TRANSFER TO SUMMER RANGE 419 



which results from a slow bungling operation. As a rule, lambs are 

 operated upon when they are about fourteen days old. 



Percentage of Lambs. — Immediately after docking a count of 

 the tails is made, from which the percentage of lambs is determined. 

 This iigure depends, however, upon the percentage of ewes that 

 lambed as well as upon the success in saving the lambs born. 

 Should there be a 90 per cent crop of lambs, the lambing is con- 

 sidered very successful, indeed, for more often it is very much lower. 



The following tabulation shows the investigation of the agents 

 of the Tariff Board with respect to the percentage of lambs saved in 

 various flocks in the different western states. The figures are based 

 on the total number of ewes of breeding age owned and the number 

 of lambs saved up to the time they were old enough to market. 



state Percentage of lambs 



Arizona 59.3 



California 76.4 



Colorado 61.9 



Idaho 67.2 



Montana 71.9 



Nevada 74.6 



New Mexico 57.7 



Oregon 79.6 



Utah 72.5 



Washington 92.5 



Wyoming 62.4 



Dipping. — Before going to the summer range all sheep and 

 lambs should be dipped in order to prevent the scattering of in- 

 fectious skin diseases. Dipping is under the control of the Bureau 

 of Animal Industry in the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture and is done when the employees of that Bureau consider it 

 necessary. 



Transfer to Summer Range. — When lambing and shearing are 

 finished it is generally time to move to the summer range. This is 

 more tedious and difficult than the transfer from summer to winter 

 feeding grounds because the ewes must get enough feed to supply 

 the lambs with milk and the lambs are not strong enough to travel 

 fast. Oftentimes the country lying between the winter and summer 

 range is in the hands of private parties to such extent that unusual 

 trouble is experienced in making the transfer. 



