RURAL TALKS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17279, 21 September 1916, Page 2

RURAL TALKS.

, (By RUSTICU6.) The lambing is now in full swing, and so far everything promises good results. 'We certainly need them. Last year saw a poor lambing over a good portion of IS gw Zealand ; the drought in many districts further thinned out the livo* stook, and now a good lambing is required to make up for some of the losses hitherto suffered. No one, however, can have a good lambing without care and attention. The sheep must not be turned into the paddocks and allowed to shift for themselves. The ewes require constant attention. They should be looked through at least once a day, but generally speaking twice a day will not be found too often, and three times a day may be necessary. The work will be difficult of accomplishment, seeing that so many of our young fellows Jiavo gone to the front. But a boy who gets interested in the job can generally do all thero is to do, and cases aro not rare where the women folk have undertaken the task with pronounced success. In ordinary flocks there is not much reason why women should not perform shepherding work, and many of them become more capaolo than the men. No doubt if anything serious goes wrong, a man’s aia may be necessary, but in the ordinary course of events women can manage without any such assistance. If the war lasts for another year or so, the women will have to do much of the lighter work that is being carried on by men, and I am 6ure they will be willing to do all they can. Women take a keen interest in live stock as a rule, judging bjythe way in which many farmers’ wives and daughters attend to the cows, the pigs and the poultry, and there is no good reason why they should not extend their interest effectively to the sheep, if necessary. In other walks of life the women folk aro tackling propositions of a far more severe ana trying nature, and are evidently giving satisfaction. For ldmbing the best sheltered paddock should be chosen. It is not a good plan, however, to havo the ewes too thickly placed in the paddocks for lambing purposes. In fact, the more they are spread the better. Shelter is greatly to bo desired in connection with lambing paddocks, and good live fences and plantations are worth a good deal, at this, as at other times of the year. In some places, where the weather is occasionally very cold and rough, and where no shelter is available, artificial shelter is provided by means of two lines of hurdles with some material, such as straw or scrub, packed in between. If this temporary and artificial shelter is erected, it is well 'to make the line zig-zag, so that, shelter may bo provided from any wind that blows. If good straw or hay is put in these wind-breaks, ewes will get a bite of nourishing feed, perhaps at a critical time. On some farms rough sheds are established in different parts of the farm, or some waste spot where several paddocks meet. Any ewes in distress, or any with very weakly lambs, can be moved into these places for a few hours till an improvement is effected. Sometimes these sheds are made when threshing is being done. A skeleton of the shed is put up, and straw threshed on top of it. If good shelter of some sort is not provided, it may be noeessary from time to time to take a ewe to the steading for a time, keeping it in the woolshed or some other suitable place. If the interior is somewhat dark, so much the better, particularly if there is any mothering-up to do. Eives in difficulties may be shifted to the homestead for treatment. In addition to shelter, suitable feed, and a good supply of it, must be provided. Not that ewes require a great flush of feed just prior to lambing. Indeed. such a flush of feed may bo distinctly injurious. But, shortly after the lamb is dropped, the ewe may be put on the best of feed, when she will bo ablo to give her offspring a s*ufficiencv of feed to keep tho youngster thriving properly. The ewes as they lamb may be drawn into a paddock where good clover or green feed ol some sort exists. The twin sets should receive some such treatment even il it cannot be made general. Good results will follow such a method of management. Any ewes with unthrifty lambs should be caught and marked, so that they may, if necessary, bo culled out before another season. A great

deal may be done by means of eeleo* tion, both in this matter and in regard to twin lambs- Certainly ewes'lacking a teat, or possessing a defective odder, should never eb allowed to go to the ram. In order to deal with the unnatural mother that will not take to her offspring, a pen or pens may be necessary in the paddocks. These may be made of three light hurdle*. Sometimes success is obtained by tying these unnatural ewes up for a -time, but the pens are superior to that method.

In lambing the toes and nose of the coming lamb should be presented first. When the proper presentation is being made, there is Very little trouble, unless the lamb is very Urge, Before any artificial assistance is given Nature should be given every clianoe, as it is far better for a owe to lamb without assistance than, with help. If the sice of the lamb cafases trouble, and aid must be given, put the ewe on her 1 right side and hold her in position with one hand, while with the other the feet and legs of the coming lamb should be straightened out. Then when the ewe begins to strain, pull on th# legs .'steadily. If the head shows sign* of jamming in tho opening, assistance must bo given to clear it. If any pulling is necessary it should 1 be downwards, and should be made only wbils tho ewe is straining. It is an unsafe thing to do to pull at the lamb when the ewe k not straining. If the hind legs appear first, the ewe must be delivered quickly, or the lamb may drown or smother before it is born. It only one leg is presented, or if the lamb is coming back first, tho lamb must be pushed back and an endeavo’ur mado to get the youngster into a natural position. This needs experience Sometimes the lamb has to be out away to save the owe, but fortunately that does not happen very often. Usually a ewe is up in a few minutes, the cleaning has come away, the lamb is sucking, and everything is all right. If the youngster gets a good drink it ia •usually on the highway to safety, and it takes a good deal of rough weather to knock them over when they are a day or more old. If a ewe loses * lamb she should be given another whose dam has died, or one of twins or triplets. No ewe in milk should be allowed to go without rearing a lamb. There may bo some trouble in getting a ewe to take a strange lamb,* but thu can generally be got ,over all ng&t. If a ewe is delivered of a dead lamb, the substitute should be at once rubbed over with the dead one. The ewe will probably, take the youngster without question. Similar results may be obtained by skinning the dead one and putting tho skin on the live lamb. Sometimes all that is necessary is to rub tho ewe lamb with some strongsmelling fluid, such as whisky, also putting some on the nostrils or the ewe If the ewe objects to act as a foster-mother, a few days’ confinement, the lamb being held to her from time to time,, will bring her to realise her new responsibilities. ' Sometime* the presence of a dog will rouse the maternal instinct and cause the owe to take to the foundling. , All work in connection with the lambing should bo done steadily and quietly. In cases where the farmers are their own shepherds this rule » not always observed, because there 1* so much to do in other directions, it is a mistake to jump on a horse and gallop through tho mob. The flock u disturbed, and it is impossible, Airing a flying inspection, to thoroughly view the ewes for'the purpose of seeing whether everything is all right or not. Th only excuse of concentrating the ewes in as few paddocks as possible for the lambing is that of ease and speed in . looking through the ewes. For my part, I always think they do better spread out a bit. If the paddocks are not large, it is preferabU to ride round them, taking a quid dog to catch any ewes that may require attention.