Winter Care and Feeding. 53 



ered by the writer is to smear with the hand a lot 

 of linseed oil on the inside of the vagina, espe- 

 cially where the lamb's forehead sticks. This will 

 soften up the vagina and allow it to stretch, and 

 will also make the passage way more slippery. 

 The writer has had cases where he feared that 

 the lamb could never be delivered without cutting 

 the ewe open, but after using linseed oil in the 

 manner described the lamb came forward at once 

 with no further trouble. 



If a ewe has passed the water bag and in about 

 two to three hours does not show evidence of 

 lambing, it becomes necessary to investigate the 

 matter, as the lamb must be lying wrong, or be 

 dead. Before investigating have your hands 

 washed clean, and remove all long, sharp finger 

 nails. Put a little carbolic acid or perhaps a little 

 disinfectant, such as Zenoleum or Creso sheep 

 dip, into some warm water, and scrub your hand 

 and arm with it, so that they are thoroughly dis- 

 infected and clean before beginning the work. 



Several different positions of the lamb may be 

 the cause of non-parturition. The lamb may lie 

 straight across the passage way, or with its front 

 feet in the proper direction but its head turned 

 back, or the hind end may come first and the hind 

 legs under it; or perhaps one hind leg is forward 

 and the other is backward. In the case of twins 



