General Care of Sheep and Lanihs. 495 



be chilled. Alfalfa and clover hay serve best for roughage, while 

 oats, bran, oil cake, and corn prove suitable concentrates. The object 

 at all times is to produce the largest possible flow of milk to hasten 

 the lamb's growth. 



808. The lambs. — A creep should be provided and the lambs 

 taught to eat from a trough as soon as possible. To this end, a 

 little sugar may at first be sprinkled on the grain to render it 

 specially palatable. The lambs begin to eat freely when 2 or 3 

 weeks old, and are forced on bran, cracked corn, linseed meal, 

 ground oats, barley, gluten feed, etc. They should be induced not 

 only to eat, but to eat a large quantity, and to keep eating, and 

 varying the kinds and proportions of the feeds supplied is conducive 

 to this end. Alfalfa, clover, or soybean hay is indispensable, while 

 roots and silage are helpful. The feed troughs should be cleaned 

 each morning, and the grain and hay supply be changed 2 or 3 

 times a day. When necessary, lambs are fed new milk from a teapot 

 having a punctured rubber cot placed on the spout. Ewes bereft 

 of their lambs thru sale are given one of a pair of twin lambs. Thus 

 forced, the best lambs weigh from 40 to 47 lbs. alive at 6 weeks, 

 and as much as 34 lbs. dressed. They are dressed in a special 

 manner, the stomach and intestines being removed, while the head 

 and feet remain, and the pluck is left undisturbed. The caul fat is 

 carefully spread over the exposed parts, and the carcass sewed up 

 in muslin after thoroly cooling. To be profitable, winter lambs must 

 bring not less than $5 per head, and the best ones often bring as 

 much as $12. This specialty can be conducted with profit only by 

 experts who have gained their experience thru patient and discreet 

 effort, and who have near-by markets that will pay the high prices 

 such products must command. 



