854 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



The dams of early maturity lambs must also be liberally 

 fed after lambing, in order to get their milk in a good nour- 

 ishing condition. Hay, turnips, swedes, and one pound of 

 cake daily are necessary for this, and should be maintained 

 for at least ten weeks. The lambs and ewes live in the 

 open, but in well-sheltered, warm and dry pens. 



The first indication of the lambs feeding of their own 

 free will is looked for, and they at once come on to a little 

 finely ground Unseed cake, crushed oats, split peas, and 

 malt, all gradually introduced, while the dam's milk is not 

 neglected. 



As soon as the first green food of the season is available, 

 lamb hurdles are introduced, and the young ones brought 

 on to rape. In March they get grass, and later on spring 

 and summer fodder and crops, all of which have to be care- 

 fully arranged for during the previous autumn. 



Close folding on these is the rule, though frequently the 

 lambs are allowed a scamper. Change of food daily is 

 essential in order to stimulate the jaded palate. By May 

 they are weaned and the ewes go back on to ordinary keep, 

 while the cake is expended on the lambs. The routine of 

 their short life cannot be better described than by one 

 of the authorities on sheep, especially of Hampshire 

 Downs.* 



' The lambs awaken on a fold of vetohes ; the shepherd is up betimes 

 and begins by giving them an allowance of cake, he next grinds up 

 some mangel which they eat with relish. They are then admitted to 

 a fresh fold of vetches, after which they are walked quietly away to a 

 neighbouring piece of good rape or cabbage. After two hours or more 

 and in the heat of the afternoon, they are allowed to spread themselves 

 over some old sainfoin or aftermath clover. They will then return 

 to the vetch fold, and after receiving another feed of corn they lie down 

 to a well-earned repose, having increased their weight by 1 lb. each. 

 Hay-chaff in troughs is also frequently supplied, even in summer, by 

 way of keeping them firm in their bowels ; thus a lamb may easily 

 partake in one day of eight different kinds of food. Rape and cabbage 

 or kale give way to turnips in late July or early August, and the allow- 

 ance of ' corn' is kept up to from 1 lb. to 1^ lbs. per head.' 



* Professor Wrightson, op. cit. 



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