PREPARING THE EWES FOR MATING 231 



Very succulent grazing, such as green second-growth clover, even 

 though it be of rampant growth, is not very satisfactory for ewes at 

 breeding time. They do not improve in condition on such feed to 

 any great extent and they often come in heat several times before 

 getting in lamb. As regards other green growths, however, there 

 is no other way of flushing which is more efficient or as convenient 

 as turning the ewes in on a fairly luxurient pasture of bluegrass, 

 timothy, or mixed grasses. 



Sometimes good producing ewes are inclined to be over fat. 

 They should be kept on very scant grazing for some time before the 

 breeding season, and then, about the time the breeding season begins, 

 placed on good feed. 



FIG. 157. These ewes being thrifty and gaining in flesh are in proper condition for mating. 



Feeding the Ewes Just after Mating. Mansell, a prominent 

 English authority, advocates keeping ewes on a rather scant ration 

 for several days after they are mated with the rams. He thinks that 

 continuing them on abundant and stimulating feed causes them 

 to recur in heat two or three times and thus the time of becoming 

 pregnant is delayed. 



Preparing the Ewes for Mating. If the owner wishes to 

 keep an accurate breeding record, he should place numbered metal 

 tags in the ears of the ewes and on their sides he should stamp num- 

 bers corresponding with those on the tags with either wood or iron 

 stencils. Then by turning the ram in with the ewes for an hour 

 or so each day the owner can manage to keep a record of the service 

 (Fig. 158). 



It is always well to clip the wool close around the docks of the 



