CHAPTER XVin. 



PALL MANAGEMENT. 



WEANING AND FALL FEEDING LAMBS SHELTERING LAMBS 



IN FALL FALL FEEDING AND SHELTEKING BREEDING ET7ES 



SELECTING EWES FOE THE EAM COFPLING PERIOD 



OF GESTATION MANAGEMENT OF EAMS DURING COUPLING 



DIVIDING FLOCKS FOE WINTER. 



Weaning and Fall Feeding Lambs. — Lambs of all 

 breeds should be weaned at about four months old ; and if 

 drouth or other circumstances have occasioned a particular 

 scarcity of pasturage for the lambs and their dards, and the 

 former can be put on good feed by separating them, it would 

 be advisable to take off the lambs three or even four weeks 

 earlier. The somewhat prevalent idea that it is improper to 

 wean them in " dog days," has not a particle of foundation. 

 But whatever the period of weaning, sweet, tender pasturage 

 is indispensable for them. New seeded stubbles and the 

 rowen of meadows are usually reserved for them in this 

 country. But many flock-masters prefer rested pastures — 

 i. e., those which, after being fed close, are cleared of stock 

 and allowed to spring up fresh. A few of our breeders of 

 English sheep fold their ram lambs on rape. 



The modes of weaning and fall fe^ng lambs now 

 practiced in England may interest the breeders of English 

 sheep in this country. The following directions are from the 

 Royal Agricultural Society's prize essay on the Management 

 of Sheep, written by Mr. Robert Smith, of Burley, 1847: 



" Lambs should never be placed upon rested summer-eaten 

 clover pastures, however tempting they may appear, as they 

 invariably cause scouring, fever and other severe ailments. 

 Old grass, clover, or grass-eddish [after-math] is preferable 

 until the autumn quarter commences, which is considered an 

 important one, as much depends upon the manner in which 

 the lambs are started, or taught to eat their winter feed. In 



