184 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



under experiment, and were subjected to the same conditions ex- 

 cept that their pen was protected by a tight board partition extend- 

 ing to the ceiling and entirely enclosed the feeding pen. The pen 

 was supplied with a window opening to the south like the other 

 lots, but unlike the others, this window was kept closed continuously 

 throughout the experiment. Notwithstanding this precaution the 

 sheep gave evidence of suffering from the rigors of winter. It is 

 possible that if still warmer quarters could have been given this 

 lot the results here recorded (table 3) would have been less dis- 

 paraging to the lot shorn in the fall. 



The lots compared were lots 21 and 24. 



TABLE 3. EFFECT OF SHEARING LAMBS IN THE FALL. 



The shorn lambs (lot 24) made smaller gains, ate more food 

 and consequently required more dry matter to produce one pound 

 of gain than did the lambs fed in exactly the same manner and 

 unshorn (lot 21). An examination of the financial statement in 

 connection with lots 21 and 24 will reveal the fact that in this 

 experiment at least there was no advantage, but, on the contrary, 

 a decided disadvantage from fall shearing. 



No one experiment can furnish sufficient data for definite and 

 sweeping conclusions, but the above results are significant and 

 probably point out the general result which may be expected from 

 such practice. 



ECONOMY OF A SELF-FEEDER. 



A self feeder is an arrangement by which animals may supply 

 themselves with grain at all times. The usual method of feeding is 

 to fill the grain racks once in three or four days, or perhaps only 

 once each week. The practice differs somewhat in different lo- 

 calities, some feeders supply the grain to the fattening animals as 

 described above, while others clean the feeding troughs daily, fur- 

 nishing no more food than will satisfy the animals until the next 

 feeding time. The two practices are essentially the same In char- 



