Litchfield enquirer., 1833-03-28
REARING OF SHEEP AND LAMBS.

Sri have had the pleasure of seeing
several numbers ofthe New Y ork Farm
er and Horticultural Repository" and
am much pleased with the design and ex-
| ecution; am likewise gratfied with see
ing the recent establishment of the New
York State Agricultural Society it can
not fail Of being extensively useful, asyonr
| Objects not only to stimulate the farmers
to use the best means to improve their
land and obtain the best stock, but to give
the public the benefit of their experience
and success.
A writer in the March number, speak
ing of the rearing of sheep and lambs, re-
quests every Farmer who has has had good
success to trace the cause and make it
known to the public. 1t has been part
Of my business for the last twenty-five
years to raise sheep, particularly the Me-
rino and Saxony breed.
| AS my success has been far beyond my
expectation, am induced to think myself
fortunate in hitting upon the cause.
My practice during the summer months
is to give my flocks suficiency ofpasture
to keep them in good heart, but not to have
them become fat. To do this, find it
best to change theme once in twelve or fif-
teen days, keeping the feed short but fresh,
J and frequently salt them. In the month
Of October lessen the focks, so as not to
have more than fifty or sixty together; put
them into pastures reserved for the pur-
pose, where the feed is rather better than
where they have been kept. BY this means
they will soon begin to gain, so by the be-
ginning of winter they will be in a thriving
condition; then by plenty of good hay and
water, continuing the sailing when the
weather is moderate, have been able TO
keep them in good condition. Two or
three weeks before the yeaning time, they
ought to have plenty of rowen hay If this
cannot be had let them have the best En-
glish or clover hay, and be fed with turnips
and potatoes three or four times a week..
and they will usually have plenty Of milk,
which consider the great secret of rais-
ing lambs. Agriculturalists know that ewes
90 with young about one hundred aud fifty
days. When the time comes for them to
y yean, they require the strictest attention.
d They must be kept. in warm places, well
Uttered, and the lambs assisted to suck as
soon as they can stand any further assis-
ftance is rarely necessary, provided the
| CNCS OWA NuOit i0hiOSS Out tHIS Is UOt al.
> ways the case. Some ewes will leave their
lambs and take no further notice of them !;
if so, they must be put together in small
pens, the ewes tied, and the lambs assisted
often to suck; in few days ewes will be
fond Of them, when they may be united,
and there is no further trouble. I think il
important to have sheds, open on one side,
that the sheep may go under during storms
OF very cold weather. Always keep the
yards well Uttered, and in this way they
make lmge quantities of manure.
/ do not think it best for them to ramble
much after the winter sets in, and it be-.
comes necessary to feed them, for it seems
to take away their relish for hay, and they
: will most surely lose flesh. I have thus
given an outline Of my plan, i will now
state the result of my successes. have
repeatedly raised one hundred lambs with
out losing one and one year raised one
,, hundred and sixty, and no eve which had
lamb failed rearing 1t.
In few cases ewes lost their lambs. and
: twin lambs were substituted 10 their places.
The eve was made to receive the lamb by
rubbing the dead lamb all over il, and %
ing The eve in small pen, often assisting
the lamb TO suck, and a few days will be
sufficient to make her receive it as her own
If you think these remarkssworthy place
in your paper. they are at your disposal.
Yours, &c.
TN Y. Farmer. S. LYMAN.