THE LAMBING SEASON.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11651, 21 August 1916, Page 4

THE LAMBING SEASON.

By C.A.P. Lambing is in full swing throughout the district, and with the higb prices ruling for ewes’no doubt extra care and vigilance will be exercised to prevent, if possible, the general run of casualties that occur in lambingjtiock. Before the ewes are really at drop 1 find in my experience that the shepherd in charge should commence with a regular daily round of bis.charges and it is wonderful how the ewes at this stage begin to settle down when they observe the regular visits of the shepherd And when the lambing is in full swing his task is made so much ligbter as the ewes are quiet and free from tear. Should the 'ewes be in what one may term fit and proper condition, not over fat nor too weak or poor, then good results can be expected. In over fat ewes much of the serious mortality occurs at this season. The younger owes may cause a little more trouble and a great deal of the result will rest on the shepherd and his trained dog as to his modus operand!the way he captures the sheep, relieves and mothers it to its offspring. Some men, note, use a solution of some chemical sheep dip to apply to their hands whefl handling and relieving a severe case at lambing. Solutions of this nature are harmful and too harsh. The tender organs of the sheep require a something soft con* tact: carbolic oil is excellent for both man and beast. I find in displacements of the ewes .nothing is better to prevent “protruding again’’ than in tieing two strands of the wool across below the tail. Another important item to theshepberd is dangerous spots in the lambing ground, and I have invariably found there are always particular parts where the death rate soon mounts up. First, I refer to uneven dips and hollows where the ewe usually gets cast and cannot roll over and left any time soon succumbs. Early visits to these “death spots” save many a life, but left late in the day the ”ewe is usually dead Drains from hollow logs underground water courses have often to be contended with, and it is wonderful how the percentages goes down when losses occur from these various causes. A few hurdles or a small yard in the lambing ground are of value where the ewe or the lamb cau be attended to. Blind-teaied ewes are another source of trouble |to the shepherd, and foster mothers must be found. Much could be written-on this aulrject. Every practical shepherd has his own methods, but there is no getting awrj’ from one method, and that is regularity in inspecting your dumb charges.