CHAPTER VII 

 FEEDING AND CARE OF BREEDING EWES 



In this chapter the following subdivisions of the 

 question relating to the feeding and care of breeding ewes 

 are discussed: (i) Ewes from the time that they are 

 weaned as lambs until bred; (2) Management at the 

 breeding season; (3) Changing from autumn pasture to 

 winter quarters; (4) The ideal conditions for wintering; 

 (5) Grading the flock; (6) Food prior to the time of 

 lambing; (7) Exercise for breeding ewes when pregnant; 

 (8) Caring for ewes at the time of lambing; (9) Food for 

 ewes subsequently to lambing; (10) From the sheds to 

 the pastures; (11) Management when on pasture; (12) 

 Management when weaning the lambs; (13) The man- 

 agement of ewes to be discarded; and (14) The miscella- 

 neous attentions that are more or less called for. The 

 importance of giving proper care to the ewes cannot be 

 easily over-estimated because of the important bearing 

 that it has upon the profits. The attention called for, 

 though greater at certain seasons, cannot be withheld 

 at any time without hazard to the owner. 



Ewes from weaning until bred — There is almost a 

 consensus of opinion as to the wisdom of deferring the 

 breeding of the ewes so that they will not drop their first 

 Iambs until two years old. This opinion is based on the 

 results that usually follow the breeding of ewes so that 

 they produce lambs at one year old. These results are 

 usually: (i) Lambs not up to the standard in size and 

 inherent powers of development ; (2) inability on the part 

 of the ewes to provide for their lambs while nursing them 

 as compared with that of ewes not bred at so early an 

 ^S^'> (3) ultimate lessening in size and vigor of the aver- 

 age in the flock. But it may not be correct to claim that 



122 



