194 Western Live-stock Management 
Dry ewes. 
After the lambs are shipped to market, the ewes are 
at once turned into dry pasture. Such feed will aid very 
much in drying up their milk and preventing spoiled 
udders. Also, the ewes would become too fat if kept 
on rich pastures after the lambs are weaned, and the ex- 
pense of keeping them would be too great. Fortunately 
the requirements of the ewes fit in exactly with cropping 
conditions on the western farm. The lambs are sold or 
weaned at a time when the fields are becoming dry. The 
clover, vetch, and rape which were good earlier in the 
season become woody, and green feed is rarely available. 
But the ewes may be turned out on the drier hill pastures, 
on the meadows after the hay is cut, or on the stubble 
fields. In this way they will not only obtain the feed 
which is best for them but will procure it at the least cost. 
Heavy milkers will require some attention, because 
their udders are likely to swell and spoil. These are the 
ewes that raise the best lambs, and their loss means an 
unprofitable flock. Persistent milkers should be milked 
two or three times at intervals of two, five, and seven 
days, but at no time should they be milked completely 
dry. 
BARNS, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT 
Barns. 
A sheep barn differs from a cattle barn or other stock 
barn in that it must have more floor space and less hay 
mow. In building a sheep barn, the farmer has to con- 
cern himself only with the floor space, as the hay mow 
capacity will take care of itself. There are two general 
types of sheep barns found in the West, one with all the 
hay overhead and the other with the hay in the center 
