Norwich bulletin., 1918-10-23
SORT THE EWES CAREFULLY.


 Autumn is a very important season for the sheep owner. The success of next springs lamb crop depends largely on the management of the flock this fall. Before the breeding season begins, the owner should care fully go over his flock and asssort the ewes. Old ewes that have lost their teeth and are evidently not quite able to go safely through the winter and nourish their lambs well are better consigned to the fattening pen. If re- t:dned, at least mark them so they can be given extra care and attention. Frequently such ewes are profitable to breed; careful feeding keeps them strong till lambdng time; after this. give liberal allowance of grain so as to push them along and they will often raise as good lambs as the other ewes and be themselves ready for market shortly after the lambs are weaned.
 All ewes with a spoiled udder should be taken out of the breeding flock. Such ewes are quite often found and to have them drop lambs without the ability to suckle them. only entails un- necessary suffering. Eve lambs un- Ger year old should be removed and not bred. There is a temptation to breed the young immature ewes, par ticularly if they are well grown, but it's a better plan not to do this as i. leads to a steady decrease in the size of your sheep and the heavy drain y7eakens the ewes constitution so that she is more susceptible to attacks Of parasites.
 Just before breeding time the ewes should have little extra feed if grass iS not abundant The reason for eX- tra care at this period is that if the ewes are in fine. thrifty condition at l r1a tng time. they will conceive more rapidly and drop 8 larger number of twins. Another reason is that a sheep which starts into the winter in good thrift comes through much stronger and on less feed than one in poor health. A handful of grain fed in 0c- tober or November is worth a pack Of faed to thin eve in January; not that the flock should be neglected later on, but it is essential that sheep should enter winter well fortified and strong. The eve carries her lamb about 14T Gays or roughly five months. The ram should be turned with the ewes so as ! to bring the lambs at q season that 1 best fits into your scheme of manage ment Early lambs well nourished in 1 infancy make much stronger and bet : ter sheep. than late lambs. It is not 1 :ldVlSSlDle, however. TOT me 1neAperl- enced to raise early lambs unless he has good quarters for his flock For 1 breeds such as the Dorset and Merino, i it is natural for them to have early lambs but under Connecticut condi- tions, best results are usually obtain ed by having rather late lambs. l Before the breeding season the ram should be entirely separated from the l ewes..' If he is not in strong condi-
 tion, he should be fed regularly on 1 oats and bran or some similar feed | twice, a day. not enough to fatten him, 1 out to put him in a strong vigorous
 condition. He should not run with l tie ewes during the breeding season; !;
 it is better to turn him with the flock | in a small yard for a, short time each | day As soon as q eve is bred, she l should be marked and immediately .! turned out of the yard. The ram should not be allowed 10 serve more than three or four ewes each day. In
 this way, a strong, vigorous, well man aged ram will easily care for forty to fifty ewes.