37 



lambs that the greatest profits go. Keep the prospective mothers in 

 good condition before breeding, and if any appear thinner than is 

 desirable, "flush" them with grain, as thej^ breed better when in 

 fairly good flesh, coming in heat more easily and conception being 

 more certain. After turning the ram with them for a week or so 

 separate them again and begin pre])aring for the lambs. A clean, dry 

 shed, where the snow and rain cannot beat in, with openings and pens 

 for exercise on the south, should be furnished for lambing. If lambs 

 are due in February or early March a closed room, which can be 

 artificially heated, will be the means of saving many a lamb that would 

 otherwise become chilled and die. A breeding register is very con- 

 venient, and will result in saving a good many lambs that are dropped 

 weak. If a breeding register is kept there must be some way of mark- 

 ing ewes as they are served. As convenient a way as any is to smear 

 the belly of the ram with red paint or lamp black and oil, so that when 

 the ewes are served some of this will rub off on the rump. Those 

 served may then be cut out daily, and an accurate record kept of when 

 the lambs should be dropped. Guess work is done away with at 

 lambing time, and the ewes are not shut into the lambing pens until 

 the proper time. A good shepherd w^ill watch every ewe until she 

 yeans, and will see that the lamb stands and takes nourishment before 

 he leaves. This trouble is well paid for if only three or four lambs are 

 saved, especially if intended for winter lambs, selling at from $6 to $8 

 per head at ninety days from birth. 



After the birth of the lambs if the weather is severe and damp, as it 

 sometimes is in February and March, the artificial heat should be kept 

 up for two or three days, but after this period it is no longer necessary 

 if the ewe and her youngster are removed to a clean, dry pen. The 

 time when harm results, from chilled lambs is immediately following 

 birth, or when the little ones become wet in cold weather. 



In preparing the lamb for market one should begin as soon as it is 

 born. After parturition feed the ewe well, so as to induce a strong 

 flow of milk. The more plentiful supply she has the faster the lamb 

 will grow and the earlier he will reach the market. After two or three 

 weeks he will begin to nibble at grain and eat small quantities. A 

 " creep " should then be built, so that he may have access to finely 

 ground grain, which should be of a somewhat different mixture from 

 the feed that the mother gets, consisting preferably of corn meal, bran 

 and a small quantity of oil meal. The "creep" allows only the small 

 lambs to get at this particular mixture. Corn has been proved by 

 repeated trials to give the cjuickest results, as its fattening (jualities, 

 in conjunction with the mother's milk, give very quick growth. It 

 should not be given alone on account of the heaviness of the feed, its 

 effect on the digestive system, when so fed, being rather harmful. If 

 a few roots — turnips or mangels — are available they make an ex- 

 cellent feed, and cabbages will produce very good results. Lambs do 

 not eat much roughage, but will eat a little clover hay if allowed access 

 to it. Being a protein fodder the clover hay will help considerably in 

 the growth! It is essential in feeding young things of any sort to see 

 that flesh-forming and bone-producing foods are fed, to supplement 

 the fattening grains given. Feeds high in protein and containing con- 

 siderable ash should be given, along with corn. Bran is added to the 

 above mixture for that reason, containing a fairly high percentage of 

 protein and being high in ash content. Oil meal contains a large 

 amount of protein, and has a slightly laxative effect on the bowels, 

 thus leading to a good condition of the digestive organs. 



If good pasture is available little grain is necessary, but it should be 



