. The book of the farm : detailing the labors of the farmer, steward, plowman, hedger, cattle-man, shepherd, field-worker, and dairymaid. Agriculture. THE LAMBING OF EWES. 165 Fig. THE CASTRATION OF LAMBS. and held until it is done. In England, docking is performed at the third joint, which leaves a mere stump of a tail. The male lamb, after being docked, is let down to the ground by the tail, which has the effect, it is said, of righting the parts about the scrotum after castration. The same opportunity is taken to mark the ears of lambs, and in the case of stock in hill farms, where it
. The book of the farm : detailing the labors of the farmer, steward, plowman, hedger, cattle-man, shepherd, field-worker, and dairymaid. Agriculture. THE LAMBING OF EWES. 165 Fig. THE CASTRATION OF LAMBS. and held until it is done. In England, docking is performed at the third joint, which leaves a mere stump of a tail. The male lamb, after being docked, is let down to the ground by the tail, which has the effect, it is said, of righting the parts about the scrotum after castration. The same opportunity is taken to mark the ears of lambs, and in the case of stock in hill farms, where it is not easy to gather flocks frequently, the opera- tion is now easily performed ; but as Leices- ter lambs are not marked in the ear at this time, I shall defer describing that operation until its proper season in summer. The scrotum does not bleed in castration, but the tail sometimes bleeds for a long time in two minute and forcible streams, though usually the bleeding soon stems. Should it continue so long as to sicken the lamb, a small cord should be tied firmly round the end of the tail, but this must not be allowed to remain on above 24 hours, as the point of the tail would slough off. The object of docking is to keep the sheep behind clean from filth and vermin; but as the tail is a protection against cold in winter, it should not be docked too short, as is the case in England. Tup-lambs are al- lowed to retain their full tails until a year old, in order to strengthen the back. Great caution is required in castrating lambs ; it should not be done in rainy weather, nor in very cold weather, nor in fiost ; nor should the lambs be heated before the operation. It is best performed early in the morning, in fresh weather, with a westerly breeze. The ewes and lambs should be driven gently to a corner of the field, but not by the dog, whose duty is only to prevent a ewe breaking away. One assistant should catch the lambs, and another hold them while the shepherd operates. It i
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectagriculture, bookyear
