268 GROWING THE LAMB 



Although not indispensable, bran is one of the very best concen- 

 trates to begin with. After feeding it for a day or two, oats can 

 be added, and in about a week corn and linseed oil meal can be 

 introduced. Not all of these concentrates are absolutely necessary, 

 and whether or not they are to be used should be determined by their 

 cost and by the nature of the succulent feed and roughages available. 



The best roughages are leguminous hays, such as clover, alfalfa, 

 cowpea, and soybean hay. The hay should be sweet and clean, for 

 damaged hay is always likely to lead to digestive troubles, both 

 in the ewes and in the lambs. When plenty of choice leguminous 

 hay is available there is less need for nitrogenous concentrates. 

 Carbonaceous roughages, such as corn stover and straw can be 

 used, but when they are fed the concentrate part of the ration 

 should be rich in protein and if possible these roughages should be 

 used up while the ewes are pregnant. 



Just how much suckling ewes should be fed depends on so many 

 variable factors aside from their variation in size and condition, 

 that the owner must make a special study of his flock after the lambs 

 are born. If the lambs are born early, say in February or March, 

 and if the weather is cold, making what is called a backward spring, 

 the demand of the ewes for feed will be heavy. If there is a large 

 percentage of twins, more feed should be given than when such ; s 

 not the case. In England it is common practice for the ewes with 

 twins to be placed in a separate flock in order to give them more 

 feed than is given to the ewes with but one lamb. This is a prac- 

 tice which could undoubtedly be followed with profit in many Amer- 

 ican flocks. In the foregoing it is assumed that stored feeds, such 

 as grain, hay, roots, and silage are referred to. If climatic con- 

 ditions have been favorable for the growth of grass or forage, such 

 as rye, and if there is a considerable area of these growths available, 

 the demand on the stored feeds is much lessened. But too much 

 reliance is often placed on field growths early in the spring before 

 the growing season begins. If the pasture is good when the pastur- 

 ing season opens it should not be necessary to continue longer to 

 give stored feed to the ewes. 



An abrupt change in the rations of suckling ewes may cause 

 digestive disturbances, the effects of which may be transmitted to 

 the lambs through the milk. In spite of the fact that sheep are 

 unequaled among domestic animals in their power of adaptation 

 to grazing it is not always best completely to set them at liberty 



