The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-01-25
Feeding Young Lambs.

to feed the lambs as well, says CORE
spondent of American Sheep Breeder.
The ewes must not be overfed. for
there is no other animal that will suf-
fer more easily than sheep from ex-
cessive feeding So it is desirable to
have some ways provided that the
lambs may get their food while the
ewes cannot reach it. This is done by
the provision of what are known as
lamb creeps, pens of any simple con-
StructiOn, with entrances through
which the lambs can pass, but too
small for the ewes Several of these
should be made about large pasture
and one or more in small one. To
prevent the wool of the lambs from
being torn, or the lambs getting fast
IN the narrow entrances, the sides OF
those are fitted with upright rollers
set on some kind of simple springs, so
that as the lambs press to get into the
enclosure they push back the rollers
and get in and out with ease. This de-
vice, and the feeding made possible by
it, will largely increase the growth OF
the lambs.
weather of the past few weeks has
been disastrous to young lambs. The
cold heavy rains and chilling winds
have killed thousands of new born
lambs even in the Sunny South"
new born lamb needs little warmth,
or at least dry coat for a day or two,
to get strength to withstand the flu
ture storms. Proverbs are notably
misleading, and the shepherd finds
that, to the effect that the winds are
tempered to the shorn lambs, is not to
be depended upon. Shelter should be
provided, and the shepherd should
take care that as the lambs are drop
ping they and the dams should be led
or driven to the sheltering shed, which
needs only the simplest protection
against winds mostly, but also against
the cold rains. The dry cold wind IS
not nearly so injurious to the weak
lamb as the cold rain. This evapora-
ton from the skin produces excessive
cold, which is fatal to the weaklings.
In choosing breed it must be con-
sidered that the mutton will be the
main source of profit for the future,
the fleeces being the second considera-
ton. Consider an example small
flock we'll managed may bring even as
much as one dollar a head for the
wool. But with equally good manage
ment the lambs may bring in when
or months old S. or Sc head. And
it may easily be that these lambs may
be one and a half or even twice as
many as the ewes. The lambs may
cost for feeding the nine months 81 or
So a head. The balance goes to snow
the greater profit of the meat. we
must think of this and at the same
time also think, not so much or the
special market lamb reared IN a not
house at great cost, but those that
come in the early spring costing moth
ing for care or feeding over the pas
ture. Let the wool pay the cost OF
keeping the eve and there is proht
of 100 per cent from the mutton alone!
The prevalent disease of young
lambs during the first three months OF
life is diarrhea with cramps ana
spasms, by which the weak young
things perish very quickly. This is IN
most all cases due to something wrong
with the feeding of the ewes. The eve
escapes because the poison is carried
off through the milk, and We must al
way consider the results of any dis
ease in a nursing eve as so much pols-
on to the sucking lamb. Then the eve
must be treated, but with care, Tor the
same reason that the medicine will at
feet the milk. 1t will be sufficient to
change the food or water of the eve
and give the lamb single teaspoontul
of castor oil, followed in an hour by
2. dose of five to ten drops of mix
ture of tinctures of laudanum, rhu-
barb and ginger. This will allay the
spasms, while a few feeds Of linseed
and bran mash will tend to put the
ewes in a healthful condition. Dairy
men are specially careful of the feed
ing of their COWS; the shepherd must
be equally careful Of the feeding of the
nursing ewes.
English Butchers Boycott
latest act of the Glasgow "Fleshers'
Trade Protective Association" affords
a good illustration of ':boycott" gone
mad. The secretary of that association
recently addressed a circular to ship
owners saying that Gin pursuance of
our defensive policy, on and after De-
cember 1st no member of our organi-
cation will purchase live stock carried
from the United States and Canadian
ports by any shipping company or COM
panies who carry live stock from such
ports for any firm, statesmen, or other
importers who are not signed members
Of orr organization OF course the