336 



Diseases of Sheep. 



and sheltered pasturage, I should not recommend an earlier time. 

 Where, however, these advantages are enjoyed, the lambs will 

 fall most profitably in January or February, because they will be 

 sooner fit for the market. The farmer will of course be careful, 

 before he admits the ram, to inspect the ewes closely, so as to 

 satisfy himself that they are all in healthy and good condition. 

 No other preparation of them seems to be required. 



I consider 60 ewes to be quite sufhcient for one ram. Some- 

 times, when the stock is highly prized, a greater number is 

 allowed : and I have heard of even 200 lambs having been got by 

 a single ram. In such cases, however, the ram is not allowed to 

 mix with the flock, but the ewes are selected and brought sepa- 

 rately to him. This practice was adopted by several friends of 

 mine in the west of England, who used to know the ewes that 

 were ready by employing a teazer, and then bringing them to the 

 ram in succession. But even in this way the ram cannot impreg- 

 nate more than 100 ewes, with safety to himself, or any degree of 

 certainty as it regards them.* 



It has been my practice to mark the breasts of my rams with 

 ochre ; and when a score have been served, I dot them on the 

 near shoulder with a brush made of a tuft of wool, dipped into 

 oil and ochre. After the lapse of a week I dot those that are 



* Having chosen rams from the best flocks, it is an excellent plan to put 

 a certain number of ewes to each individual ram, and let them remain sepa- 

 rate from the other ewes until most of them have been served, marking the 

 difference in the stock of each as they fall. Should it be found that any of 

 them possess qualities likely to be injurious to the stock, use them no more : 

 if, on the other hand, you find any, or even one, of them produce stock hav- 

 ing the combined qualities of a good fleece and a good carcase, employ a 

 teazer marked on the chest with grease and ochre : as fast as the ewes are 

 at ram, put them to the sheep, and allow him to leap them twice, and thus 

 you may have from 100 to 150 lambs, and not distress your sheep so much 

 as in obtaining one-half the number in allowing the sheep to remain with 

 the ewes. When the ram is turned in with the ewes, he will leap favourite 

 ewes a great many times to the neglect of others, and this is the case when 

 there happens to be only one or two of the ewes at ram : therefore, by adopt- 

 ing the previous plan, you will obtain more of your best blood, and thus im- 

 prove your flock to fatten and your stock to breed from, without expense or 

 injury to your sheep, thereby making the best of your prize — as a prize I 

 call it to possess a ram that produces good stock. — W. Humfrey. 



This is already stated, but not so explicitly ; in this case it is usual to 

 number the ewes, and take the number down in a book, together with the 

 day of the month on which the ewe was impregnated, a plan which will allow 

 you to form a pretty correct judgment of the day on which the ewe will 

 lamb. — The Author. 



It is not very easy to procure a ram perfect in all his points ; ewes, there- 

 fore, should be selected to be put to him which are good in the points in 

 which he may be the most deficient. This, in fact, is the secret of having 

 a good flock. The expence is but trifling ; and if a good flock will not pay 

 I am certain a bad one will not. — Richmond. 



