Farm Sheep 183 
the ewes are fed heavily with little exercise, particularly 
if a large amount of bran is fed, the lambs, when they come, 
will be of such enormous size as to make lambing difficult, 
often causing the death of a number of ewes. When the 
ewes have been exposed in storms with little or no feed, 
they have no milk for the lambs and will not own them. 
Pregnant ewes must have enough food of the right nature 
to nourish the growing foetus without stimulating too 
much development of the bone. A good rule is to use 
feedsfairly high in protein and mineral matter, and in 
sufficient quantities to keep the ewes in moderate condi- 
tion, neither very fat nor very thin. Combined with this 
must be abundant exercise. Ewes must have good clean 
water, which can be reached without wading in the mud 
so deep that they will not drink until they are very thirsty. 
Sheep are so particular about mud that one must be very 
careful in this regard. When streams are used for water, 
conditions may often be improved by making an ap- 
proach out of gravel or boards. 
The attention given to the ewes at this season of the 
year must be constant. Turning ewes into a back pasture 
and never going near them is poor policy. They are sub- 
ject to accidents which may seem trivial, but which kill 
many sheep. Of these, the most common is falling on 
their backs in a dead furrow where they remain helpless 
waiting for death or rescue. A successful shepherd early 
forms the habit of counting his sheep, in order that he 
may know when any are missing. 
Wintering the ewe lambs. 
Wintering the ewe lambs is essentially the same as 
wintering breeding ewes. When the flock is out on pas- 
ture and is receiving no grain or hay, the ewe lambs may 
