GENERAL CARE OF SHEEP AND LAMBS 587 



it at least every 2 hours. The milk should be fed from a bottle with 

 a medium-sized swan-bill nipple attached and should always be warmed 

 to approximately 100 P. by immersing the bottle in water of this 

 temperature or slightly above. The bottle and nipple should always be 

 carefully washed after each feeding. After the lamb is 2 to 3 weeks 

 old, it is not necessary to feed it more than 3 times a day. Cow's milk 

 may also be used to supply additional feed to lambs where a ewe with 

 a scanty milk supply has twins. 



893. Relative economy of lambs and pigs. To determine the relative 

 economy of gains by lambs and pigs, the senior author raised 4 cross- 

 bred Shropshire-Merino lambs at the Wisconsin Station 17 on whole cow 's 

 milk and later skim milk, ground oats, and green clover. During the 

 latter period these lambs required 830 Ibs. skim milk, 119 Ibs. oats, and 

 262 Ibs. green clover for 100 Ibs. gain. In all, about 204 Ibs. total digesti- 

 ble nutrients were consumed per 100 Ibs. gain. By comparing these data 

 with the requirements for growing pigs, as given in Article 913, it 

 will be seen that these lambs made as economical gains as do pigs of the 

 same age. 



894. The young lamb. When about 10 to 16 days old, the lusty 

 young lamb will be found nibbling forage at the feed trough beside its 

 dam, and the shepherd should provide specially for its wants, so as to 

 accustom it early to take additional food. This is best accomplished 

 by having an enclosure or room, called the "lamb-creep," adjoining the 

 ewe-pen, into which the lambs find their way, while the mothers are pre- 

 vented from entering because of the small size of the openings. In this 

 space, accessible to the lambs only, should be placed a low, flat-bottomed 

 trough, with an obstruction lengthwise over the top to prevent the lambs 

 from jumping into it. In the trough should be sprinkled a little of 

 some well-liked mixture of concentrates. At first the lambs will take 

 but little, but soon they will visit the trough regularly. There should 

 be no more feed in the trough at any time than will be quickly con- 

 sumed, and any left over must be removed and the trough thoroly 

 cleaned before the next allowance is given. Such a concentrate mixture 

 as the following is good for young lambs : Ground corn 2 parts, crushed 

 or ground oats 2 parts, linseed meal 1 part, and wheat bran 1 part. 18 

 If the lambs are all to be fattened for market, most of the concentrates 

 may consist of corn or other carbonaceous feeds. For instance, a mix- 

 ture of 5 parts ground corn and 1 part linseed meal may be fed. 19 

 However, corn should not form over half the concentrates for lambs to 

 be retained for the breeding flock. After the lambs are 5 to 6 weeks old, 

 there is no advantage in grinding the grain. (833) 



Fine alfalfa or second-crop clover hay should also be provided, and 

 roots, cabbage, or good silage will be appreciated. All feed should be 

 fresh that which is left over can be given to the pigs. Lambs will 



17 Wis. Rpt. 1890. "Penn. Exten. Cir. 49. 



18 Coffey, Productive Sheep Husbandry, p. 271. 



