FEEDING AND CARE OF BREEDING EWES 1 35 



grazing when the snow is absent. The hazard from eat- 

 ing frozen grass will not be present as it is in the autumn, 

 for the sheep do not leave the sheds to graze until they 

 have taken their morning meal. 



Caring for ewes at the lambing season — When ewes 

 produce their lambs on the pastures, the problem of car- 

 ing for them is much simplified. In good weather it may 

 consist mainly in visiting the flock two or three times a 

 day, to make sure that all is going well. Should the 

 weather be stormy, however, the problem is much more 

 complicated. It may be necessary to furnish shelter for 

 the ewes with newly born lambs. If more than temporary 

 aid is wanted for either ewes or lambs, both should be 

 brought to the sheds. If a cold rain is threatened both 

 ewes and lambs should be housed for the time being, as 

 no exposure will bring harm to the lambs as quickly as 

 exposure to cold rain, which at once finds its way through 

 the short wool to the skin. 



Where the flock is large, a lambing pen is necessary, 

 which should have in it a number of divisions, that may 

 be permanent, or temporary, or both. The object is to 

 keep the ewes and their young apart from the others un- 

 til the lambs have been well started in life. Another plan 

 encircles the ewe and her lambs with a crate without re- 

 moving her from the sheds. This is done before or im- 

 mediately after the lamb is born. The ewe thus managed 

 will fret less than the one removed to the lambing pen, 

 as in the former instance practically no change is made 

 in the environment. When taken to the lambing pen the 

 removal should be made when practicable two or three 

 days before the lambs are expected (see page 336). 



If some ewes are already there, the ewes so removed 

 will be less disturbed by the change. The objection to 

 the use of crates as outlined above is the amount of space 

 that they use, which in close quarters cannot be spared. 



During the first days after lambing food should be 

 given to the ewes with much caution. Soon after the 



