WASHING, SHEARING AND MARKING. 177 



be fattened. It may, however, save much dis- 

 Ijute if all stock ewes have their owner's mark, 

 seeing that they may become mixed on pasture. 



MARKING PUEE-BEED LAMBS. 



When lambs that are pure-bred are to be 

 registered it is essential that the shepherd so 

 mark them at an early age as to identify them 

 later according to their parentage. This is 

 by no means an easy task. A very small lamb 

 can not safely carry a mark in its ear and 

 there is a little trouble later on in discovering 

 which ewes are the mothers of the lambs. 



The writer has found a good plan to be to 

 let them run until they are well grown, but 

 still sucking, then separate them from their 

 mothers some morning and keep them apart 

 until they are eager for association with their 

 dams. Then the lambs may be caught, one at 

 a time, and in one ear a tattoo number be put. 

 This should be in the opposite ear from where 

 the permanent number is to go. These num- 

 bers may begin each year at No. 1, running 

 up as high as necessary. 



Having put the number in the lamb's ear 

 and entered it in a note book it is placed with 

 the ewes, where it soon singles out its mother 

 and while sucking she is caught and her num- 

 ber noted and entered opposite that of the 

 lamb. A name may be given the lamb at the 

 same time, though individual names except 

 for exceptionally good lambs are hardly worth 

 while. It is easier and as well to designate 

 them simply by numbers, identifying them 



