206 Sheep-Farming 



the lambs all the time in the shed and bare lots, where 

 there is no means of the eggs being taken in. The 

 ewes run on the pastures and come in to nurse the 

 lambs two or three times each day. By feeding the 

 lamb a tempting grain ration, little trouble is ex- 

 perienced in separating them when the ewes are to 

 return to the pasture. Such lambs can be fed to 

 carry along as fast as desired and can be weaned 

 without serious setback, and in the fall can be run 

 upon forage crops sown in summer upon fresh un- 

 tainted ground. This plan requires considerable 

 attention to the flock, but has worked successfully. 

 Summer grazing crops. — It is likely to be more satis- 

 factory to go a step farther and provide a rotation of 

 grazing crops to carry the ewes and lambs from the 

 first of the season until weaning. After that, the ewes 

 can go on old grass land and the lambs to freshly 

 seeded land or to other green crops. This is the plan 

 of summer keep on British farms that are stocked very 

 heavily with sheep. As well as insuring continued 

 thrift for the lambs, it requires a much smaller acreage 

 than is needed if only grass is used. It involves some 

 extra labor in preparing the ground and seeding at fre- 

 quent intervals to insure a succession of fresh grazing, 

 but it is only by this plan that intensive farming with 

 sheep is likely to be really profitable. As an offset 

 to the crop sowing and moving of the sheep, allow- 

 ance must be made for the economy in having the 

 crop harvested without labor. The plan is not 



