250 



THE LAMBING PERIOD 



The small syringe is useful should the lamb be constipated and need 

 injections of soapy water. Warm water, the sheep pelt, and the jug 

 are brought into service in reviving a chilled lamb. 



The Shepherd. No matter how good the equipment may be, 

 the preparation for lambing is poor if the flock is without a good 

 caretaker. He needs to be a man who knows how to take ewes through 

 the lambing period and he must*be willing to stay on the job both 



day and night. It is no time to 

 leave home when the lambs are 

 coming. For this reason alone it 

 is advisable to have the lambs 

 come early if the shepherd must 

 help in the fields when the crop- 

 ping season begins. 



The right kind of a shepherd 

 has the confidence of his flock ; he 

 knows when lambing is to begin; 

 he sees to it that there are no 

 openings in the barn walls close to 

 the ground that are large enough 

 to let a young lamb creep through ; 

 and he keeps his flock where pigs 

 can not get to it, for he knows what a dainty morsel a young 

 lamb is for a pig (Fig. 170). 



Caring for the Ewe. Before Parturition. During the last 

 days of pregnancy the ewe should be where she can be quiet and 

 contented. She should have plenty of room so that all jamming and 

 crowding can be avoided. Her ration should consist mainly of 

 clean, palatable roughage, such as clover hay. A little grain and 

 succulent feed will do her no harm, but it is dangerous to be gen- 

 erous as to quantity of grain, as some who have neglected their ewes 

 are inclined to do, because milk fever may develop after parturition. 

 When the ewe is very woolly about the udder she should be sheared in 

 order to allow the lamb to get to the teats. A new-born lamb will 

 suck a lock of wool almost as readily as it will the teat, and thus 

 lead the shepherd to believe it is getting its feed. But an experienced 

 shepherd cannot be fooled in this way, and it may not be necessary 

 to shear the udder until after the lamb has come. It is not advisable 

 to shear off a large amount of wool because the udder may be injured 

 from exposure to cold. 



FIG. 170. The good shepherd has 

 the confidence of his flock. 



