GATHERING THE DROP.

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Do not gather new-born lambs during snow or rain storms when they are in good shelter. It is always best, where possible, to leave the new-born lambs where they drop the first 12 to 24 hours. This can be done—where you have them in good enough shelter for the night—by rounding up the outside of the day's drop just a little, then place a tepee with a lantern in it in the center of the bunch, a few firecrackers, with here and there a scarecrow around the outer sides, or have a man sleep near them to keep off coyotes. The ewes will generally bunch themselves by moving up around the tepee during the night. If they must be moved to shelter, or for other reasons, let the men start to move the oldest of the day's drop of lambs as soon as the droppers start back toward camp or water in the afternoon, always moving the oldest to the youngest when convenient to do so. Do not allow anyone to move lambs when wet or too young, unless it is necessary to put them into shelter. In that case, try to move them before the storm, rather than after they become wet. New-born lambs still wet, or having become wet by storm, rubbing together, sometimes change their scent, so that quite a number of their mothers become suspicious of them and will not allow them to suck until they become dried, before which time they may die. We have also on several occasions seen ewes become skeptical of their lamb after having cleaned it, simply because the lamb had come in contact with the cleanings of other ewes.

When it is necessary to move new-born lambs, move them slowly and gently to the nearest good shelter. In no case is it advisable to carry lambs around in gunny-sack-full lots. By so doing you are likely to "bum" more lambs than you save. Tie or pen all ewes that do not own their lambs until they do own them. Be sure you are putting THEIR lambs with them. When you have placed the day's drop in good shelter, when you are most sure they are well protected from predatory animals, let them remain quiet for the night. The next morning have someone move them to water. Mix them, when you have to, according to the "table" of these rules. Do not rush the bunches together; get them close to one another, then let them mix themselves. Watch the badger holes. Lambs generally crawl into holes during the cool of night, in hot, sunny days, and during cold, rainy weather.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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