As a general thing early lambs are considerably more expensive to the
producer than the late lambs born upon the open range. The ewes need
extra feed through the winter months, in order that they may have milk
for the young, even though there is no green grass. Yet in most cases
this extra cost is justified by the greater value of the lamb at
shipping time. These lambs grow and put on flesh very rapidly upon the
soft young grass of the early spring months, when their mothers give so
much milk. Again, as most breeders use their oldest ewes or the ones
that they know will need much extra feed and care through the winter
months, for this lambing, there is another consolation in the fact that
should such a ewe lose her lamb at lambing time, she, too, will have
advantage of that soft green feed so essential to place old ewes in good
marketable shape at shipping time. Another advantage is that the lamb
can be taken from them during the summer or early fall months, which
permits the ewe to become in good condition for the next breeding or the
following winter.