14 



BULLETIN 573, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



iron average about a pound more in weight a week after docking than 

 lambs which have been docked by the ordinary method and have 

 lost considerable blood. Castrating is done by cutting off the lower 

 third of the scrotum and pulling out the testicles, cords and all. 



WEANING. 



In the pure-bred flocks, or where it is desired to keep the ewe lambs 

 for breeding purposes or for the fall and winter markets, weaning 

 takes place when the lambs are 1 to 5 months old. By separating 

 the lambs from the band and allowing them the run of good pasture, 

 they do as well as if allowed to run with the ewes all summer. In 

 some instances they do better. Moreover, if the ewes are allowed a 

 summer's rest, they will breed earlier and produce a higher percent- 

 age of lambs. 



A common method of weaning lambs on irrigated pasture is to 

 leave the lambs in the same field but to remove the ewes to poor feed 

 out of sight and hearing of the lambs. At the same time the ram 

 lambs should be separated from the ewe lambs. A few flockmasters 

 wean the lambs gradually, allowing them to be with the ewes for 

 short periods twice each day. This method has some advantages, 

 the chief of which is that the milk of the ewes dries up gradually. 

 However, the practice can be continued too long, two or three days 

 probably being the best time. Whatever method of weaning is pur- 

 sued, it is necessary to watch the ewes carefully and to draw the 

 milk from the udder in case of congestion. 



Fig. 3.— Sheep grazing on a canal bank on the Minidoka Reclamation Project in August, 1910. Used in 

 this way, sheep are helpful in eradicating weed growth, and at the same time they produce mutton and 

 wool at small cost. 



