232 Sheep-Farming 



ing the grain once a day for two weeks, or longer, 

 depending upon the condition of the ewe. 



While desirable rams can be secured for $20 or 

 less, it is economy to purchase an extra ram or two 

 and turn with the flock rather than to attempt hand- 

 breeding or to remove the ram daily and return to 

 the flock each night. I have found it advantageous 

 to turn two rams at a time with a flock of one hun- 

 dred or more up to three hundred, leaving them in 

 for a week or ten days and replacing with two others 

 for a like period. 



The presence of the second ram is an incentive to 

 a little greater activity. Yet there is very little 

 danger of rams fighting at this time in the year. A 

 mature ram will get seventy-five to one hundred 

 Iambs. Any of the Downs, the Dorset, or Tunis 

 are suitable. An advantage of the latter two is 

 that their ewe lambs may be added to the breeding 

 flock if desired. The rams should be removed by 

 the 1st of September if it is the intention to keep 

 the flock for winter lambs another season. A ewe 

 that yeans after February and nurses her lamb to 

 marketable size is not likely to breed early enough 

 the following summer. Only occasional ewes, and 

 they under high feeding, will mate with ram while 

 nursing a lamb. It is not practicable to raise two 

 crops of lambs a year. 



Management of ewe and lamb. — As late in the 

 fall as weather permits and pasture remains good. 



