SlIKKl' -KMSING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 33 



expert management. It stunts them, and they have few, small lambs. When they 

 become yearlings in their second fall thoy should be mated with an aged ram of 

 known breed ing abilities, so that with their first crop of lambs the good breeders can 

 be picked out. 



'I'inir of Mat in</. -1'nless winter lambs are wanted the time of mating in British 

 Columbia will be in September, October, or November, depending largely on the 

 climate. The percentage of loss is liable to be high in our severer climates if the 

 lambs come too early in the year. The ewe usually carries the lamb twenty-one 

 weeks, so that mating early in September will bring the first lambs about the 

 beginning of February. This may he done in our mild Coast climate. Mating in 

 November will bring lambs in April, which is about right for a severe winter climate. 

 It is a good plan to have the grass starting to grow so that the ewes can be turned 

 out to pasture two or three weeks after the lambs arrive. The fall is the only time 

 that ewes generally come in heat and will take the ram. The exceptions to this are 

 Dorset, Merino, and Tunis ewes. The intervals between the periods of heat are 

 from two to three weeks. 



Fluftliinu Kirrs. By this is meant extra feeding before mating to have the ewes 

 gaining in flesh at the time. The advantages gained by the practice are stronger 

 lambs and more of them. Besides this, the ewes mate more readily, and the lambs 

 therefore come nearly at one time. The explanation is that the ovaries of the ewes 

 are more active when the ewe is in good condition, not too fat. After weaning, the 

 ewes are turned on short pasture until the milk-flow has stopped. Then they are 

 given good pasture, such as good aftermath, rape pasture, or a ration of grain, to 

 get them gaining in flesh. This is called " flushing " them. 



The Ram in the Mating Reason. The ram should be well cared for at this time, 

 and usually he is fed a grain ration every day by himself to avoid his getting run 

 down in condition. Care must also be taken that he is not overworked. On the 

 other hand, an overfat condition will give very poor results in either ram or ewe. 



Number of Eices to a Ram. A yearling or older should serve fifty ewes in the 

 season if taken out and fed grain once a day. Ram lambs answer well if used 

 moderately. Twenty to twenty-five ewes is enough for a well-grown ram lamb. By 

 turning the ram in with the ewes only morning and evening, his energies are con- 

 served and more females can be taken care of by him. A mature ram so cared for 

 and liberally fed can serve 100 in the season. 



Markinfj Ewes as bred. Usually the ram has his breast smeared with some 

 colour of ochre and linseed-oil, so that all ewes bred by him are marked. The colour 

 can be changed every ten days or so. The dates of breeding can thus be noted down. 

 and if ewes come in heat again they can be picked out. Those that do not mate at 

 all are also known. The ewes when bred are caught and tho number of the ear-tags 

 taken. 



WINTER MANAGEMENT. 



Housing and Feeding. A warm barn is only necessary when lambing-time comes 

 in severe weather. Close housing of sheep is wrong, and extremely bad results 

 follow it. The sheep is an outdoor animal and cannot stand confinement. Close bous- 

 ing invariably leads to colds and other troubles. The fleece provides nearly all the 

 protection necessary, provided the winter quarters are dry. Partially open sheds 

 with dry footing are the best shelter; 12 to 15 square feet of floor-space and 18 inches 

 of rack-spare is required for each sheep. When the weather is dry the sheep will 

 .ireiienilly prefer to live and sleep outside. It will be most convenient to have the 

 feediiig-r:ieks inside, but some of the roughage should be obtained outdoors almost 

 all tho time. This provides the In-ceding tlork with much-needed exercise, without 

 which trouble will follow at lambing-time. As long as the fields are fairly dry and 

 there is grass there, the sheep will do better on the sod. Extra feed can be given 

 at night at home. When there is no pasture or the ground is snowed under, the 

 roughage can be fed in the fields in racks or scattered over the ground from a wagon. 



