120 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



Tailing and Castration. When lambs are about twelve days 

 old the ram lambs not intended for breeding purposes should be 

 castrated, as at that period they suffer very little from it. In some 

 districts the operation is left until nearly weaning time, when 

 emasculation, followed by searing, is adopted. The simplest 

 method is to cut a slit in the side of the scrotum and press 

 out the testicle, then to draw it out with pliers or by the 

 teeth, castrating tool, or by the thumb and ringer, or to cut off 

 the bottom of the scrotum as may be preferred. In the long wool 

 breeds it is often desired to diminish the size of the scrotum, and 

 then cutting off is advisable ; most Down breeders, however, like 

 to have the full purse left, as when well filled with fat it is regarded 

 as a good indication of condition. My own practice always is to 

 draw by thumb and finger, and if the knuckle of the hand is 

 pressed hard into the body of the animal it gets steady leverage 

 which ensures full control of the drawing In doing this over 

 many years I cannot call to mind a single loss. Old lambs, that 

 is when three or four months old, are better seared. 



The operation of tailing the lambs should be done at the same 

 early age, when both sexes are dealt with, and if the skin is pressed 

 back towards the body, the operation causes little pain, and the 

 wound soon heals. A dab with a sponge holding a mild antiseptic 

 solution is a safeguard against septic poisoning. 



Castrating and tailing are best done on the evening of a fine 

 day, and the sheep should be kept quiet during the night. With 

 older sheep the wound is generally seared, but on young lambs 

 a little tar to keep away flies is all that is necessary. Tailing is 

 done to promote the comfort of the sheep subsequently. Breeds 

 with much wool on the tail are liable to get very dirty tails when 

 the animals, through change of food or other causes, scour. A 

 long tail under such circumstances becomes a source of discomfort 

 and ill-health. The foul matter collected about it is a great attrac- 

 tion to the flies which produce sheep maggots, and it is almost 

 impossible to keep them away. Breeds which live almost exclu- 

 sively on thin mountain pasture and produce wool of a loose and 

 hairy nature are less liable to injury in this way, and their tails 

 are frequently left uncut. The tail is the natural covering and 

 protection of the hind -quarters, therefore on exposed hills it is 

 advantageous for the tails to be left in their natural state. Lambs 

 intended to be sold as fat lambs must never lose their lamb flesh. 

 By lamb flesh is meant that plump sleekness associated with the 

 appearance of a young healthy lamb. This rapidly disappears 

 when, through ill-health or shortness of food, the lamb becomes 

 poor and pot-bellied, and once lost can never be wholly regained. 

 It, however, may be kept up until the lamb is some three months 

 old if proper feeding and care are bestowed on it. To some extent 



