LEAPING 567 



paddock, or small enclosure, is appropriated for the 

 purpose, and to keep them quiet a couple of ewes 

 are permitted to remain beside them. The ewes 

 of the flock are brought to them, and they are only 

 permitted to leap them once. The consequence of 

 this improved method is, a ram is enabled to im- 

 pregnate nearly double the number of ewes he would 

 do, if allowed to go amongst them without any 

 restraint, more especially a young ram. Formerly 

 from sixty to eighty ewes were considered as many 

 as a ram could serve ; whereas, now, from one 

 hundred to one hundred and twenty are impregnated 

 by a single ram. Instances have occurred where 

 one ram has served seven score in a season, but 

 this is decidedly injudicious. 



Much attention is required by the shepherd during 

 the rutting season, to see that rams leap those ewes 

 which are in season, as the ram will sometimes take 

 a fancy for a particular sheep, which probably is not 

 in sufficient heat to receive him, and will remain with 

 her a whole day inactive, and will drive off such 

 other ewes as come near him. When the shepherd 

 notices a circumstance of this kind, he should remove 

 the favourite ewe to a great distance from the ram ; 

 that is, of course, in cases where he is not kept 

 apart from the flock. 



To ascertain when the ewes have been served, 

 it is a good practice to rub the breast of the ram 

 with red keel, or other dry paint, which will leave 

 a mark on those which he has leaped. But this is 

 not a sure criterion, as tups frequently leap without 

 accomplishing their end. 



It is of great consequence that both rams and 

 ewes should be in good condition before the rutting 

 season, which of course must be regulated by climate, 



