The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-09-24
Fat,ening Lambs.


rortant not only TO secure the desi.
red end, but to do SO as soon as pos.
sible, for loss Of time in this case is
fully equivalent to a loss Of cash. 1t
is not enough that the lambs should
gain slowly, or even moderately
they often do this without much spe-
cial effort on the part of their own
ners-but they ought to gain very
rapidly. This is especially true of
those which we're dropped late in the
season ard are smaller than the 9TH
crs.. limo pains are taken to hasten
the growth and development Of these
lambs they will have to be kept very
late in the season, and must be sold,
fiat all, at a low price. | have
known farmer to sell the largest
and best Of his lambs, which were
ready early in summer for ten cents
per pound, and the smaller ones he
was obliged to keepand sell them for
six cents per pound. He not only
had to keep and feed the small lambs
much longer than the larger ones, but
also had to sell them for but little
more than one-half as lie received for
the larger ones. The difference in
age is not the only, and in many
focks, it is not the principal cause
for the difference in the size Of lambs.
Between lambs Of the same age there
is frequently a great inequality
This is often due to the fact that one
lamb has much larger quantity of
milk than its mate, and sometimes
is caused BY the eating of hay by one
lamb and neglect of it by the other.
It is also true that some lambs are
naturally more vigorous than others,
and, consequently, grow much faster.
Whatever the cause or causes Of the
inequality which exists among the
lambs, an effort should be made by
the owner to bring the smaller and
poorer ones up to high standard Of
excellence and to secure for the bet.
ter ones an equally rapid growth and
perfect development. II is not best
that the difference should be obliter.
Grated, but that the poorer ones be
made SO good that they will readily
sell, early in the season, for the high
est market price, and the same treat
ment which thus improves the poor
er ones will make the best ones cx-
tremely fine. How shall the desired
end be reached2 The answer is, by
good care and proper feeding. By
these means the poor ones can be
made good, and good ones be made
still better, but this requires the use
of a liberal quantity and an excel
lent quality of food, 1t will not do
tomerely keep the lambs in dry
place and furnishthe dams with all
the fine hay they will eat. This is
excellent treatment as fur as it goes,
but is wholly inadequate. Either
the ewes must be literally fed with
fine hay, meal and roots, in order to
induce a large secretion Of milk, rand
the lambs also be fed with nice Rou-
en- hay, or, what will be more effect,
i've, the lambs must be fed with meal
or oats. The very best way combines
these two methods. The fine hay
and the roots, with moderate guam.
tity of meal, will benefit the ewes as
well as their lambs. Care should be
taken not to feed too large.a quantity
of meal, as this would tend to fatten
the sheep rather than increase the
quantity of milk, but the safest and
surest means are those which deal
directly with the lambs. When
quite small, lambs will begin to eat
fine hay. This should be fed to the
sheep, and the lambs allowed to take
what they want, and in a short time
they may be made to eat meal. The
best way to do this is TO fix a pen in.
to which the sheep cannot go, but
which the lambs can enter or leave
at any time. In this pen small
tropghs should be placed andin them
q little meal should be constantly
kept, and in a. little while the lambs
will become fond of the meal and
will eat all they can get. Only a
little must be given at first, and the
quantity should be gradually increa.
scd as the lambs grow larger and old.
er. Indian meal is good, but oil
'meal.is a great deal better. If.neith.