The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-08-02
Raising Lambs on Cows Milk.

halsing Lambs on COWS Milk.
The question of raising lambs on
cows milk has been discussed to some
length in the National Stockman. Writ
ins in that paper j. M. Jamison says:
The first point necessary to make ii
a success is to have plenty of milk, and
IL Is best for the lamb grower to make
calculations ahead. We now have over
80 head of lambs, the oldest about two
weeks old. Have lost several, but still
have more than q lamb to the eve.
Have not had so much cows milk as
we would have liked, but have saved
quite number of lambs by it's use.
We bought half gallon coal oil can,
changed the spout from the top to near
the bottom on one side, made end of
spout so the rag wrapped around it I'M
der the nipple would not slip off when
tied. Buy the best rubber nipple to be
( had. Cut small hole large enough for
the milk to flow freely from the can.
The COW from which the milk is
| taken should be as near fresh as posi-
| Bile. She should at any rate be in full
| flow of milk. Do not like to use the
milk from stripper. When the wealth
! er is very cold we pour boiling water
In the can before starting to the barn,
empty water out of can and milk into
the can. This plan gives the milk to
the lamb in the best possible shape,
unless the lamb is taught to suck the
! COW. 1t Is not very good plan to milk
the COW at all hours in the day and
! night, but when the can is filled from
vessels at the house there is trouble
with the cream in the nipple.
AT the start the lambs should be fed
every two hours, and this would doubt
less be better for the lamb as a contin-
ued practice, but it is too much trouble.
We gradually widen the time between
feeding to four or three times day and
once or twice each night.
1t is not worth while to try to raise
lamb on skimmilk. We feed the milk
whole as taken from the COW; do not
dilute or add anything to it. The
lambs should have bran and other
ground feed as soon as they will eat.
We feed them milk till they go out to
grass and few days after. The sue
cess of this hand raising depends en-
tirely on the care and liberality with
which they are fed. With limited
amount of milk and feed the lambs
will be limited in their make up.
This spring we have used the cows
milk so far principally as a starter and
help for weak ones. Sometimes the
ewes milk is scant for day or two,
and with the help of the cows milk
the lamb starts off stronger. When nee
essary to raise a lamb on cows milk
never take it to the house. Leave it
with the flock. About the house it will
soon become a nuisance. We have
taught them to drink milk from YES
sci the same as calf and this is less
trouble where many are to be fed. But
If the COW is MIXED into the vessel and
there is froth on the milk they will not
drink it.
On the same subject j. S. Woodward
says:
The main difficulty in raising lambs
OH cows milk is that not enough care
is taken to get as fresh COW as posi-
BILE, and then the lamb is fed too much
at time, and not often enough while
very young.
The milk of the eve is richer in SOL
ids than that of the COW, and to sue
cessfully raise lambs on cows milk
the milk should be freshly drawn from
the cow each time the lamb is to be
fed for two or three weeks at least and
the cow should be just fresh, and if
teaspoonful of granulated sugar be add
ed to each pint the lamb will take it
better and do better on it. The milk
should be warmed up to 100 degrees
and not more than one gill should be
fed at one time
An old fashioned lamp filler, a can
with long spout, is good thing to
use for feeding them. A rubber nipple
Or a rubber finger cot with small hole
punched in the end drawn over end of
spout and tied on makes good teat for
them to suck. If such thing is not
at hand little cloth may be rolled I'D
and have a strong piece of cloth tied
over it and over can spout, which will
answer quite as well.
To do well the lamb should be fed at
least eight times day for the first two
weeks, and always on fresh milk. Aft
er this it may be gradually dropped
down to five or six times. When three
or four weeks old may have the milk
for it drawn three times a day, but for
a couple of months the milk should al
ways be warmed UP to 100 degrees every
time the lamb is fed.
Dogs at Work-One of United States
consuls in Belgium in his report COM
ments upon the fact that in that coun-
try no dog is allowed to be idle, being
as regularly used for beasts of draught
as horses are here. 1t is estimated in
Belgium that ten dogs will accomplish
as much work as one horse, and they
are even more powerful than the horse
in proportion to their weight, as they
compute the load for the average horse
at four times his weight, and for the
single dog or pair Of dogs at six times
his or their weight. 1t is estimated
that the dogs in the United States ought
to earn for the country at least $780,
900, 900 annually, and to do so would be
greatly to their advantage, as their
viciousness would disappear, and the
danger from rabies be greatly lessened.
Elk.
Weight of Young Pigs "A pig at its
birth should weigh about three pounds.
At the end of the first month the weight