FARM ANIMALS 267 



by weighing the lambs immediately before and 

 after sucking the ewe. By this method it has been 

 found that ewes yield from thirteen and a half to 

 sixteen pounds of milk per week or from two to 

 two and a half pounds per day. Occasionally 

 ewes yield as high as three pounds per day. Ob- 

 viously, the amount of milk yielded by the ewe is 

 an important matter in determining the growth of 

 the lamb during his early life. The lamb with a 

 heavy milking mother has an advantage over his 

 less fortunate comrades which cannot easily 

 be overcome by subsequent care and feeding. 



Another matter of importance is to determine 

 the best treatment for ewes before lambing in order 

 to obtain the most vigorous lambs and a large milk 

 yield. It has been found that feeding a ration 

 consisting of one-half of a pound of equal parts 

 bran and oats per day for about two weeks before 

 the lambing period is a very satisfactory feed so 

 far as the physical condition of the ewes is con- 

 cerned. The lambs, however, are not so vigorous 

 and the milk yield is inferior to that obtained when 

 corn stover or silage is fed and one-half of a pound 

 of bran and oats per ewe daily. Ewes do not 

 thrive so well on oats and hay as on silage and hay. 

 Corn stover, however, almost universally gives 

 excellent results. When corn stover and corn 

 silage are fed together roots may also be added to 

 the ration with good results in the condition of 

 the ewe and the milk yield. 



Ewes carry their lambs from one hundred and 

 forty to one hundred and fifty-six days, the usual 

 period being from one hundred and forty-four to 

 one hundred and fifty days. The longer period 

 given by French authorities is due to the fact that 

 their figures are based largely on Merinos which 



