THE MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP ON THE FARM. SIL 
DOCKING. 
There are a number of good reasons for docking a lamb, any one of 
which would warrant the operation. Practically the only use of the 
tail to the sheep is to protect the rearmost parts from flies. Docking 
is a cleanly practice; undocked sheep become very filthy and are likely 
to become infested with maggots. They bring a lower price upon the _ 
market because of the dirt and manure they carry and because of 
their uneven appearance. Docked lambs appear more blockly, and 
ewes that are docked are served by the ram more readily than un- 
docked ones. The operation should be performed when the lambs 
are from 1 to 2 weeks old. Only winter or “hothouse” lambs, or 
those sold early, should not be docked. 
Methods.—Hot pincers, pruning shears (see fig. 6), a sharp knife, 
and a chisel and block are ail used in docking. Pincers (see PI. ITI, 
fig. 2) are made especially for this purpose and are heated to redness 
before being used. On the ranges, where there are several men to 
catch and hold the lambs, from 15 to 35 tails can be docked with one 
heating. Reasonable care should be exercised in using these instru- 
ments. The principal advantages in their use are that the work is 
quickly and neatly done and that there is no loss of blood. Once 
this system is adopted no other is likely to be practiced. 
Pruning shears are quite frequently used in docking and are 
satisfactory, especially when the lambs are docked young, before the 
wool has attained much growth upon the tail. The knife is the most 
common docking instrument upon the farm. The main objection 
to its use is that it may cause excessive bleeding. The chisel and 
block are used to a limited extent. 
GRAIN BEFORE WEANING. 
Usually lambs will begin to nibble grain along with their mothers 
when from 10 days to 2 weeks old. The amount of grain and the kinds 
that should be fed before weaning will depend upon the purpose for 
which they are imtended. Hothouse lambs should be forced as 
rapidly as possible, hence should be given all the grain they will 
consume. Such feeds as corn meal, cracked corn, oats, bran, middlings, 
and oil meal are most commonly fed to this class of lambs. Corn 
should comprise a large part of the ration. 
Spring lambs for slaughtermg purposes should usually be fed 
heavier than those intended for the breeding flock. The Wisconsin 
station found that lambs fed grain from birth attained a given weight 
from four to seven weeks earlier than those receiving no grain before 
weaning, and required no more grain for the same amount of increase. 
Higher prices are usually obtained for lambs early in the season, and 
where the lambs have been fed grain from birth they are usually in 
higher condition and can be sold at any time when market conditions 
