﻿32 BULLETIN 20, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



are most favorable. The largest and most economical gains are 

 made during the first few months of a lamb's life. 



It is generally profitable to feed a small quantity of grain before 

 weaning to all classes of lambs. They grow faster, attain a larger 

 size, become more robust, escaping the ills that beset the slow- 

 growing or stunted lamb. Where grain has been fed from the first 

 the demands are not so heavy upon the ewe, and the lambs do not 

 feel the effects of weaning as much as they otherwise would. 



The average amount of grain per lamb per day should vary from 

 one-fourth to one-half pound. The ration should be very light at 

 first and should be gradually increased. Ordinarily, more than one- 

 half pound per day will not increase the gains, but will lessen the 

 amounts of pasture consumed by the lambs. Two parts bran, two 

 parts oats, and one part cracked corn makes an excellent grain 

 ration for growing lambs. Roots and alfalfa can also be fed to young 

 lambs to advantage. 



LAMB CREEPS. 



The lambs should not eat with the ewes, but should have then 

 grain separate. A lamb creep is necessary for this, and with it there 

 is the advantage that the lambs can eat whenever they care to. A 

 lamb creep is simply an inclosure, containing feed troughs, with 

 openings large enough to permit only the lambs to enter. Rollers 

 on the sides of the openings are much superior to slats, as they allow 

 the lambs to enter through smaller openings, and with less danger of 

 scraping their sides. A good type of lamb creep is shown in Plate 

 IV, figure 1. 



WEANING. 



Weaning should take place when the lambs are 3 to 5 months old, 

 depending upon the time they are dropped. After separating the 

 lambs, they should be turned into a field at a considerable distance 

 from the ewes, where there is good pasture. Where the lambs have 

 been encouraged to eat previously, separating is merely the last step 

 of weaning, and the lambs scarcely notice the change. 



CARE AFTER WEANING. 



After weaning, the lambs should continue having such feed and 

 care as will continue their growth. A stunted lamb never makes up 

 its lost growth, no matter how favorable circumstances may be 

 afterwards. It generally pays to feed a little grain all through the 

 summer. If they are to be fattened later the grain-fed lamb makes 

 more rapid and economic gains than the one that has received no 

 grain until the fattening period. There is little danger of getting 

 lambs that are intended for breeding purposes too fat, unless an excess 

 of fattening feeds are fed. The extra food they consume is used for 



