34 



THE SHEPHERD'S MANUAL. 



and to keep them in such a way as will produce the highest priced 

 lambs. Where mutton is the most profitable, there a different 

 management must be adopted, and frequently a different breed of 

 sheep must be kept. Where wool only is the object, still another 

 different course will be chosen. Whichever end is to be gained, 

 the care of the breeding ewes and the lambs will be a subject of 

 much solicitude. But what would be a proper course in one case 

 would not be at all proper in another. A few general principles 

 are involved in the management of ewes and lambs, which will 

 first be explained, after which the special management proper to 

 be adopted for each special case will be considered. 



The period of gestation of the ewe is 150 to 153 days. Five 

 months in round numbers may be taken as the period during 

 which the ewe carries a lamb. The coupling of the ewes and 

 rams should be so timed, that the lambs may be dropped at the 

 most desirable season. It will be found a great convenience to 

 mark the ranis and ewes, or such of them as may be selected to 

 breed stock animals from. Where a small flock only is kept, or 

 where special care 

 is given to the im- 

 provement of the 

 breed, every sheep 

 should be marked 

 by a number, that 

 the time of its coup- 

 ling may be noted, 

 and the date of the 

 expected birth of 

 the lamb be known. The best method of marking is by means of 

 metallic ear marks, (fig. 12), made by C. H. Dana, of West Lebanon, 

 N. H., inserted in the ear in different ways, to distinguish the sexes 

 easily. The method of keeping these records may be as fol- 

 lows : A book is provided which is ruled with six columns. At 

 the head of these columns are written the number of the ewe, that 

 of the ram, the date of service, the expected time of the lamb's ap- 

 pearance, the date when it is actually dropped, and any remarks 

 worthy of note. The following diagram exhibits this clearly : 



12. METALLIC EAR-MARKS. 



No. of Ewe.]No. of Bam. 

 137 ~~4 



When served, 



To Lamb. 



Lambed. \Remarks. 



Sept. 26, '75 Feb.26, '76 Feb.28,'76] Twins. 

 Under the head of remarks should be written anything that may 

 be desirable to remember in regard to the character of the produce 

 of the animals coupled. A ewe that produces a fine, large, active 



