The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-07-01
WAKING READY FOB EARLY LAMBS.
Proper Treatment of Ewes to Insure
Strong Lambs.

Proper Treatment OF Ewes to Insure
Strong Lambs.
Prior to this time the ewes should
have been provided with dry airy sheds,
with abundance of exercise, and with a
variety of plain coarse foods, inter
spersed with a minimum of grain. Hav.
Ing had such treatment as this they are
now in strong, lusty condition and on
thu eve of IL successful laznbirg season.
AS this time approaches there should be
! provided liz a separate building or in one
End of the sheep shed Il warm, comfort
Lble room divided into several little pens
four feet square or larger, in each one of
which there should be room for one eve
and her lamb or lambs.
In this apartment the early la1nbing
ewes should be placed few days before
they lamb, that they may have quiet
surroundings and warm reception room
for the little newcomers. Such quarters
as these can be very cheaply and easily
made in any common barn or cattle shed
by simply firing out on the inside of
the studding with any kind of old boards
and filling the space thus made with
chaff or sawdust. A few poles may be
stretched across overhead with some
straw or cornstalks thrown upon them
to aid in keeping the apartment warm.
Care should be taken to see that on the
southern or eastern side of the shed two
or three good sized window sashes be
| placed in order to let in plenty of warm
! sunlight
This suggestion is for the benefit Of
those who may not be able or do not
! care to go to the expense of furnishing
an expensive building with artificial
heat for the lam mbing rooms. In fact the
above described is about the only sort
| that is in use at present at Woodside,
and it is found sufficiently warm and
comfortable for any lambs that are
dropped naturally strong. AT times it
may be found necessary to take some
weakly lamb into the kitchen and warm
it by the stove and stimulate it with
little toddy before placing it again with
its dam.
In these quarters the lambs should be
allowed to remain until they are past a
week old and have accumulated consid-
erable flesh and strength. They can
then be removed to another portion OF
the shed not quite so securely inclosed
and where they will receive more exer
else. 1t is Il very bad plan to keep these
young lambs confined too closely on the
start; they will take too much food in
proportion to the amount of exercise,
and it will develop the same unhealthy
tendencies that are so noticeable among
young pigs when too closely confined to
the pens early in the spring.
a very convenient and effective way
for inducing young lambs to take exer-
else when closely confined to the barns
By inclemeut weather is to stick up two
or three planks or boards. one end Of the
plank resting on the ground and the
other on the top of the hayrack or any
convenient point of support so that the
lambs can take run up and down the
planks. 1t will only be necessary to
place the planlIs; the lambs will under
stand what they are for inside of twenty
minutes. and from that time forward
will spend a good share Of their spare
time in capering back and forth upon
these planks. thus aifording them a nice
pastime and the fresh. vigorous exercise
which they so much need.
1t is a wise precaUtion to take each
eve before she lambs and trim from
around her udder all the loose locks of
wool which may be found clustered
there. The young lamb is very apt in
his gFeediness to catch the teat to get
hold of one of these sweat locks and
slck it and swallow it before he discov-
ers his mistake. The wool after enter
ing the stomach becomes soaked and ex-
pands like IA sponge and frequently be-
comes imbedded in the passage out from
the stomach in such way as to prevent
any food from passing from the stomach
into the bowels unless it be in very
soft and juicy form. No amount of
drenching will remove the obstruction.
for the more fuid you put into tho
stomach the more this lock of wool ex-
pands and the tighter it fills the passage
in front of it,
There are many lambs lost every
spring by neglecting this simple precau-
ton of trimming the ewes udders. The
wool should not be all shorn off the I'D
ders, for they are then likely to take
cold in them. The loose long locks
should be clipped off smoothly and
nothing more. SO as to leave the teat
thoroughly exposed. In case eve
should chill after lambing warm ginger
tea will be found very effective.
Where the feeding Of the flock has
been carefully attended to garget and
milk fever rarely occurs. breeders
Gazette.