SHEEP RAISING FOR BEGINNERS. x 11 



ewes as for the larger flock. The fencing to allow desirable change 

 of pastures or to give protection against dogs is about the same 

 in either case, so that the overhead charges per ewe are much smaller 

 in the case of the larger flock. Furthermore, the small flock on a 

 farm having larger numbers of other animals is unlikely to receive 

 the study and attention really needed or that would be given to one 

 of the chief sources of the farm income. 



MANAGEMENT AT BREEDING TIME. 



THE EWES. 



The period of gestation in sheep is 145 days. Ewes should be 

 mated to drop their first lambs when about 24 months old. The first 

 few cool nights in late summer or early autumn cause the ewes to 

 come in heat, although some breeds come in heat at almost any time 

 of the year. These periods in which the ewes will breed last from 

 1 to 3 days and recur at intervals of from 14 to 19 days. At 

 the time the ewes are bred they should be gaining in weight. Feed- 

 ing to produce this condition for breeding is commonly called " flush- 

 ing." The main purpose of flushing the ewes is to secure a larger 

 lamb crop and to have the lambs dropped as near the same time as 

 possible, but it also brings the ewes into good condition for the 

 winter. To accomplish this the ewes are changed from scant to 

 abundant pastures of timothy, bluegrass, or rape. Rank watery 

 fall growths of clover are of little use for this, as they often bring 

 the ewe in heat several times and are not particularly fattening. 

 Often some grain is fed as a supplement to the pastures. Corn 

 is not especially good for this, oats being much better. Pumpkins 

 strewn over the fields are excellent. At this time any large locks 

 of wool or dung tags about the tail should be removed. 



THE RAM AT BREEDING TIME. 



Beginning about a month before the breeding season, the ram 

 should be given some extra grain. Two parts of oats and one of 

 bran by bulk form an excellent mixture. Oats alone are also very 

 good. If the ram is thin the following mixture is excellent: Corn, 

 5 parts ; oats, 10 ; bran, 3 ; and linseed-oil meal. 2 parts, by weight. 



The number of ewes a ram will serve depends largely upon his 

 age and the way he is handled. A ram lamb may serve from 5 to 15 

 ewes, depending upon his maturity. A yearling may serve from 15 

 to 25, while a mature ram well cared for should serve from 40 to 60 

 if allowed to run loose with the flock. By permitting him to be with 

 the ewes an hour morning and evening more ewes can be bred. If 

 the ram is old or injured or is to be bred very heavily, another ram 

 may be used to locate the ewes in heat and thus save the older ram 



