1020 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



Lambs are best castrated when very young; as soon, in fact, 

 as they are owned by the ewes beyond question. They suffer 

 less then. The best way is to seize the pouch in the left hand, 

 work the testicles well down, draw it across the top of a hay- 

 rack, and with a single stroke of a sharp knife cut it off smooth 

 with the belly. This leaves no cod to interfere with shearing. 

 The sooner the tails are cut off the better, too. An assistant 

 holds the lamb's back to his breast, head uppermost, a hind leg 

 grasped in each hand and drawn well up. The knife is applied 

 at a joint a bone cuts hard and a vigorous cut made down- 

 ward and outward, which leaves a hood or apron to protect and 

 cicatrize the disjointed bone. An application of fish oil prevents 

 the attacks of flies, and is less objectionable than tar. If the 

 whole flock is docked and castrated at once it is best done in 

 the evening, in cold weather; then in the morning the lambs 

 are ready to follow the flock, and no measures have to be taken 

 against flies. 



Lambs should not run with the flock much, if any, beyond 

 four months. This gives the ewe only three months rest in the 

 year. When weaned it is well to let them remain in the same 

 field and remove the ewes to another one out of sight and hear- 

 ing. I have never known Merino ewes to be injured by the 

 sudden cessation of the flow of milk. In the case of the English 

 breeds it is well to relieve the freest milkers by hand in twenty- 

 four or thirty-six hours after the lambs are removed. 



On the short, sweet grass of uplands lambs kept for wool 

 mainly will do fairly well without grain until frost comes; but 

 they should not be stinted for water. Careful watching is need- 

 ful to forestall the maggots. It is best to tag the ewe lambs at 

 weaning. A good shade should be furnished. If an open shed 

 on rising ground is accessible they soon learn to prefer it to 

 trees, and the gad-fly is not so liable to attack them here. If 

 salt is given them in a trough while with the ewes they will 

 learn to approach it more readily for grain. When rations of 

 this are first given salt should be withheld, except a very little 

 sprinkled along the bran. In a few days they will take it with- 

 out salt. 



