The progressive farmer., 1899-11-07
FEEDING FOR LAMBS.

Every experienced shepherd will
easily recall how many lambs have
been born so weak that they have sur
vived the moment of birth but few
hours or days, having so little vitality
as to be entirely unable to reach the
ewes udder. The starved little things
have been unable to stand, or go weak
as to be helpless, or the ewes have had
no milk for them. Thus we have been
able to make q pretty certain rule as
to the proportion of lambs reared to
those born, and the loss in this way
will average, with us, at least 25 per
cent.
Under different management and ex
perienced aud thoughtful care, the
English farm shepherd will rear from
100 to $50 per cent. of successful births
to the number of ewes. This proper
tion is sometimes reached with us, but
so per cent. may be taken as the aver
age. This annual loss, compounded
as it may reasonably be-annuallY,
goes to show how it is that the rearing
of the sheep with us is not nearly so
profitable as it should and might be,
and the cause of it ell is the want Of
due care of the ewes.
Our climate is ex acting. The cold
calls for more food TO sustain the fuuc
tions, and the resulting necessary viGal
heat of the ewes, counting in the
eources of this indispensable warmth,
and the need Of the lamb are not sup
piled as they should be. We read of
numerous ir rquiries for feeding rations
for milch COWS, but we never are called
upon for advice as to feeding the in
lamb ewes. Tnese take their chances,
which are all against the strong, hearty
lamb, which will take of itself after
the first hour of it's life, outside Of the
eve.
SEVEN SHEEP ONE COW
What the shepherd should do is to
consider the need of his ewes as to the
product OF milk quite as much as the
dairyman st1dies the rations for his
COWS. Seven sheep may be reasonably
taken as the equivalent of one COW, and
if be will study this matter, think of
what is advised in regard to the feed
ing cf a COW in full milk, divide the
ration in accordance with this proper
tioo, and add 4 little more to it, from
this time on, he will be in the safe way
to rear 100 lambs from 100 eweR. He
may do better than ehis, if be has been
in the habit Cf getting SO much, by
little more generosity to his flock.
It is commonly thought that this ia
doing we'll and 80 it is for the common
habit of feeding ewes at this time of
the year, and until weaning time. Bat
we may all do better than this One
reason why the sheep is not considered
a profitable kin of stock for the gen
eral farmer is that due thought and
care are not given to it. If only this
matter were studied as the dairymep
think Of their business, it would be
simple matter to make the sheep ''the
most profitable animal on the farm. -
Shelter first, then feeding, are the
necessary conditions for the welfare OF
the flock. Just now is a good time to
think of these things B 1t the feeding
must be based quite as much on pcien
tific principles as is that by the best
dairymen Failure as TO this will first
be made known by the loss Of lambs,
and in every such case, the reason for
this may be learned bY examination o.
the fleece at shearing time by the weak
spots in the Wool-each one telling the
ct ~ OF some neglect By which the
due growth Of the fleece wes checked.
If the feeding has not been good enough.
or sufficiently good, to sustain the
growth OF wool, the growth of the lamb
and it's vitality at it's birth must not
have been provided for.-H. Stewart.
Whitewashed stables mean fewer