LAMBING 569 



unfrequently happens that lambs at birth are en- 

 tangled by the tails of the ewes, and in this way 

 get strangled or killed. The tails of the males need 

 not be docked until they are about to be castrated. 

 Short tails are of much consequence when they are 

 attacked by the disorder called pinding. 



While ewes are nursing, the pasture should be 

 good, and they should be kept on the same feeding 

 ground until their lambs are weaned. 



It is of importance that the shepherd should be 

 almost constantly with his flock during the lamb- 

 ing season, so as to assist such ewes as require it 

 in cases of difficult parturition. In this office he 

 should act with great gentleness, and watch the 

 times when nature is acting her part to discharge 

 the lamb. 



When lambs are weakly, the shepherd should hold 

 them up to the teats of their dam to suck. And in 

 cases where the dam dies, he should endeavour to get 

 another ewe to adopt the orphan lamb ; and when he 

 cannot succeed in this, should carry it home, as well 

 as any weakly ones, so that they may receive his 

 fostering care, or that of his family. This may be 

 done by drawing off the milk from the udders of ewes 

 that have an abundance of it, or from ewes which have 

 lost their lambs. Lambs seldom attempt to eat grass 

 for fourteen days, and during this time their whole 

 sustenance consists of milk. 



It not unfrequently happens that lambs die from 

 hunger, in consequence of their dams refusing to suckle 

 them. When this is the case, the poor lamb will be 

 seen running about, and follov/ing any sheep it may 

 come near, while it utters a mournful bleat. When it 

 attempts to suck its dam, she will run off from it to a 

 distance. When this is noticed the shepherd should 



