CHAPTER IV. 

 REARING THE LAMBS. 



Young lambs usually begin to nibble and eat 

 grain, or hay and other roughage with their moth- 

 ers at the age of two weeks. At this time the lamb 

 can be assisted by giving it some extra feed, in 

 addition to its mother's milk and the little other 

 feed it may get in the regular feeding trough with 

 the older sheep. It is remarkable how these little 

 fellows will grow if some extra grain and some 

 nice clover or alfalfa hay is given them. A few 

 roots saved, up for the little lambs are beyond 

 valuation for their growth and development. 



The outcome and development of the flock de- 

 pend largely upon the care the lambs get the first 

 year. If the lambs are stunted then, they will al- 

 ways be stunted and will never make their proper 

 growth. If once stunted as lambs, no matter how 

 much or what kind of feed they may receive 

 afterwards, their further development can not be 

 greatly changed. 



Another important factor which promotes the 

 growth of lambs is to keep them in small groups 

 in the barn with their mothers after they have been 

 removed from the lambing pens. The writer has 



