The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-12-08
MANAGEMENT OF BREFDM-
EWES.

SuoJect OF the period Of CO.,
tatioh. Any abuse to the ses-
NAL just at this time mean, "n'-
serious loss to the owner. AIRY
the numerous modes Of abpxn ny
note: We
l. Improper dieting.
2. Insufficient food.
3. Want of regular exercise
4. Too much crowding and knocl.
ing about when close to Iambinr
5. Over feeding before umhiHr
6. DIGGING or starting ewes bI
careless shepherd.
| refer to those abuses hec,nso
think that on the five course Sh;f
we are able to avoid the Occurrences
of most Of them entirely. whereas
under the four course the mattnr :,
not so simple.
To begin with, | would give if a.
my opinion that the most criti,sI
time in intra-uterine life is when thn
eve in about half gone into lamb, I
think that at that period ewes are
more liable to 60 wrong if subjected
to abuse either of food or otherwise
than at any period Of their interest.
ing condition. A eve which has
taken the ram the last week Of Sen.
TENDER is half gone about the see.
ond week in December; at that
time on the five course, the ewes
are on grass, receiving, if necessary
a few turnips laid down daily in the
field. / should, myself, prefer a it,
tie bran, oats and cake to roots but
my objection at this important time
is the crowding of ewes around cake
boxes. A greedy 1--WE will rush from
one box to another, kicking against
her neighbors, and twisting her
body about in a way not calculated
to have good effect on her after
wards. | should therefore prefer
that about a week before haIf.time
the ewes were gradually brought on
turnips getting just enough to do
them good and avoid all gorging.
When scarcity Of grass indicates
that the time has arrived for
going on turnips | would adj
wise that the ewes to be fed in
such a manner that their health and
condition be maintained and kept
regular. The demand upon the
eve increases as the tTtuS grows,
therefore the stOck-mastermustkee keel
pace with the necessities of the case.
| never used my in-lamb ewes as
cleaners up after tattening sheep,
and never will. [ believe the ewes
to be not only the most valuable
item Of the farm, but at this period
the most susceptible Of injury from
unsuitable provender. Good hay or
chaff is necessary at this time; that
every one knows.
AS Landing approaches you want
carefully to avoid too high condition
and yet guard against poverty. IT
[ think my ewes too feshy, rather
stint them than otherwise for about
a week before Landing. To any
which are undoubtedly too fat give
a dose of opening medicine, may be
three days before we expect them
to lamb; it reduces the liability TO
inflammation and straining. Alter
the eve has quite recovered from
the effects Of lambing and IS out OF
danger, [ believe the better you teed
the better results you will nave III
the lamb. One great difficulty l
had with my shepherd at first was
to keep him from over feeding th1
eve from the time she had recovered
from what [ would call the LABOR r.
No sooner had she satisfied herse'i
with her lamb than he began 10
give all manner Of good things; inns
is a great error (and my herd saw
it, Until six or seven days arc
over | do not think the danger %
past. You don't want a bursting
udder for two newly born lalllps'
much less for one; you only cau'U
uneasiness to the eve, and II you
don't hand-milk in such a case Lnt
eve may go in the wrong IN 'n"'
direction. Ewes treated on MS ~
TEN will drop the finest of the lanaD@i
big and strong and healthy: a sooJ
color, full of firm flesh, able to stal;u
exposure almost at once-you WIZ
have no little white cripples ana ho
nursing to do, o warming Il. L;ng
fire that is, comparatively sPe"hn'~a52
your ewes will get overthelr trou' not
easily, and your skin buyer VIII
find his presence required as 'n e,ur
as when he visited you in the "N
course days.