SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT 113 



not that the flock should be neglected later on, but it 

 is essential that sheep should enter winter well for- 

 tified and strong. 



MATING. 



Before. the mating begins one should carefully go 

 over his flock and assort the ewes. Ewe lambs must 

 be taken out and none bred that are not past a year 

 old. Old ewes that have lost their teeth and are 

 evidently not quite able to go safely through the 

 winter and nourish well their lambs, are better con- 

 signed to the fattening pen. At least there should 

 be a mark put upon them that will indicate their 

 condition, so that they may be given extra care and 

 attention. Quite often with such ewes it is most 

 profitable to breed them and by careful feeding keep 

 them as strong as you dare till lambing time, after 

 this to give them a large allowance of grain, 

 ground if need be, so as to push them with their 

 lambs, and they will often make as good lambs as 

 the other ewes and be themselves ready to follow 

 their offspring to market a few weeks after the 

 lambs have left them. A suitable mark for these 

 culled ewes is to clip off the end of one ear. 



Yet another thing for which to search, is a spoiled 

 udder or a ewe without perfect teats. Quite often 

 such ewes are found, and to have them drop lambs 

 without ability to suckle them is to entail great dis- 

 appointment and trouble on the shepherd. 



There is a temptation to breed the young, imma- 

 ture ewes, particularly if they are well grown, but 



