436 UXPERIMEXTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM, INDIAN HEAD, SASK. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, T. J. HARRISON, B.S.A. 



SHEEP. 



The flock of sheep on the Farm on March 31, 1914, was composed of the folloM-ing: 

 Shi'opshires, one ram, one ram Limb, seven ewes; Grades, eight ewes, four shearling 

 ewes. 



During the last year, six ram lambs and one aged ram were sold from the Farm 

 for breeding ijurposes. In October there were purchased four Shroptrhire shearling 

 ewes and one Shropshire sliearling ram to strengthen the flock. These are all of a 

 fine type of Shropshire and shouM aid materially in building iip the flock on this Farm. 



Supplementary to the handling of the flock of pure-bred sheep, which is established 

 to procure data regarding the cost of rearing and maintaining sheep in the West, a 

 sheep grading experiment is under way. The object of this test is to discover the 

 possible improvement in regard to mutton and wool qualities by the continuous use 

 of pure-bred rams of the san^e breed on the common ewes of mixed breeding and on 

 their grade female progeny. The foundation flock in this work is the common range 

 ewe, which can be procured quite reasonably in the Avestern portion of this province. 



FEEDING EXPEEIMEXTS. 



One hundred range lambs were bought last Xovember for the purpose of conduct- 

 ing a feeding exj)eriment during the winter. These were divided into four groups of 

 twenty-five each. The experiment was started on December 1, and completed at the 

 end of sixteen weeks. From the outline below it will be noted that very satisfactory 

 gains were made. However, a loss is reported as there was no margin between the 

 buying and selling prices. The difficulty with feeding lambs during the winter is that 

 it is necessary to buy them in the fall and pay a " lamb " price, and when they are 

 sold in the spring we can only obtain a " sheep " price. In view of this fact it would 

 appear that there is little money made in this line of work. Next season, however, 

 shearlings will be purchased, which are cheaper than the lambs and will sell for the 

 same price in the spring. Below is an outline of the rations fed to the difl^erent 

 groups : — 



Group 1. — Oat straw and grain. 



Group 2. — Oat straw, mixed hay, and grain. 



Group 3. — Oat straw, mixed hay, grain, and turnips. 



Group 4. — Oat straw, alfalfa hay, grain, and turnips. 



The grain in the above ration was composed of equal parts of oats and barley. 



With the ration used in group 1 considerable trouble was experienced in keeping 

 the lambs on their feed. This ration was very binding in its properties. In this 

 group one lamb was lost, through indigestion, and it was found that the lambs required 

 careful watching and needed a laxative from time to time. In group 2 a lamb was 

 also lost, due to stone in the bladder. The lambs in groups 3 and 4 seemed to be quite 

 contented and thrifty. 



