34 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Anyway, the breeding ewes must not be closely confined for long and they must have 

 exercise. It is very desirable to keep the ewe lambs in a separate lot so that they 

 get all the feed coming to them. The stud rams may be left with the main flock, 

 but ram lambs kept over should be kept separate. All the breeding ewes should be 

 watched, and their condition noted from time to time by feeling the covering of 

 flesh over the backbone and loins. Sharp vertebrae sticking up indicate that more 

 feed and care is necessary. If the points of the bones are not apparent there is 

 danger of the ewes being too fat. 



Winter Feeds. Good clover or alfalfa hay is far better than timothy. Mixed 

 hay is good, provided it is not too coarse. Sheep like fine herbage. Pea-straw, 

 threshed or unthreshed. is good fodder for sheep. Oat-straw is the best of the grain 

 straws, but is not equal to good hay. Unthreshed oat-sheaves are good, fed along 

 with hay. Roots such as turnips or mangels are safer than silage, and are almost 

 necessary to provide succulence in the ration. Silage can be safely fed if sound and 

 free from mould or gassiness. Oats and bran, with perhaps a little linseed-meal, is 

 about the best grain ration ; 2 to 3 Ib. of good hay, 2 to 4 Ib. of roots, and 44 to 

 % Ib. of grain is a winter ration for in-lamb ewes. If no grain is fed more roots 

 and hay must be given. They also require lots of fresh, pure water. It should be 

 accessible at all times. Coarse salt, made yellow with powdered sulphur, must also 

 be given. It should be before them all the time. Rams are fed similarly. It should 

 be said that a liberal supply of mangels sometimes causes stones or calculi in the 

 bladder in rams. 



FEED-RACKS. 



It is important in feeding sheep to provide suitable feed-racks in order that the 

 wool may be kept as free as possible from chaff and other foreign substance. 



iiiiiiiiw 



ill IB II 



Feed-rack. 



The accompanying illustration shows one of the most suitable racks for this 

 purpose. The slats are upright and are 7 inches apart, allowing the sheep free access 

 to the feed, at the same time preventing the chaff from falling on the neck and back 

 of the sheep. 



SPRING MANAGEMENT. 



Keep Ewes quiet. Towards lambing-tinie care must be taken that ewes are 

 not overcrowded at the racks, in gateways, etc., or made to jump over obstacles, 

 frightened by dogs, or roughly handled. The duration of pregnancy is about 147 

 days, and during the latter part of this period there is danger of the ewes casting 

 their lambs if any of the above things happen. 



Signs of Lambing. A few days before dropping the offspring the "flanks will drop 

 and the vulva appear red and swollen. Just before the actual birth the ewe appears 

 restless and frequently changes her position. 



Trimming Udders. Previous to lambing, the w r ool should be clipped off on and 

 around the udder, that might be in the way of the lamb sucking. This is so that 

 the lamb will have less difficulty finding the teats, and there will be no danger of him 

 getting hold of the wool-locks and swallowing them. Big, greedy lambs often die 



