242 



CARE OF EWES DURING PREGNANCY 



During the pregnant period there should be no particular effort 

 to make the shelter warm, as the chief danger with respect to tem- 

 perature lies in making it too warm (Fig. 165). 



The Ram. — As to what should be done with the ram after 

 breeding season depends upon his disposition and behavior toward 

 the ewes. If he becomes " bossy " and butts and crowds them about 

 he should be removed and placed in a separate pen. In case the 

 owner prefers not to have very late born lambs in his flock it will 



Fig. 165. — A good barn for pregnant ewes — note the wide doors 



be necessary, of course, to take the ram from the flock after the 

 breeding season is considered closed unless it is certain that all of 

 the ewes are ^vith lamb. 



Rations for Pregnant Ewes. — The following tabulations indi- 

 cate the amount of feed given to pregnant ewes in various 

 experiments. 



(a) From the Illinois Station: 



Table 1. — The ewes in this experiment were two-year-old west- 

 erns, weighing 100 pounds. They were on experiment for 84 days 

 previous to the time they began lambing. All feeds tabulated are 

 given in pounds and refer to the daily feed per ewe : 



