348 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



As the breeding season approaches (it usually begins in Octo- 

 ber), the ewes, being in thin condition, require some grain. The 

 'best grain for this time is clean sound oats, about 0.5 pound per head 

 daily. If the ewes are brought into a uniformly good condition by 

 grain feeding they will breed uniformly, which of itself is an appre- 

 ciable advantage. 



It is advisable to keep some fresh pasturage for late fall feeding. 

 Exercise in the fall is conducive to thrift in winter and healthy 

 lambs in the spring. In our northern climate sheep are housed too 

 much at best. The ewes may obtain more food than would be sup- 

 posed from a field of fresh blue-grass pasture that has been in part 

 retained for them. It is becoming an opinion among shepherds that 

 when ewes are fed on clover aftermath they are more difficult to get 

 with lamb than if fed on other pastures or fed soiling crops. In ad- 

 dition there is danger that the sheep may bloat on it. The best plan 

 is to save the second-crop clover for the lambs that have been weaned ; 

 and to prevent bloating pasture them for a part of the day on blue- 

 grass pasture, and after they have satisfied their appetites to some 

 extent, to change them to the clover. 



Feeding Lambs Intended for Breeding Purposes. When the 

 ewe has lambed, if the lamb after becoming dry is not able to obtain 

 ewe's milk of its own accord, it should be assisted in doing so. Some 

 of the milk should be drawn from the udder to see that the milk 

 escapes freely, and then the lamb held so that it may reach the teat. 

 If it is too weak to stand, the ewe may be thrown, but it is perhaps 

 better to draw some of the milk from the udder and feed it to the 

 lamb from a spoon. By feeding a teaspoonful every hour for a half 

 day or so, most weak lambs soon become strong enough to get to the 

 teat themselves. It should be seen that there is no dirty wool around 

 the udder or any filth about the teats to prevent the lamb from suck- 

 ing. In the case of young ewes it is especially necessary that atten- 

 tion be paid to these matters. It is advisable to keep the ew r e and her 

 lamb in a pen by themselves for at least three days. 



For feeding lambs to be used for breeding purposes preference 

 should be given to bran, oats, and linseed meal. These are preferable 

 to corn meal, which tends to fatten and does not produce growth to 

 the same extent as the other foods. The bran is relished by the 

 lambs, and they may eat large quantities of it without danger or 

 detriment of any kind. Linseed meal is best fed in a mixture with 

 the bran, as it is very rich and concentrated. Oats are seemingly 

 liked by the lambs, but they will not eat them as freely as the other 

 foods mentioned. If the oats are ground, the lambs leave a consider- 

 able quantity of the chaff untouched. The best results will likely be 

 obtained by giving an equal mixture by weight of bran, oats, and 

 linseed meal. 



At first the lambs will take only small quantities of grain. By 

 feeding them very little at a time and always taking away what they 

 may leave they soon begin to eat eagerly and look forward to feed- 

 ing time. To give young lambs all they have capacity for requires 

 frequent feeding in small quantities, When tho lambs are yet in 



