34 BULLETIN 20, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
belly to prevent his serving the ewes is commonly used for this 
purpose. 
Hand coupling is superior to allowing the ram to run with the ewes, 
for the following reasons: One ram can cover more ewes because ie 
is pr revented from devoting all his attentions to one, and his energies 
are conserved by permitting only one service. The exact date of 
service can be kept, and an infertile ram can be detected much 
easier. As many as 100 ewes have been covered by a single ram 
with this method. The one objection to the practice is that it takes 
considerable time. 
The length of the breeding season depends upon the time of the 
year. For instance, if rams are turned in with ewes during the 
months of August or September, the season would be much longer, 
owing to the fact that not so many of the ewes are likely to be in 
heat at this ttme. The season should be long enough so that the ewes 
can return in heat, if they do not become pregnant at the first service. 
The duration between periods of heat in a ewe ordinarily ranges from 
14 to 18 days. In exceptional cases 21 days have elapsed between 
periods. 
CARE AT OTHER TIMES. 
During the winter the ram should receive enough grain to keep 
him in good condition: Clover or alfalfa hay makes good roughage, 
and silage or roots, such as turnips, swedes, and rutabagas should 
form the succulent part of the feed. Sugar beets or mangel-wurzels 
should never be fed to rams. They cause the formation of calculi 
in the kidneys and bladder, and stoppage of the urethra, and the 
bladder is often ruptured as a result. Many good rams have died 
as a result of their being fed these roots. 
Where there is but one stock ram, he can be used only two seasons 
without inbreeding, but where there are several they can often be 
kept longer. In either case the rams should be well taken care of, 
and they ean often be disposed of to good advantage to some other 
breeder. In this way, inbreeding will be avoided and the flock can 
be managed with little increased expense for rams. 
CARE OF STORE SHEEP. 
Ewe lambs that are intended for breeding purposes the following 
season should be separated from those lambs intended for the butcher 
before fattening begins. It is essential that the breeders should be 
kept in good growing condition, but it 1s unnecessary, and even 
undesirable, to have them fitted as highly as the market lamb. 
Neither should they be allowed to run with the breeding ewes during 
the winter, as their feeding requirements are somewhat different. 
If good roughage, such as alfalfa, or clover and roots, or silage, is 
