Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-04-08
Care of Sheep and Lambs

High prices for wool and mutton are not al
that is required in order to make sheep rails
ing profitable other circumstance 90 as far
in making up the profit these. Especial
care is required, particularly at the lambing
season a little negligence now will take very
much from the profits. The ewes, previous
to lambing, sohuld be judiciously fed, neither
stinted nor pampred, as were such is the case
the labors of the 1ockmaster will be compare
lively light The young will come into the
world, vigorous and active, requiring little or
no care, except such as is afforded by the eve.
Attention should always be given to some
few points which experience will teach but
some who lack that experience WILL perhaps,
be benefited by the following practical sug-
gestions.
The flock should at all times be encouraged
to tractability, and especially at this season.
Gentleness and kindness, together with the
bride of few handfuls of oats or corn, scat
tered among them when visiting their yard,
will make their master wecome, and motto
ing any which may be near you kindly, also
promotes good feeling by little attention in
small matters, you will teach flock to follow
you to any desired place. Ewes with young
are often injured by their efforts to escape
when being driven to any enclosure. and
especially is this when the flock has not
been gently cared for and handled previously
ing of wool, suffer less from the cold than
other stock, provided it is not stormy
They require a more free circulation of air
than other stock, and for this reason should
in clear and pleasant weather, be allowed the
range of large yard or field during the day
Here, if the weather be mild, they will drop
their lambs with greater certainty of their
doing well, than when confined in pens.
The field for their range at this time should
be dry and free from bitches and sunken
places, where the sheep may be liable to get
cast Cold nights and rainy weather they
should be sheltered, few hours exposure
to cold and storms may destroy many young
lambs. Their sheds should be roomy and
well ventilated and no more than twenty
or thirty head should be together in en-
closures as moving about is apt to injure the
lambs. or the dam may be crowded away, and
the lamb be unable to sucklc.
Keep pens clean, and without too much
litter to entangle the lambs. Remove any
tags, or any other filth from the udder. An
early and good supply of food from the dam
is essential for nourishment, and the medicin-
al effect it has upon the young lamb. 1t is
not best to interfere with the process of
paturition generally, as nature Will usually
afford relief; but sometimes, in case of ex-
IRENE exhaustion, very gentley assistance in
conjunction with the efforts of the animal,
will be found to be necessary-it should be
of the gentle kind. If the dam refuse to own
her lamb, hold her for the lamb to suckle,
and confinc them in a small separate pen
one or two trials will usually be all that
is necessary, before the dam will acknowledge
her parentage. In case a good eve loses her
lamb. she should be supplied with one
from a twin pair. If no lamb be given her
the milk should be drawn few times to pre-
vent inflammation. Abundant nOurishment
should be provided for the lambs, by giving
the ewes good pasture if this be short,
make it up by a daily feed Of grain.-W.
H. WHITE, IN Rural american.