such dry fodder as clover or alfalfa hay. 

 Other fodders, such as corn fodder, timothy and native hay, 

 oat straw and pea straw will suffice, providing plenty of suc- 

 culent and nitrogenous elements are fed in conjunction with 

 them. Some succulent food should be fed to breeding ewes 

 at all times; however, it is very easy to feed them too much 

 just previous to lambing. When roots or ensilage are fed 

 to breeding ewes in too liberal quantities, weak, large lambs 

 are likely to be the outcome. Just before lambing, three 

 pounds of any succulent food, such as turnips, mangel-wur- 

 zels, sugar beets, corn ensilage, will be found sufficient. A 

 mixture of ten pounds corn meal, ten pounds bran, two pounds 

 oil meal will make a very valuable ration for ewes after 

 lambing. 



After lambing, unlimited quantities of succulent foods may 

 be fed in order that the flow of milk may be stimulated. How- 

 ever, it is always advisable to feed rich, stimulating rations 

 to ewes rather light the first few days after lambing, be- 

 cause such foods have often a tendency to scour a ewe and 

 her offspring. 



A short time before lambing season and this can be ascer- 

 tained from the record kept by the shepherd the most for- 

 ward ewes should be separated from the rest of the flock. 

 A good plan, and one which is used by some of the up-to-date 



