THE APPROACHING LAMBING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 174, 25 July 1928, Page 19

THE APPROACHING LAMBING.

PREPARATIONS NOW NECESSARY. PRACTICAL WORKING HINTS. (By SUNDOWNER.) The percentage of lambing that we may get in any season depends very largely on the weather and pasture conditions during the mating season of March and April. Where the weather at that time was mild, and the sheep in improving, though not necessarily in forward or fat condition, the percentage will in most cases be good. Particularly will this be the case where the rams turned out were active and in good health, familiar also with the country and thoroughly acclimatised. Where the breeding ewes were either very poor, or again carrying so much condition at tupping time that they might be described as light fats, the percentage is likely to be light. Where the rams were over-fat, or were newly introduced to the district, the lambing is likely to be straggling and also not so heavy as with acclimatised sheep in good, hard, healthy condition. In any case it is too late now to do more than make every provision that those lambs which do arrive will receive every care and have every opportunity of giowing up healthy and profitable. Exercise Necessary Now. The?"? is, in most districts, a great deal of feed about for this time of the year, and as a consequence the ewes are rather over-conditioned. To correct this they should oe moved from paddock to paddock or otherwise exercised as much as possible, taking care when working them with dogs not to let them jam in gateways or be hunted at top speed; down liills. "Keep the Ewes Moving." Especially at this stage of carrying the lamb, breeding ewes should not be in too high condition. If they are, and are allowed to continue in this state, the lambs are likely to be undersized and | weak. Further, with ewes which arc too I fat, bearing trouble will be experienced [ during this last month, and lambing will be accompanied with greater mor- _ talitv amongst the ewes. Tho slogan for the next month should be "keep the ewes moving." Preparations for Fats Off the Mothers. Where the object is to procure a large percentage of lambs fat off the mothers, there should now be a paddock clean grazed and topdressed ready to provide a succulent bite of preen feed by the end of August. Other, and perhaps possibly better provision may have been made by having a crop of green oats or barley, or perhaps a paddock of autumn-sown young grass on to which the ewes can be drafted as they lamb. The advanr.«ge of newly-ploughed land such as this, is that there is no fear of its being infected with stomach and intestinal worms as is the case with pasture regularly grazed. Lambs are liable to become infected with these worms at a very early age, in fact as soon as they start to nibble the grass and can pick the newly-hatched worms up with their feed, and nothing so retards their growth as worm-infesta-tion. Some measure of prevention may be given where the water-supply is provided in troughs, by dissolving in these sufficient bluestone to just tint the water. This will not injure the lamb., but will help to keep it clear of worms so soon as it commences to drink water. Dry Camp and Shelter. Any paddock which is to hold ewes and lambs should have a high and dry camping ground. Continuous wet underfoot with damp ground on which to sleep, retards growth and condition considerably. To a less degree only shelter from cold winds is needed, and where this is not provided by the natural contour of the country or by close plantation artificial wind-breaks made of hurdles will pay well for the trouble of making and erecting. Early Marking Advocated. It is essential if maximum profit is to be made from fat off-the-mother lambs that they should be kept fat from th'j day of birth till they go to the works To ensure this, dock and mark the lambs as soon as possible. If done by the time the lamb is three weeks old the operation does not check growth as if done later. This means that perhaps two or more dockings will be necessary, especially where the lambing is straggling. If put on to barley, oats or young grass, deI velopment will be much more rapid ii these are fed off in small breaks as is usually done with turnips, for with this system the ewes and lambs are always moving to fresh, clean grazing. Two tooth ewes should always be lambec separately from the main ewe flock as they require more attention and shouh be gone round twice as often as th( older ewes.

Docking and Marking. Docking should always take place on clean ground, i.e., ground that has not been used for yarding sheep previously, and for this reason, besides others, temporary yards should always be erected. When marking in temporary yards it is usual to catch the lambs from amongst the ewes and after the operation drop them outside the yards. To prevent these lambs from straying and mismothering, leave i three or four old wet ewes out amongst them, also pick from a small yardful of ewes so that the lambs may not have long to wait before their mothers are returned to them. Keep the marking tools and knives in a can of disinfectant as a precaution, and except in extreme cases of bleeding do not use a cauterising iron as the irritation from the burn does more to retard growth than the loss of a little extra blood. Treatment of Ewe Lambs. With the ewe lambs intended to be .kept for breeding, very different treatment is required, as, to give these forcing food in their early days would do them more ultimate harm than good. As soon as it is possible to separate those ewes with ewe lambs from the ones which have wethers, the former should be turned out until weaning on good, clean hill country, preferably that which has been spelled for three or four weeks previously. This will grow healthy, active ewes which will not suffer from a check as they would were they carried on first-class fattening feed until weaning.

Tending the Lambing Ewes. Throughout the lambing always move as quietly as possible amoDg the sheep. Never be in a hurry to help a ewe at parturition, but when it becomes absolutely necessary to correct malpresentation or help in delivery, lay the ewe quietly on her aide with her head up-hill and aid her only when she herself makes an effort. Tie the hind feet forward when working with a lambing ewe to prevent her making a struggle to get up. After a ewe has been lambed in this manner, put the lamb by her head and leave her tied for half an hour or so while you go round the rest of the sheep. If she is allowed to get up at once, she frequently deserts her lamb. Only dogs that can be absolutely relied on should be taken amongst lambing ewes; pups and headstrong dogs should be left at home on the chain.