98 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



tain his own strength by taking suitable food and drink. 



It would not be practicable to spend time at night 

 with a flock in the field, nor is it necessary, the weather 

 is so much warmer at such a time. But the flock should 

 be visited late in the evening and at early dawn in the 

 morning. When the slightest hazard is present that 

 storms may happen in the night, the sheep should with- 

 out fail be brought home to the shed at nightfall. 



Extra attention at such a time is an absolute neces- 

 sity, and the shepherd should not even consider it irk- 

 some, for it is a legitimate part of his work. Trouble may 

 arise in his absence in a score of different ways. The 

 dams in labor may not be able to bring forth without help. 

 Some lambs may be so weak as to be unable to get on 

 their feet without being helped to the milk of the dam, 

 and others, as in the case of twins, may wander away 

 from the dam and perish. For these and other reasons 

 too much attention cannot be given to the flock during 

 the lambing season. 



Assisting ewes in labor When all goes well during 

 parturition, it is better to let nature have her way and to 

 refrain from assisting in the delivery of the lambs. But 

 should any hindrance arise that tends to delay delivery 

 too long, or should a false presentation occur, assistance 

 given may save the life of the lamb and in some instances 

 that of the ewe. 



Trouble may arise from various causes. Prominent 

 among these are lambs with the head abnormally large, a 

 false presentation and the retention of lambs that are 

 dead. A weak condition of the ewes at the time of lamb- 

 ing always tends to aggravate such troubles. Such a 

 condition may of itself tend so to prolong the time occu- 

 pied in labor as to hazard the life of the progeny, if not 

 of the dam, unless aid is given with due discretion. 



When a lamb with a head abnormally large comes 

 to the birth and yet is not born within a reasonable time, 

 aid should be given to the ewe in labor. This may be 



