RAISING EARLY LAMBS. 
WM. AND H. G. GREENE, OIney. 
We raised some early lambs in 1898 that were dropped 
from the latter part of January to the early part of March. 
Our experience is that owing to the extra care and feed 
necessary, these early lambs are not so profitable as the 
later lambs. 
W. A. COLT, Manzanola. 
We have been quite successful both in raising early 
lambs and feeding sheep on alfalfa. We breed the ewes to 
lamb in February and usually feed the ewe well and get her 
at least half fattened by lambing time. After lambing we 
feed the ewe all the grain she can eat and provide corn chop 
for the lambs. We usually have a “lamb creep” into an ad- 
joining lot where the lamb can find corn chop and bran at 
any time. 
As soon as the alfalfa starts we turn both ewe and lamb 
out during the day and provide grain and hay in the lots at 
night. The main point is not to compel the ewe to live en- 
tirely on the green alfalfa. There is some loss from bloat 
with the best of management, usually two to three per cent. 
We often market the ewe and lamb in the same car, 
usually when the lamb is about three months old. Some, 
however, market the lamb and keep the ewe a few weeks 
and then send her in. All this class of sheep business is 
done with the old ewes. The ewe and lamb sometimes 
bring as low as five dollars, while some of our best farmers 
have received as high as seven dollars. 
W. H. NEY, Fowler. 
During the months of January and February, 1898, we 
lambed 350 Shropshire ewes. These were all young ewes 
and of course harder to handle during lambing than older 
ewes. We saved over 100 per cent, of large strong lambs. 
The work was easier than it would have been to lamb in 
summer time on open range or pasture; the cost no more; 
a larger per cent, of lambs saved; better lambs and no loss 
in the ewes. The result has been entirely satisfactory to us 
and I can see no reason why anyone, properly prepared for 
it, cannot do equally well. 
We ha\'e comfortable sheep barns with ample room for 
all breeding stock. We feed liberally on alfalfa with 
mixed grain ration of wheat and oats in sufficient quantities 
to keep the ewes in good condition. The lambs get grain 
with their mothers and appreciate it. 
We have raised California Merinos and Shropshires. 
