EQUIPMENT FOR FARM SHEEP RAISING. 27 



with the punch shown in figure 36. One of the labels in position is 

 shown in a, figure 35. The same punch can be used for notching 

 the ears to number lambs according to the plan shown in &, figure 

 35. This plan permits numbering up to 99 without requiring more 

 than two notches in the same ear. The tattoo numbers shown in , 

 figure 35, are the surest means of numbering or identification. 

 Special holders and metal dies for inserting these numbers are ob- 

 tainable from dealers in supplies. 



A pair of ordinary pruning shears such as are shown in figure 

 37 are used in trimming the feet when sheep are not traveling 

 enough to keep the horn of the hoofs worn down to natural shape. 



SHEARS AND SHEARING MACHINES. 



Well-sharpened sheep shears should always be at hand for trim- 

 ming fleeces and removing tags. For shearing the sheep in spring 

 one of the hand-power machines on the market should be used for 

 medium-sized flocks. For large farm flocks two machine outfits 

 with engine power are economical, as they are not very high in price 

 considering the speed and superiority of the machine shearing over 

 blade or hand shearing. 



