LAMBS FROM BIRTH UNTIL WEANED 95 



It is more important relatively that male lambs come 

 early when they are to be used in service, as in such in- 

 stances the added maturity which they possess will bet- 

 ter fit them for such a use. 



Lambs to be finished in the autumn and before the clos- 

 ing in of winter should come at a time intermediate be- 

 tween winter lambs to be sold early and spring lambs for 

 breeding the following winter. The aim should be to 

 have them come just before the season for turning out to 

 graze. The relative loss in the lambs will probably be 

 less when they come at such a time than if the lambing 

 season was deferred until the coming of the earliest grass. 

 The lambs thus safely started in the sheds will grow 

 rapidly when the dams are turned out on the succulent 

 grazing. If both ewes and lambs are supplied with suit- 

 able grazing, the latter will reach such weights as the 

 market demands before the arrival of winter. 



Lambs to be finished in the winter following their 

 birth should not come until the grass has made sufficient 

 growth to sustain both ewes and lambs in good form. 

 Should they come earlier they will be larger than the 

 market calls for if kept all the time on good grazing. 

 The market prefers lambs ranging somewhere between 

 80 and loo pounds. Some years ago lambs much heavier 

 were most in favor, but it is not thus now. The larger 

 the normal size of the breed the later may the lambs 

 come, lest they should reach weights too heavy before 

 the season arrives for finishing them. 



Dams when nearing parturition When lambs are 

 dropped on the pastures it is not specially necessary to 

 know to a day just when they will be born, but it is 

 important to know that lambs may be expected after a 

 certain date, and that no more need be looked for be- 

 yond another fixed date. These, dates may, of course, be 

 readily known by noting when the male was admitted to 

 the flock at the mating season and when he was removed. 

 This knowledge makes it possible to give that close atten- 



