GROWING AND FITTING SHEEP FOR EXHIBITION 263 



called for to make them compete in that form which is 

 most in consonance with the present standard of feeding. 

 For such a use, single lambs are preferred, for reasons 

 that will be apparent. As some lambs fail to attain to the 

 standard indicated in the promise of early growth, the 

 aim should be to grow more than the number called for by 

 the exhibit or exhibits, and to select from these as the sea- 

 son for exhibiting draws near. 



In some instances it may be possible to obtain the 

 assistance which a nurse ewe may give to a lamb in fur- 

 nishing milk for it, in addition to what is obtained from 

 its own mother. Ewes that may have lost their own off- 

 spring may be thus employed, but in some instances it is 

 difficult to make them thus perform the part of a foster 

 mother. In other instances the opposite may be true. In 

 no other way can the most satisfactory development be 

 obtained from a lamb reared for any purpose than by sup- 

 plying it abundantly with ewe's milk. 



Cow's milk is sometimes fed to lambs that are being 

 fitted for exhibition with a view to increase their size. 

 This is more common in case of the large breeds and with 

 lambs reared for breeders than with lambs to be shown 

 in the purely fat classes, for size in these would seem to 

 count for less than in the breeding classes. Lambs are 

 thus fed from a bottle with a nipple attached. Some sugar 

 is added at first, that the milk may thus be made to ap- 

 proximate more nearly the constituents in cow's milk. 

 In some instances a small percentage of water is added. 

 Lambs are sometimes thus fed up to and on through the 

 fair season. Testimony, however, regarding the subse- 

 quent behavior of lambs thus fed when reared for breed- 

 ing uses is unfavorable. This applies to both riiales and 

 females, but is most unfortunate in the case of the former, 

 because of the more important part they play individ- 

 ually in the flock. 



The best fodders for such lambs while yet unweaned 

 include clover, alfalfa and vetch hay. These should be of 



