SHEEP RAISING FOR BEGINNERS. 17 



TREATMENT OF EWES AFTER LAMBING. 



The shepherd should watch the ewe's udder closely to see that it is 

 in good condition, for good lambs can not be raised from ewes not 

 milking freely. Ewes that have lambed should be kept in lambing 

 pens from one to three days and then turned in a pen by themselves 

 where they can be given special feed and care. After lambing they 

 should be fed lightly at first, being put on full feed about the third 

 or fourth day. At this time it is economy to feed heavily enough to 

 produce a large flow of milk for the lambs. Heavy-milking ewes can 

 make good use of from 1 to 2 pounds of grain per day. Experi- 

 ments conducted at the Wisconsin experiment station showed that 

 when ewes were on good pasture there was no extra gain made by 

 the lambs when the ewes were fed grain. 



THE FLOCK IN SUMMER. 



SHEARING. 



Shearing is generally done in late spring or early summer, after 

 lambing. It should be done on a warm day, so that the ewes may 

 not become chilled. Formerly shearing was done mostly by the use 

 of hand shears, but in most flocks of large size power shearing ma- 

 chines are now used. For small flocks under 50 head hand-power 

 machines are the most economical. The machines are more rapid, 

 smoother work is done, and the ewes are injured less. It is easier to 

 learn to use them, and more wool is obtained than where hand shears 

 are used. 



The tags or dung locks should be removed from the fleece, and then 

 it should be rolled up, not too tightly, skin side out, and tied with 

 paper twine. Wool buyers prefer this method of tying to that done 

 with wool boxes. 



If the lambing is late the ewes may be sheared before lambing, but 

 great care must be used in handling them. It is better to do the 

 shearing after lambing. In either case it should be done before hot 

 weather sets in. 



DIPPING. 



Sheep are dipped to free them from ticks, lice, and other skin 

 parasites. A convenient time for dipping is shortly after shearing 

 in the spring. Less dip per animal is needed and the weather is 

 usually more favorable at this time than at any other season. The 

 dipping should be done in the morning of a clear, quiet, warm day, 

 so that the sheep will be dry by night and will not catch cold. 

 Every member of the flock should be dipped, and it is well to spray 

 the inside of the sheep barn with dip at this time. Any standard 

 dip solution can be successfully used, if the manufacturer's direc- 

 tions are followed. To insure the eradication of sheep ticks the 



