Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-12-13
DORSET LAMBS.
.,are and Sale of Them In the Winter
Season.

The grain fed lambs which are sold
during tho winter months are not really
lambs at all. properly speaking, In
these days of early maturity they are
mutton. Therefore the consumer has to
be taught what properly fed lamb is,
and you then will hear no more about
there being ''no demand for lamb in
this town." etc. Though do not be-
ieve that it is possible with our differ
ent climatic conditions to bring these
winter lambs to that pitch of excellence
attained by the English farmers, I do
think that we can go some way toward
it, and that the result will be attended
with far more profit with our cheaper
feed. In the first place, would have the
ewes lamb earlier, October, say, so that
they may get. a good start before winter
sets in. The best thing would be an un-
stocked blue grass pasture but failing
that rye will make very good substi-
tute if sown at the end of August or
the beginning of September and furnish
the ewes with abundance of feed. A
piece of turnips will also be found very
useful. They may be sown broadcast
and the sheep allowed to feed them off
on the ground before hard freezing COM
mences.
As long as the ground is not covered
with snow the ewes and lambs may be
allowed to run on the pasture by day
with advantage to both, but consider
1t advisable to give them shelter at
night with rack of good hay and a
feed Of grain night and morning, and
liberal one. A nursing eve can scarcely
be fed too heavy if the right kind Of
grain is used. They should also, of
course, have access to water at all times.
As soon as the lambs begin to eat, which
will be when they are about 2 weeks
old, portion of the shed should be
fenced off, with creep left them to go
through at will, and troughs should be
placed there containing oats, bran, corn
meal or oilmeal. They will very soon
find them, and it will not be long be-
fore they will clear up quite con-
siderable quantity. A good arrange
ment for feeding meal is a self feeder,
V shaped, with trough under it, as
this prevents the lambs from getting
into the trough with their feet. / should
not confine them in a shed, but let them
have the run Of the yard at all times,
and whenever the weather is fine enough
let them out during the day to forage for
themselves. Even if they do not get
much the exercise will be good for
them.
The time for selling will depend on
circumstances-any time from Christ
mas until Easter-but, generally speak
ing, I should think March, by which
time the lambs will be fat and of a
good weight. If they do well, they will
lambs that are almost year old, and l
would suggest that in dressing them fer
market the heads should be left ON as
a distinguishing mark; also they should
not be castrated before they are 2 or 8
months old if it is intended to keep
them longer, in order that he horns may
be we'll developed. When the trade has
become established, am of opinion that
it would be advisable to raise cross bred
in preference to pure bred lambs. They
do better and make quicker gain, and
the Southdown is the best ram to use
for this purpose on Dorset ewes.
It has been suggested that the grade
Dorset eve has the same early lambing
propensity as the pure bred, but this /
am not able to corroborate. If this be
not the case, the only means Of obtain
ing ewes would be by importation, as
the number already in this country at
the present time is very limited. But by
all means I say do not attempt to raise
two crops Of lambs in the year. Of
course there is no question that if a
ram is left with them number of ewes
will get with lamb while they are suck
ling, but the result will be most unsat-
isfactory. Lambs will be coming at
all seasons, probably just when you do
not want them, and no kind Of method
will be possible. In breeding flock
such system would be ruinous. On
the other hand, if you wean your lambs
in April and then turn your ram in, you
may depend with certainty on all the
ewes getting in lamb in proper season,
or if you do not wish them SO early you
can postpone it month or six weeks.
There will then be plenty of feed,
and the ewes will gain rapidly, and by
far the greater part Of them will have
twins-H. G. Codd.
Live Stock Points.
Never buy horse feed mixed by
dealers. There is too much of oat bulls
in 1t. Get the materials and mix the
feed yourself. Dat bulls as an article
of nourishment are worthless
At the New York horse show the
hackney was above all the most fashion
able and popular. The main reason
seems to be because he holds his head
high and lifts his knees high. Likewise
when you hit him upon the rump he
stretches himself out fore and aft like a
jumping kangaroo. But he is all the
fashion, and there is money in him.
The hideous fashion of docking horses
tails increases The poor stump left is
as painful, unsightly and pathetic as
the stump of mans mutilated wrist
after his hand has been cut off.
Here is the New Jersey experiment
station ration for work horses: Twelve
pounds timothy hay, 6 pounds ground
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