Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-01-03
Unhealthy Lambs.

The subject of " swelled neck " in lambs
has recently been under discussion in the
columns of the New England Farmer, mostly
by Vermont writers. Jacob Ide. of Caledonia
county, complains that though once he had no
trouble is raising nearly every lamb from his
flock of thoroughbred merino ewes, he now
loses fifty per cent. from "swelled neck"
Albro L. Perkins, of Pomfret writes that he
has had similar experience in years past,
and came to the conclusion that his sheep
did not have sufficient fresh air and out
door exercise during the winter. lie acted
on this idea with entire success. He says
In We. RS past have suffered with my
flock of merinos in just the way described
by Mr.. Ide, but have since found what
seems to be complete remedy. My theory
is that, the sheep being an animal naturally
leading an active life, breeding ewes are in
jured by too close confinement during our
Northern winters, and that our most care
fully tended hocks produce weak and dis
eased lambs simply because they have suf-
fered for want of air and exercise. A mo-
ment's reflection will convince any one that
this is possible, and my experience and
observation have been such that there is, in
my mind, not particle of doubt that such
is the case in fact.
THE facilitating effects on sheep by close
confinement are surprising to any one who
never gave the matter close attention. One
of my neighbors once kept a flock of twenty
in pen about twelve by sixteen feet, where,
having water within reach, they had nothing
to do but eat and drink and lie down; and
the result was that, in the spring. they were
not much more than able to stand alone, and
would actually fall to the ground from weak
ness, if driven a dozen rods. OF course no
animal of whatever kind, could be expected
to produce healthy young while in that con-
dition-but that condition, or something ap-
preaching it, is just what we who aim to
give the best Of care to our hocks are in
great danger of bringing about. Doubtless,
starving and freezing the animals would af-
feet them in similar way, but that is not
what we are talking about. The difficulty
is to give the sheep exercise enough during
our New England winters, for I by no means
approve of having the water at distance
from the barn. One way of managing is to
make a course for them to run out from the
barn half a mile and back another way,
through openings in fences, ETC., going out
Of the barn at one door and in at another,
giving them a feed of roots or taste OF
grain when they get back. They will soon
learn to run around the course without be
ing driven, scampering away as soon as let
out. Another way is to compel them to
make circuit around the barns, ETC., every
time they are foddered, to get at their hay
| would, in some such way, compel breeding
ewes to run at least mile every day through
the winter, in fair weather, giving then
good warm shelter, but not close confine
ment, either as to air or space, during nights
and on all stormy and very cold days.
81 feed plenty of early cut hay, but NJ
grain, giving feed of roots once or twice {
week, for health, and also giving salt mixet
with one-half its bulk of ashes once week
Commencing little before the lambs arr
dropped, oats and shorts mixed may be fec
lightly, and continued until the lambs arr
two weeks old or so, when grain may b'
given FREELY"