EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS 177 



Since the feeding of roots for fattening lambs at this station has been 

 attended with good results in the past they were included in the ration of 

 each lot. It is desirable and at times even necessary to use some clover 

 hay and supplement this with other coarse fodders. Moreover, it has 

 been believed by a large number of sheep men that, to secure the best 

 results in caring for and fattening sheep, it is necessary to furnish con- 

 siderable variety in food stuffs. It was thought therefore not only an 

 interesting but important line of investigation to observe results where 

 clover hay was fed in connection with other coarse fodders. Lambs will 

 not eat any considerable quantity of other coarse fodders if they receive 

 all the clover hay they want even if the clover hay is fed but once a day. 

 Consequently the amount of clover hay fed in conjunction with the other 

 fodders was limited as nearly as possible to half the amount fed to the 

 standard pen or lot. 



MANNER OF FEEDING, 



The lambs were fed in the experimental feeding barn described on page 

 48 of bulletin No. 128. The feed troughs and racks were thoroughly 

 cleaned out the first thing in the morning, and the lambs were fed their 

 ration of corn about 6:30 a. m. As soon as the corn was eaten up the hay 

 or other coarse fodder was put in the rack and fresh water provided. At 

 12 :30 p. m., their allotted portion of roots was fed and at 4 :00 p. m. corn, 

 fodder and water were given in the same order as in the morning. Dur- 

 ing the ten days previous to the beginning of the experiment proper, the 

 lambs were fed the same foods that they were to receive during the exper- 

 iment and in the same manner; this period was designated as the prelimi- 

 nary feeding period. The lambs were weighed on three consecutive days 

 at the beginning of the experiment and the average of these weights was 

 taken as the true weight, thus largely doing away with the source of error 

 in weight caused by differences in bowel contents. 



FOOD STUFFS AND PRICES. 



Somewhat peculiar conditions existed last winter in regard to the prices 

 of food stuffs. Prices for corn ruled low while fodder of all kinds was 

 high. The prices given below conform as nearly as may be to those cur- 

 rent in this section of the State during the feeding period. The clover 

 hay was of average quality. The roots were grown on the College farm 

 and were rutabagas. The corn was yellow dent grown on the College 

 farm. A portion of the millet hay used was also grown on the College 

 farm and the remainder purchased of a farmer living near the College. 

 The oat straw, corn stalks and bean straw were of average quality. It 

 was found that the lambs wasted a large amount of corn stalks when thev 

 were fed in racks from the bundles. They were therefore cut in pieces 

 from 1-| to 3 inches in length with an ordinary ensilage cutter. 



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