GRAIN FEEDING BEFORE LAMBING. 



If ewes are in good heart it is never necessary to feed grain be- 

 fore lambing unless in small amounts. It is not often safe to feed 

 much grain to the pregnant Dorset ewe. The result of too much 

 grain feeding is apt to be a weak lamb, hard to induce to live, 

 whereas Dorset lambs are when their mothers are rightly managed, 

 the strongest lambs in the world. Dorsets are hungry sheep. They 

 will always, if not sick, eat everything before them. There is no 

 sheep with a better appetite or digestion. The inexperienced shep- 

 herd is quite apt to over-feed them. Good, sound clover or alfalfa 

 hay is quite good enough for the pregnant ewe after green stuffs 

 are gone. Let her have a plenty of it. If you must feed some 

 grain to keep her in flesh because of the badness of your hay, feed 

 oats and bran, equal parts by weight. There is no sheep easier 

 kept in flesh if she is not worm-infested. If she is cared for as she 

 should be she will not be that. 



HOUSING. 



It is not well to keep the pregnant ewe very closely housed. 

 She ought to have a good run and every day when it is not actually 

 storming she should be out. Sometimes the run of a dry feed-lot, with 

 coarse fodders to pick over in the yard, will be sufficient, and this 

 course has the advantage of the flock being always in view and 

 stray lambs being born are apt to be seen. With others a bit of 

 grass of ten acres or more, not too closely grazed in the fall, will be 

 provided and on this the ewes will take a great deal of pleasure and 

 get quite a good deal of nourishment. They must at all times be in 

 the mind of their shepherd, for lambs may be born out on the grass 

 or in the snow, but you must not let this fear deter you from giving 

 them their daily run out of doors. It must not be thought, however, 

 that because a certain amount of out-door life is good no shelter at 

 all is better. A comfortable barn is needed, and, in truth, in the 

 Northern states indispensable. 



SHEDDING. 



A comfortable shelter, closed tight on the north, west and east 

 sides, with chance to open well on the south and preferably with 

 considerable glass where it will let in the sun is what you need. It 



