MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 203 



as a ewe shows symptoms of lambing a pen can be placed over 

 her and all danger of her being molested by her companions is 

 removed, although she is not in a sense isolated from the main 

 , flock to such an extent as to cause her to become restless. Care 

 should be taken that the boards are nailed close enough together 

 to prevent the lambs from escaping from the pen. 



CLEANING THE SHEEP BARN. 



How often the sheep barn should be cleaned is a much-de- 

 bated question, some claiming that the manure should be left un- 

 disturbed from the time the flock goes into winter quarters until 

 they leave the barn for the pastures, while others say that it should 

 be removed two or three times during the winter. To try to keep 

 the barn clean day by day, as is done in the case of the horse stable, 

 is a very futile and unnecessary piece of work. So long as the 

 manure does not heat it is of little or no injury to the sheep ; more- 

 over, it insures a dryer footing than would be the case where an 

 attempt was made to clean the manure out each day, as that in- 

 sures a continual slimy condition of the floor. The writer's plan 

 has been to clean it out three times during the season, once just 

 before going into winter quarters, just before lambing and as soon 

 as the sheep leave for the pasture. In case of the manure heating 

 to an unhealthy degree land plaster should be scattered around. 

 This will soon neutralize the ammonia and otherwise adjust mat- 

 ters. 



THE SHEEP YARD. 



The yard should face the south since, like the human family, 

 sheep like sunshine. The yard should be well bedded at all times. 

 Filthy yards are often the forerunner of footrot. Boards about 

 seven feet high make an ideal fence for sheep yards, as it acts 

 as a wind break and is a splendid protection against dogs and 

 other pests. If the yard slopes a little it is so much the better, 

 as then it naturally drains itself. Of course the yard should be 

 roomy. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE YEANING EWE. 



A good deal of the shepherd's success depends upon his faith- 

 fulness during the yeaning season. If he is a student of nature 

 he will learn some new wrinkle almost daily no matter" how wise or 

 experienced he may be. A good many shepherds claim that a 

 ewe should not be interfered with so long as the lamb is coming in 

 the natural way forefeet and head first. The writer has found, 

 however, that most ewes, especially those whose lambs are coming 

 with unusually large heads, can be helped to advantage by placing 

 the hand on the skin of vulva and gently pulling it back over the 

 head and pulling out the forelegs gently one at a time. This 



