CHAPTER XIX. 



DAILY MANAGEMENT OF LAMBS AND TEGS. 



While with their Dams. Having given an outline of the manage- 

 ment of the lambs and tegs throughout the year, the details of 

 the work among them from day to day may be dealt with. 



As soon as the lambs get strong on their legs, the ewes go out 

 to feed on grass or roots, taking their young with them. The lambs 

 eat nothing at first, and should be provided with shelter in the 

 form of hurdles, set up to break the wind. While very young, 

 if the weather is wet, it is well to make a covering shelter against 

 rain, similar to that in the lambing yard, as lambs, though little 

 injured by dry cold, are easily chilled by wet. In the course of 

 two or three weeks they will begin to nibble at green food, there- 

 fore they should be allowed to run forward on the freshest and 

 tenderest keep ; at the same time they should be tempted to eat 

 corn. Nothing is better than pea husk, with a small quantity of 

 linseed cake broken finely ; the dust from the broken cake should 

 be sifted out for this purpose. Very little of this should be placed 

 in a small trough in the lamb pen, near to the lamb hurdle or gate 

 provided for their exit. They should be taken back to the fold 

 every night. 



When they get stronger, the quantity of corn should be increased, 

 a small quantity being given whenever they have cleared up the 

 previous supply, but no stale corn should be left in the troughs. 

 A small quantity of hay should also be allowed. It is more 

 economical to feed hay from sheep racks than to let them eat 

 it on the ground, when a portion is sure to be trodden in and wasted. 

 By the time they are two months old, they require feeding 

 systematically, as they have by this time acquired large appetites, 

 and must be regarded as little sheep, still receiving a share of their 

 support from their mothers, but becoming less dependent upon 

 the latter. Half the corn at first given to the ewes may, by this 

 time, be given to the lambs, and it may gradually be withdrawn 

 until the ewes receive none. In seasons of short keep, it may be 

 necessary to give both ewes and lambs corn to eke out the food 

 If carefully fed, and no special disease breaks out, no serious trouble 

 need be apprehended. The lambs require, however, to be kept 



