194 Western Live-stock Mayiagement 



Dry ewes. 



After the lambs are shipped to market, the ewes are 

 at once turned into dry pasture. Such feed will aid very 

 much in drying up their milk and preventing spoiled 

 udders. Also, the ewes would become too fat if kept 

 on rich pastures after the lambs are weaned, and the ex- 

 pense of keeping them would be too great. Fortunately 

 the requirements of the ewes fit in exactly with cropping 

 conditions on the western farm. The lambs are sold or 

 weaned at a time when the fields are becoming dry. The 

 clover, vetch, and rape which were good earlier in the 

 season become woody, and green feed is rarely available. 

 But the ewes may be turned out on the drier hill pastures, 

 on the meadows after the hay is cut, or on the stubble 

 fields. In this way they will not only obtain the feed 

 which is best for them but will procure it at the least cost. 



Heavy milkers will require some attention, because 

 their udders are likely to swell and spoil. These are the 

 ewes that raise the best lambs, and their loss means an 

 unprofitable flock. Persistent milkers should be milked 

 two or three times at intervals of two, five, and seven 

 days, but at no time should they be milked completely 

 dry. 



BARNS, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT 



Barns. 



A sheep barn differs from a cattle barn or other stock 

 barn in that it must have more floor space and less hay 

 mow. In building a sheep barn, the farmer has to con- 

 cern himself only with the floor space, as the hay mow 

 capacity will take care of itself. There are two general 

 types of sheep barns found in the West, one with all the 

 hay overhead and the other with the hay in the center 



