Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-03-04

rather poor pasture and turning them
into luxuriant growth of rape or
some other good forage. A little grain.
say one-half pound day per head.
should also be given. Oats and bran.
with little oilmeal added, make one
Of the best rations for the ram during
the breeding season. He should be
given all he will clean up when In
heavy service.
Winter Care.
During the winter the ewes should
be fed on ration Of oats and bran.
with perhaps little corn added.
Glover hay is one Of the best forms Of
roughage. A little silage will add sue
culence to the ration. but 1t should
not be fed in very large quantities.
Roots are also good for this purpose.
Exercise Is essential. A winter pas
ture over which the ewes can run
will provide this. but they should not
be made to depend on this pasture for
any considerable portion Of their feed.
Sheep can stand a great deal of cold
IL their fleece does not become wet. A
dry, well bedded shed. open on the
south, is the best sort of winter pro-
lection.
Just before lambing the wool on the
tanks and udders should be clipped. A
little oilmeal should be added to the
ration for two or three weeks prior
to lambing. Many Of the newly born
lambs will have to be assisted to stand
up and suck. after which they will
usually be able to take care Of Them
selves. In cold weather lambs are
liable to wander away from their
mothers and get chilled. The best way
to save chilled lamb is to put 1t in
warm water for half an hour. 1t
should be thoroughly dried before put
ting it back In the pen.
The lambs should be weaned when
they are from three to four months old.
This is a critical time In their life. as
a check in growth will give parasites
a chance to get start. 1t is good
plan to have a fresh pasture Of clover
or rape to put the lambs in at this
time. Rape and clover mixed and
sown with oats make excellent fall
pasture after the oats are harvested.
Another way of getting good fall feed
for lambs is to- SOW rape in the corn at
the last cultivation. The lambs will
eat the rape, weeds and lower leaves
of the corn. leaving the held IN ex-
ceIlent shape for husking without in--
turing the corn to any extent. The
lambs should be locked and castrated
while young.
Feeding the Lambs.
The lambs should be taught to eat
before weaving, and q small ration OF
grain should be fed from that time on.
There is no better feed for lambs than
oats. When the lambs are on clover
pasture half the grain ration may be
made Of corn. AS general rule 1t IL
better to avoid the holiday rush and
market the lambs later in the season
with better finish. As soon as they
are of pasture the grain should be in
creased until they are getting all they
will eat. Corn and clover hay make
one Of the best rations for fattening
sheep Before putting the lambs into
the feed lot a few of the best ewes
should be sorted out to replenish the
dock. All Improbable ewes or those
that are getting old should be shut up
and fattened as soon as the lambs are
weaned. Plenty of salt should be pro-
vided for the sheep during the fatten-
ing period as well as at all other times
of year. Salt Is more necessary to
sheep than to any other class Of stock.
Sheep are not very heavy drinkers. but
they do need some water. and supply
should be provided at all times.
Many feeders make practice OF
buying western lambs on the market
and feeding them through the winter.
II good stuff can be bought at right