114 FITTING SHEEP 



great loss from the lambs becoming bloated. The method I 

 have adopted with good results is to see that the stomachs 

 of the lambs are well filled with their ordinary rations before 

 they are turned into the rape or clover field, and then allow 

 them only one hour at first to appease their appetites. While 

 some lambs do not take kindly to rape others will eat it at 

 once, voraciously; especially is this the case where they and 

 their dams have been fed on turnips and other roots during 

 the winter or spring months. During a dry spell is the 

 best time to wean the lambs. The poorest pasture the farm 

 affords is the best for the benefit of the ewe until her milk 

 is dried up. 



It is always best to take the ewes away from the lambs, 

 rather than the lambs away from the ewes, when weaning 

 them, as they do not seem to fret and worry nearly as much 

 when left in a field that they are accustomed to. I have 

 found good results from putting both the ewes and lambs 

 together in the weaning field for an hour each day for a few 

 days previous to their being weaned; the ewes will then not 

 only teach the lambs to eat the rape, but the lambs will be- 

 come more reconciled to their lot after becoming familiar 

 with their surroundings than if the ewes are taken directly 

 from them. The proper treatment of lambs demands that 

 they be early taught to eat grain, then, when the weaning 

 season comes along no difficulty will be experienced in keep- 

 ing them ''booming." 



As before mentioned, it is sound policy to put the ewes 

 out of the hearing of the lambs and on poor or scanty pasture 

 for the first week after weaning; less trouble will then be 

 experienced in regard to damaged "bags," etc. Should a 

 ewe's udder become gorged with milk and it is apparent 



