78 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



feed, they will soon fatten, when they may be 

 sold. 



There is a practice not very common among 

 shepherds of forcibly holding ewes that per- 

 sistently reject the ram, and allowing him to 

 serve them. Ttiey will not often conceive from 

 this service, but it often causes them to come 

 in heat naturally in from ten days to three 

 weeks. Some early lamb breeders make con- 

 siderable use of this practice. It can do the 

 ewe no harm in case it is unsuccessful. 



CABE OF THE PREGNANT EWE. 



Perhaps the greatest stumbling block in the 

 way of the inexperienced shepherd is in the 

 care of his ewe flock during pregnancy. Either 

 he feeds them too well, or on unsuitable foods, 

 or he deprives them of air and exercise, or he 

 goes to the other extreme and lets them brave 

 the storms without enough 'food. Either con- 

 dition will surely be fatal to his fortune, 

 though of the two extremes the worse is that 

 of too much food and no exercise. Such a 

 course is surely fatal to his hopes of a large 

 crop of strong lambs. 



If one would have success with these preg- 

 nant ewes he should consider their condition 

 in a state of nature. Then they roamed the 

 hills, selecting the higher points as places to 

 sleep; they sheltered beside rocks or under 

 pines. They were not in large flocks and found 

 sufficient food as they were not restrained by 

 fences. They had abundant exercise and al- 

 ways fresh air. Doubtless when their lambs 



