152 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



these pastures. In their absence it will probably prove 

 advantageous to feed about I pound of grain daily per 

 animal with oats as its base, the additions to the oats 

 being preferably wheat bran or oilcake or both for the 

 lambs to be used in feeding, and corn or barley for those 

 to be sent to the block. With the former good growth is 

 the prime consideration, but with the latter high condi- 

 tion is the prime requisite. 



It will usually be time well spent- to tag the lambs 

 held for sale as breeders when necessary, and to trim 

 them more or less more in the case of the dark-faced 

 breeds and less in that of the other breeds (see page 296). 



Food and care the first winter The shelter called for 

 to protect ram lambs the first winter will suffice if it gives 

 them a dry bed and shields them from falling storms and 

 drafts. For convenience in feeding and watering, they 

 are frequently kept in one of the apartments of the sheep 

 house, and when -so kept it is less necessary to have them 

 on the sunny side of the sheep house than in the case of 

 breeding ewes. It is very necessary to furnish them with 

 a yard or paddock in which to exercise. It will add to 

 their sureness in begetting progeny if they can spend 

 much of the time in the winter in the pastures, when the 

 conditions will admit of this. In spring they may remain 

 overnight in the pastures considerably earlier than would 

 be safe in the case of the breeding ewes. For reasons that 

 will be manifest, they should be kept entirely separate 

 from the ewes of the flock. 



As it is important that such lambs shall continue to 

 make good growth the first winter, they must be fed 

 accordingly. The aim should be to give them growth 

 without excessive fatness. This will be realized only 

 when they are given food essentially nitrogenous in char- 

 acter and succulent. If liberally supplied with field roots, 

 almost any kind of fodders will answer that are of fine 

 growth and well cured. With three or four pounds of 

 roots daily, and good leguminous hay, but little grain 



