CARE OF THE EWE AND YOUNG LAMB 129 



should be milked clean. The shepherd should then 

 observe whether the lamb is taking all her milk, and 

 if there is much surplus he should milk it out clean 

 every day until such time as the lamb can use it. 

 This is especially necessary with Dorset ewes, and 

 some other breeds occasionally need attention. It is 

 not well for the lamb to take in the first milk se- 

 creted after being retained stagnant in the dam's 

 udder for an undue length of time. Large milking 

 ewes while troublesome raise the finest lambs and 

 are most profitable in the end. 



Occasionally a young ewe will not own her lamb 

 or an older ewe may neglect or disown hers. Gen- 

 erally, if the lamb is put with her in a small pen 

 and helped to get its rations for a few times she 

 will own it. If she persists in her neglect she may 

 have her head fastened into a, pair of small stan- 

 chions so that she can eat but not get away from 

 the lamb nor attack it, nor readily prevent its suck- 

 ing. These stanchions may be made of two pieces 

 of 1x4 pine driven into the earthen floor, and the 

 tops held together by a short board nailed on. There 

 is no cruelty about this practice and it is generally 

 effective when persisted in for a few days. 



Occasionally there will be a ewe whose lamb will 

 die and leave her with an udder filled with milk. 

 This gives opportunity to change her to some twin 

 lamb whose mother would be better for the relief. 

 To accomplish this transference the best plan is to 

 remove the skin of the dead lamb soon after its death 

 and slip it over the living lamb. It may be pulled 



