The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-05-16
lRY ]. NJ. BELLY

(By j. M, BELLY
The chief losses to the flock during
the Landing season are from cold and
exposure and from lack of milk. The
first cause can be remedied by proper
shelter and the latter by adequate and
nutritious food for the ewes at this
critical season.
: 1t may safely be estimated that from
IS to 40 per cent. of the loss of lambs
occurs from the above causes To
remedy them to great extent is in
the reach of the sheepman.
Regarding the question Of proper
shelter, the farmer must have his
built on high, well-draihed land; must
have it well protected on the north
east and west, and must be particular
to give his flock sufficient room for
damp, over-crowded shelter is al
most, or just as bad. as none at all.
and the losses Of lambs will be nearly
as heavy as where the fioci1 are not
housed, but left to shift for them
selves. Y
Where sheep are crowded in this
way the ewes will drop their lambs
outside of the shelter, and when this
occurs in cold weather the little fel.
lows die of cold and exposure before
they are strong enough to suck
Too many have the idea that the
wool of the sheep provides all the
protection needed. In reality, sheep
are about the most tender of the vari.
GUS kinds of stock, and were 1t not
for the liberal protection provided by
Nature more protection would be nee,
essary than for any other stock; hence
the ewes should have comfortable
quarters warm, but not too close
and literally supplied with clean, dry
bedding to prevent dampness and to
insure cleanliness.
Confine the sheep every night, es
peciaHy if the weather is disagreeable
and when the lambs begin to arrive
keep the ewes that have dropped
lambs separate from the flock.
Build a dog-proof fence around the
sheep yard, and under the shed parti
ton off place for the young lambs
and by the time they are two weeks
old they will eat cracked corn and
oats.
This feeding will hasten rapid
growth and at the same time will
make them more independent of their
dams. Good feeding troughs should
also be provided for the ewes
This brings us to the all-important
subject of what sort of ration the
ewes should have just before and after
Landing time; in fact. until spring
grass comes.
Just here let US take the case Of a
sheep owner whose loss of both lambs
and ewes was very heavy during last
winter and spring. The loss of ewes
was 25 per cent; that of lambs 81 per
cent Before Landing the flock was
fed cut fodder and timothy hay; after
lambing their ration was bran and
cut fodder, no succulent food, or food
that contained enough protein to pro
duce the amount of milk necessary for
the lamb after it was born.
The man said: IF had had 500
bushels of turnips should have saved
my sheep and lambs also"
|, 1t is a great mistake to feed sheep
merely timothy hay or corn fodder
before and after lambing time. Many
of the heaviest losses can be prevented
liz care is gi3en to the ration, as II
is an exceptional case where a eve
has not sufficient milk to at least keep
her lamb alive if she has been prop
erly fed month before lambing.
The feed need not be expensive
nor necessarily succulent. although
that is a great advantage; but il
should be rich in protein, palatable
digestible and given in liberal amounts