640 



i i are the central permanent incisors, or pincers ; 2 2 are the 

 second pair of pincers ; 3 3 are the third pair of pincers ; 4 4 are 

 the fourth pair of pincers, or corners. When the eight permanent 

 incisors are developed the sheep is said to be full-mouthed. After 

 the fourth year the teeth begin to give way, and the sheep is then 

 said to be broken-mouthed. With fair treatment sheep will last for 

 several years after their eight permanent teeth are fully grown, and 

 will hold their condition well ; indeed, it is often found that broken- 

 mouthed ewes when kept in good condition give the best lambs. 



CUTTING THE LAMBS. 



This is usually done when the lambs are about six weeks old, 

 but if the lambs are stout and healthy it may be done earlier in the 

 small flock with advantage. At an early age the lambs bleed less 

 and suffer less pain, consequently they are not likely to loose con- 

 dition as a result of the operation. The tail is generally cut off 

 about 2^ to 3 inches from the body. The knives should be very 

 sharp, and perfectly clean. Many a lamb has died from blood 

 poisoning through a dirty knife having been used in cutting its tail 

 off. The old plan of castrating the lambs was to cut the end of the 

 purse off, press out the testicles with the fingers, and draw them 

 away with the teeth. Many sheep farmers now-a-days prefer to 

 make a slit down the purse to the tip, just sufficiently long to per- 

 mit the testicles to be pressed out. Lambs cut this way are said to 

 heal more quickly than when the end of the scrotum is cut off, and 

 to present a better appearance when the butcher handles them as 

 fat wethers. 



LAMBING. 



Every effort must be made to reserve a paddock with good 

 feed for the lambing ewes. One that has plenty of shelter from 

 the prevailing winds is best adapted to the purpose. With large 

 flocks ot ewes, the best plan to adopt is to secure them from being 

 disturbed in any way, and then let them alone. Some owners of 

 small flocks draw off every day the ewes that give signs of being 

 about to lamb. This work must be done very gently and quietly 

 or there will be a loss of lambs. Sometimes young ewes with their 

 first lambs are inclined to run away from their lambs, and in this 

 case it is usual to confine the ewe in a small space, generally made 

 with four hurdles, until she allows the lamb to suck, after which 

 she may be put with the other ewes. When a lamb dies it is the 

 cu-tom, in small and stud flocks, to skin the lamb and put the skin 

 on a twin from another ewe. A very short confinement with the 

 lamb thus treated will make the ewe take to it. It requires a deal 

 of patience, close attention, and no mean amount of skill to manage 

 the breeding ewes in this way, but the percentage of lambs is 

 sometimes (in case of very severe weather) largely increased by it. 



Where the locality is subject to severe storms at the time 

 for lambing, a few rough windbreaks or shelter sheds come in very 



