A YEAR WITH THE EWES. 115 



should not be given other work to do during the busiest season of 

 lambing. He has to give attention to the ewes both night and 

 day, and get his sleep as best he can. If he does not get reasonable 

 rest some part of the work is neglected, and a small amount of 

 neglect may result in large losses. We have seen several instances 

 of this. Beyond an occasional look at other portions of the flock, 

 he should not be troubled with them, and if he is hard driven 

 he should have plenty of help with the ewes. The loss of an ewe 

 involves as great a loss as would pay a labourer's wages for three 

 or four weeks, and many lambs worth several shillings each can 

 be saved every year by proper attention. 



The first thing for the shepherd to do in the morning is to attend 

 to the lambs which have been born during the night, to see that 

 they suckle. Then the ewes about to lamb should be looked 

 after. It is more convenient to put these in separate small pens 

 around the yard, as they can then be found and handled without 

 loss of time. Older lambs should then be looked to, and those 

 which are weakly should be suckled or fed from a bottle. The 

 ewes should then be fed with roots, and the backward ewes be 

 taken out to their fold. Having had his own breakfast, if his 

 attention is not required with an ewe about to lamb, he should 

 litter the pens afresh. Foul pens are very productive of foot-rot 

 and other far more deadly diseases. The ewes require their corn 

 and fresh hay ; lambs require attention, particularly those which 

 are weak or where the supply of milk is short. In case a mother 

 dies, or cannot support her lamb, the lamb must be fed from a 

 bottle or from ewes which have a surplus supply. Where an 

 ewe possessing plenty of milk loses her lamb, she should be given 

 another. When the ewe and lamb are placed in a small pen, the 

 difficulty of making her take to a fresh lamb can be overcome 

 in a few days if patience is exercised. She must be tied up, other- 

 wise at first the lamb will get no milk, and it is often necessary 

 to stand beside her for a time to let the lamb suckle. The best 

 means of restraining her is to drive two stakes firmly into the 

 ground, and then to place her head between them, allowing room 

 for her neck to move up and down, but keeping her head firmly 

 secured between them. Room should be given on either side 

 to allow the lamb to escape in case she tries to trample on it. V If 

 she is exceedingly savage it may be necessary to place another 

 stake on either side of her, so that she cannot knock about. If 

 the skin of her own lamb is placed on the foster lamb, or if the 

 latter is rubbed with it, she will recognise the smell and will be 

 more likely to take to it. It is not an uncommon sight to see 

 lambs very much fouled behind through putting the skin on whole 

 and leaving no escape for droppings. This filthy practice should 

 not be allowed. 



