412 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



lamb might nurse a tag instead of a teat. A number of small 

 panels three feet high and four feet long, made from light wood, 

 should be provided. Two of these panels should be hinged 

 together like the letter L, so that when placed in the corner of 

 the barn they make a pen four feet square. Enough of these 

 should be provided so that a row of four-foot pens maybe placed 

 along the side of the barn or shed. When not in use, these panels 

 may be folded up and laid away. As soon as a ewe has lambed, 

 she and her lamb should be placed in one of these small pens, 

 thus preventing the lamb from straying away, as it is very 

 likely to do if not restrained. 



Ewes that have been well cared for during pregnancy are 

 likely to have a good supply of milk. They should be separated 

 from the flock at once, and given extra care. For a time they 

 should be sparingly fed on grain, as it is not considered best to 

 force the milk flow until the lambs are able to take care of it 

 without danger of digestive disorders, such as scouring. The 

 grain ration may consist of 50 parts chopped corn, 50 parts 

 wheat brari, and 10 parts linseed meal. For dry forage, clover or 

 alfalfa hay is preferred, and if possible a small amount of silage 

 or roots should be fed, as in the case of the pregnant ewe. 



Difficult parturition. — Ewes that are not properly fed during 

 pregnancy, and are thin and weak, often have difficulty in deliv- 

 ering the lamb. Young ewes, even though well kept, often have 

 trouble in dropping their first lamb. Whenever there is difficult 

 parturition, an attendant of experience should be near by to 

 render assistance. When the ewe shows signs of lambing, such 

 as teats filling out to end, the vulva swelling and becoming deeply 

 colored, and in some cases the ewe loojcing for her lamb before 

 it is born, she should be placed in a pen away from the flock, and 

 closely watched. In natural parturition the lamb comes with 

 front feet first and nose just between. Non-interference is 

 recommended until it is evident the ewe needs aid. The head 

 and shoulders are the hardest part to deliver, and after these are 



