82 BULLETIN 20, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
are most favorable. The largest and most economical gains are 
made during the first few months of a lamb’s life. 
It is generally profitable to fed a small quantity of grain before 
weaning to all classes of lambs. -They grow faster, attain a larger 
size, become more robust, escaping the ills that beset the slow- 
growing er stunted lamb. Where grain has been fed from the first 
the ientanls are not so heavy upon the ewe, and the lambs do not 
feel the effects of weaning as much as they otherwise would. 
The average amount te grain per lamb per day should vary from 
one-fourth to one-half pound. - The ration should ‘be very light at 
first and should be gradually increased. Ordinarily, more ‘than one- 
half pound per day will not increase the gains, but will lessen the 
amounts of pasture consumed by the lambs. Two parts bran, two 
parts oats, and one part cracked corn makes an excellent grain 
ration for growing lambs. Roots and alfalfa can also be fed to young 
lambs to advantage. 
LAMB CREEPS. 
The lambs should not eat with the ewes, but should have their 
grain separate. A lamb creep is necessary for this, and with it there 
is the advantage that the lambs can eat whenever they care to. A 
lamb creep is simply an inclosure, containing feed troughs, with 
openings large enough to permit only the lambs to enter. - Rollers 
on the sides of the openings are much superior to slats, as they allow 
the lambs to enter through smaller openings, and with less danger of 
scraping their sides. A good type of lamb creep is shown in Plate 
IV, figure 1. 
WEANING. 
Weaning should take place when the lambs are 3 to 5 months old, 
depending upon the time they are dropped. After separating the 
lambs, they should be turned inte a field at a considerable distance 
from the ewes, where there is good pasture. Where the lambs have 
been encouraged to eat previously, separating is merely the last step 
of weaning, and the lambs scarcely notice the change. 
CARE AFTER WEANING. 
After weaning, the lambs should continue having such feed and 
care as will continue their growth. A stunted lamb never makes up 
its lost growth, no matter how favorable circumstances may be 
afterwards. It generally pays to feed a‘ little grain all through the 
summer. If they are to be fattened later the grain-fed lamb makes 
more rapid and economic gains than the one that has received no 
grain until the fattening period. There is little danger of getting 
lambs that are intended for breeding purposes too fat, unless an excess 
of fattening feeds are fed. The extra food they consume is used for 
