578 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



breeding. The lambs bad indifferent care from birth. Lot .5 was made 

 up of 1-5 lambs. They were average wethers selected from the station 

 flock and had been bred with care. Both lots were fed a ration of corn 

 and peas 1:1, with corn fodder^/ libitum. The test lasted 8 weeks. 

 The financial statement is based on corn fodder at $4 per ton and corn 

 and peas at 30 ets. and 45 cts. per bushel, respectively. The average 

 weight of the lambs at the beginning of the test was for lot 1 75.5 lbs. 

 and for lot 2 115.9 lbs. The amounts of food consumed, daily gain, and 

 cost per pound of gain are shown in the following table: 



Results of feeding grain to lambs. 



Food consumed. 



Corn 

 fodder. 



Lot 1 (northern lambs) 

 Lot 2 (station lambs) . . 



Pounds. 

 1.83 

 2.41 



Corn. 



Peas. 



Pounds. 

 0.87 

 1.26 



Pounds. 

 0.87 

 1.26 



Dailv Cost l ,er 



Pound. 

 0.32 



.51 



Cents. 

 4.58 

 4.08 



The daily gain of the station lambs was nearly twice as great as that 

 of the northern bred lambs. They ate more food and the gains were 

 more cheaply made. The lambs were estimated to be worth 3 cts. per 

 pound at the beginning of the test and 4 cts. at the close. The profit 

 per head on the northern lambs was 05 cts. and on the station lambs 

 $1.13. 



In the author's opinion the test showed that care in breeding is 

 profitable. The author discusses what constitutes good condition from 

 the market point of view, and the influence of condition and weight 

 on market price. The northern lambs when purchased were, in the 

 sellers opinion, ready for market, yet they were profitably fattened at 

 the station for 8 weeks, and in the author's opinion could have been 

 profitably fed for several weeks longer. 



Farm grains for fattening lambs, J. A. Craig ( Wisconsin Sta. Rpt. 

 189(i, pp. 53-58). — This test, which was a continuation of work pre- 

 viously reported in the Annual Report of the station for 1895 (E. S. R., 

 8, p. 714), was made with 100 grade Shropshire lambs, to test the feed- 

 ing value of corn, oats, and peas in various combinations. The lambs 

 were divided into 4 equal lots. All were fed corn fodder ad libitum. 

 In addition lot 1 was given corn, lot 2 corn and oats, lot 3 corn and 

 peas, and lot 4 corn, oats, and peas. The lambs were not in good con- 

 dition when purchased. On arrival at the station they were dipped, 

 and those which had not already undergone the operation were docked. 

 The financial statement is based on corn fodder at $4 per ton and corn 

 at 30 cts., oats at 20 cts., and peas at 45 cts. per bushel. 



The test began January 9 and extended over 8 weeks. The average 

 weight of the lambs at the beginning of the test was 75.4 lbs.' The 

 average weekly gains per head were as follows: Lot 1, 1.9 lbs.; lot 2, 



1.70 lbs. 



lot 3, 2.27 lbs. 



and lot 4, 1.9 lbs. The average cost per 



