BREEDING SHEEP. 61? 



show that a portion of the 'fluid has been forced into the lungs. 

 Lambs are frequently killed in this way. 



How to Treat Lambs in Various Emergencies If 



a lamb becomes chilled, it should be wrapped in a woolen blanket 

 and placed in a warm room giving a little milk, as above directed, 

 as soon as it will swallow. A trmc of pepper may sometimes be 

 placed in the milk to rouse the torpid stomach to action. An old 

 custom in the New England states is to " bake " the sheep, as it is 

 called put it in a blanket in a moderately heated oven, with the 

 door open of course, till warmth and animation are restored. Others 

 immerse it iu tepid water, and then rub it dry. This is said to be 

 an excellent method when the lamb is nearly frozen. A good 

 blanket, a warm room, with sometimes gentle friction, will generally 

 suffice. If a ewe with a strong bag of milk chances to lose her 

 lamb, she should be supplied with the twin of another or the lamb 

 of a weaker or young ewe. Sometimes the skin is taken from the 

 dead lamb and sewn upon the lamb she is required to foster. 

 After she has well taken to it, the false skin may be removed. If 

 no lamb is supplied, the milk should be drawn a few times, or garget 

 may ensue. When milked it is well to wash the bag for some time 

 in cold water. This checks the subsequent secretion of milk as 

 well as abates inflammation. Young lambs are subject to what is 

 technically called " pinning " that is, their first excrements are so 

 adhesive and tenacious that the orifice of the anus is closed and 

 subsequent evacuations prevented. The adhering matter should be 

 entirely removed with a sponge and warm water, and the part rub- 

 bed with a little dry clay to prevent subsequent adhesion. Lambs 

 will frequently perish from this cause if not looked to for the first 

 few days. 



Weaning Lambs Lambs should be weaned at four months 

 old. It is better both for the young and the dam. When taken 

 away thy should be put into a distant field away from the ewes sc 

 that they cannot hear each other's bleating. The lambs when in 

 hearing distance of their dams continue restless much longer, and 

 they make constant and frequently successful efforts to crawl 

 through the fences which separate them. One or two tame old ewes 

 should, be turned into the enclosure with them .to teach them to 

 come at the call, find salt when thrown to them, and eat grain, etc., 

 out of the trough as winter approaches. The dams, on the contrary, 

 should be put upon short, dry feed, to stop the flow of milk. The 

 udder should be looked to occasionally; if greatly distended it 

 should be relieved once or twice by milking, and washed with cold 

 water. When properly dried off, they should be given good food 

 to recruit and get in condition for the winter. 



Emasculation and Docking These should usually pre- 

 cede washing, as at that period the oldest lambs will be about a 

 month old, and it is safer to perform that operation when they are 

 about a couple of weeks younger. Dry pleasant weather should be 



