The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-02-20
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.


Care of breeding Ewes AMI Lambs.
In a paper read before the Indiana
Wool Growers's association on care and
management of breeding ewes and
lambs, James G.. Byars, Simpsonville,
Ky, made suggestions that might be re-
membered with profit by many farmers.
Mr.. Byars who favors early breeding,
so as to have the lambs drop from the
middle Of January to the first of March,
gives the following reasons for this pref
erence: First, the lambs are stronger
when dropped, mature and go through
the first winter better and make larger
sheep. They are weaned carly, thus
giving the ewes time to recupcrate be-
fore the feeding season begins and get
in good condition for winter.
1t is recommended that ewes, after be-
ing bred, should have good pasture,
and, as Landing season approaches, be
fed so as to be able to furnish good
supply of milk for their young. When
the weather is favorable Mr.. Byars pre-
fers to have the lambs in the pasture, but
If the weather be inclcment there should
be shelter, with dry litter and straw.
As soon as practicable, the lambs with
their dams ought to be removed from
the rest of the hock, and the ewes fed
generously on wheat bran, with oil-meal
mixed, to induce a generous flow of
milk, and occasionally with a change of
cornmeal, which is better to keep them
in good flesh. 1t is very important at
this period that the lamb should have
suilicicncy of milk to keep it in thrifty,
growing condition. A lamb stintcd the
first month will never recover from
It. The ewes, in addition to a liberal
supply of producing feed, should
have access to grass, early sown rye or
wheat, if possible. When the lambs are
three or four weeks old they will. with
little encouragement, begin tC eat wheat,
bran, ground oats and cornmcal, which
should be mixed with a little olmeal.
MIR. Byar's plan is to have small cnclo-
sure adj Joining The lot, with an opening,
with perpcndicular Stats wide enough
apart for the lambs to pass through. In
this is a trough of the proper height for
the feed. lie drives them in, fastens
the entrance and keeps them in from
half an hour TO one hour. They soon
learn to cat
Mr.. Byar's experience has led him to
believe that lambs do better after the
lambs are shorn. lie shears his sheep
the first week in April if the weather is
favorable; If not, as soon after as the
condition OF the weather will permit
II 1t be wet end cold after shcaring he
gives them shelter until accustomed to
the change. When ticks become trou-
blesome the ewes and lambs are dipped
either in dccoCtion OF tobacco or some
of the dips manufactured for the cure of
scab. Sulphur mixed with their feed
will generally keep off the ticks.
The lambs should be weancd at four
or five months old, or by the first Of Judy.
They require good pasture grass. not too
long, and there should be no hi n weeds.
as by running through them after rains
and heavy dcws their hccccs will be wet
most Of the time. They should have an
old sheep with them in the pasture and
be fed every day. Mr.. Byars has found
wheat bran, ground oats and cracked
corn the best iced.
In concluding Mr.. Byars says: eff the
lambs are treated in this way, they will
grow and be healthy. They will not be
liable to lamb disease, or lamb cholera,
as 1t is sometimes called, from which a
great many die. BY this plan a breeder
will have Il lot of lambs Of which he will
not be ashamed, and which he will take
pleasure in showing his friends, beside,
it will put money in his pocket" Mr..
Byar's experience in breeding has been
confined to Kentucky, about the 3Sth
degree north latitude. The time of
breeding, dropping lambs and shcaring
may not apply with equal force to more
northern or southern latitude.