268 FARM ANIMALS 



rhature more slowly than the large mutton breeds* 

 The other breeds do not differ much in the length 

 ojjthe period of gestation. There appears to be a 

 slight difference in the period of gestation in the 

 case of large and small lambs, large lambs being 

 carried somewhat longer. The different breeds 

 show a difference in the vigour of the lambs at 

 birth. Thus, seventy-eight per cent, of South- 

 down lambs are what would be called strong at 

 birth, while the percentage in cross bred Shrop- 

 shire and Merinos is seventy-three and in Dorsets 

 sixty per cent. Single lambs are larger at birth 

 than twins and twins than triplets, the average 

 difference in weight between single and twin lambs 

 being about one-half of a pound, yet the twins 

 usually make as good gains by a stated time 

 after weaning as single lambs. 



The Milk of Different Breeds of Sheep. Some 

 importance attaches, as already indicated, to the 

 quality and quantity of the milk and in this re- 

 spect the breeds of sheep vary somewhat, the 

 amount varying in different breeds from one and 

 six-tenths pounds to four and five-tenths pounds 

 per day, according to actual weighing tests. In 

 these comparative tests Southdowns gave the 

 least and Dorsets the highest. Considerable dif- 

 ference has also been noted in the content of fat in 

 the milk of different breeds. Thus, the cream 

 or fat of sheep milk varies from five and eight -tenths 

 per cent, in Shropshires to eight and four-tenths per 

 cent, in Dorsets. As a rule, Dorsets and South- 

 downs excel other breeds in milk supply when 

 the lambs are young. 



The Weight of Lambs at Birth. The size of the 

 lamb at the time of birth depends largely on the 

 ewe. The heaviest lambs come from the heaviest 



