The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-12-02
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
SPRING CARE OF YOUNG LAMBS.

At the present season ewes should be
brought into fair condition, both to give
them strength to bring forth their young,
and to stimulate good flow of milk
Care ut the same time should be taken not
to make them fat, as this is alike extrava-
CANT management, and likely to produce
intiamatory symptoms after parturition.
If for any reason it is desirable to have
lambs dropped the last of February or the
first of March, | know of no kind of grain
which, with hay alone, will MAINTAIN an
adequate flow Of milk until sheep can be
turned to pasture. The man who would
raise winter lambs successfully must have
in store liberal supply of roots,-beets
and turnirs are best,-and should feed
them two or three weeks at least before
the sheep begin to drop their lambs. In
connection with roots, feed literally with
early cut lay, and equal proportions of
corn meal and oats as long as the sheep are
ut the barn, and the flow of milk can be
sustained. Without this liberal feed he
will have in May poor sheep, and poorer
lamb. The prevailing practice in this sec
ton is to have lambs dropped from the first
to tenth or fifteenth of April, and from
this time till the feed has started in the
pastures, sheep can be sustained with much
less cost and labor. For this length of
time roots can be dispensed with. But as
grain feed barley meal and oats in equal
proportions. though some might wish to
add sprinkling of corn, would leave little
TO be desired in the way Of grain. The
earliest cut hay of the year should be care
fully saved for this season. This feed with
intelligent care and oversight, will send
both eve and lamb to the pasture in thrifty
condition.
The man who takes poor care of his
sheep. or lets them take care of themselves,
gets little wool, small inferior lambs, and
poor mutton; he loses large per cent, of
his ewes every winter and spring and always
has to force his sales and to take the lowest
price, and often cannot sell for any price;
has no profit at the end of the year; has a
miserable flock of sheep; gets disguised
with them and finally sells them at loss,
to some one that is sure to get a poor bar
gan, as the flock is all run out, constitution
gone, no strength left to raise lambs and
are really not worth anything.
When the ewes are in good health and
condition, they will have an abundant sup
ply of milk from the beginning if we'll fed
on good hay and roots with access to water,
supply of milk, may be separated from the
rest Of the flock and put by themselves
where they can be fed more literally, and
get an extra allowance of oilcake or oat-
meal and bran mixed with water. Great
care must be taken not to let the lambs
out from under cover on raw damp days,
or when rain is falling; they are very apt
to get chilled and then die unexpectedly.
If the sheep must get out for early exercise
and a mouthful of grass, it is better to
keep the lambs at home in the sheds until
the weather gets quite comfortable and the
soil warm, as they are easily chilled, even
by lying on the cold damp ground in the
fields. Chilled lambs may be restored, if
taken up in time, by being Immediately
placed in bath of water made as hot as
the hand will bear. AS soon as it revives
and gets lively, it should be rubbed thor
oughy dry. If it will then suck the dam.
the risk is over, but should it appear weak.
a small dose of spirits-say teaspoonful
of whisky mixed with some warm milk
should be given, by pouring down its throat
Then wrap the lamb in an old blanket, and
keep it in 4 room comfortably warm, till it
RECEIVERS. Lambs can be restored by these
means when so far gone that they appear
almost quite dead. If the lambs are to be
doShS't, liiS opSldelo 10 DcSG
when they are quite young, say two or three
weeks old. A great deal more care might
be used in this operation than is commonly
done, fer the neat appearance of the flock
often depends upon the way their tails are
cut. To do this properly requires two per-
sons, and careful handling. The lamb is to
be held in a standing position, the skin Of
the tail being drawn somewhat forward
towards the back. so that when the cut is
made the loose skin falling back will cover
the wound. Each lamb is to have its tail
left of exactly the same length, and to
make neat job, the cutting is to be done
from the tail, in a slanting direction out
wards towards the end. A very sharp knife
must he used, so that a clean surface cut is
ensured. Three to four inches is the length
of tail usually left. Castrating the ram
lambs should not he performed till some
days after docking, and not until the weather
is warm enough to prevent danger of swell
ing from the cold, yet before flies become
troublesome. When this operation is
performed, little turpentine should be
applied to the cut part, and the lambs kept
confined where they can have a bed of dry
clean straw day and night, till they are
healed up, which is usually in a very few
days. If, from neglect, lambs are not
locked or castrated till the weather is very
warm, the flies are apt to be very trouble
SOme-iG merriam Stack ,J0ur11I