566 EXPERIMENT STATION" RECORD. [Vol.35 



the same pasture and fed a grain ration consisting of shelled corn, oats, wheat 

 bran, and linseed meal, 5:3:2:1. From September 12 to November 5, 978 

 lbs. of the same grain mixture was fed the 38 ewes. 



The average weights of the ewes during the summer months were greater 

 for the two lots of sheep (lots 1 and 3) in which silage had been fed as the 

 sole roughage during the preceding winter. During the entire period the aver- 

 age increase in weight of each ewe in lot 1 was 28.946 lbs., in lot 2, 32.138 

 lbs., in lot 3, 13.752 lbs., and in lot 4, 15.307 lbs. The Shropshire ewes (lots 1 

 and 2) thus gained practically twice as much as the Delaine-Merino ewes 

 (lots 3 and 4). It is estimated that the average cost of keeping each ewe 

 during the 216 days was $2 per head, no credit being given for the value of 

 manure produced while on pasture or the improvement that the sheep brought 

 about by destroying the weeds. 



From April 19 to August 9, the Shropshire lambs (lots 1 and 2) made aver- 

 age daily gains per head of 0.573 and 0.484 lb., while the Delaine-Merino lambs 

 (lots 3 and 4) made average daily gains of 0.288 and 0.36 lb. per head. The 

 total cost of feed was $5.52 for 25 lambs for a period of 112 days. 



During a second winter period of 154 days four lots of 10 ewes each were 

 fed. Lots 1 and 3, consisting respectively of Shropshire and Delaine-Merino 

 ewes of breeding age, were fed a roughage ration composed of corn silage sup- 

 plemented with cotton-seed meal, and a grain mixture composed of shelled corn, 

 oats, bran, and linseed meal, 5:3:2:1, this mixture being fed at such times and 

 in such amounts as were sufficient to keep the ewes in good breeding condition. 

 Lots 2 and 4, Shropshire ewes and Delaine-Merino, respectively, were fed a 

 roughage ration composed of corn silage and alfalfa hay, together with a 

 grain ration as in lots 1 and 3. 



During the first four weeks all lots made good gains. The second period 

 of four weeks gave good gains to lots 2 and 4, but only 0.366 lb. per head in 

 lot 1 and a lo.ss of 0.5 lb. per head in lot 3. All lots lost weight during the third 

 four-week period. Comparing lots 1 and 2, the average weight during the 

 winter was greatest in lot 2. The same correlation in average weight existed 

 in lots 3 and 4. These results are the reverse of those secured during the first 

 winter's investigation (E. S. R., 34, p. 171). During tlie winter period the aver- 

 age loss per ewe in lot 1 was 20.044 lbs. and 5.209 lbs. in lot 2. The Delaine- 

 Merino ewe gained in weight during the winter, lot 3 gaining 1,953 lbs. per 

 head, and lot 4, 17.431 lbs. 



The average amount of air-dry matter consumed per head by the Shropshire 

 ewes maintained on corn silage as a sole roughage was 1.922 lbs., while lot 

 2 averaged 2.651 lbs., lot 3, 1.655 lbs., and lot 4, 2.336 lbs. Comparing the 

 Shropshires in lot 1 with the Delaine-Merino in lot 3, the latter consumed 0.267 

 lb. less per head and 0.197 lb. more per 100 lbs. live weight during the winter. 

 The Delaine-Merino ewes in lot 4 consumed 0.335 lb. of air-dry matter more 

 per 100 lbs. live weight and 0.315 lb. less per head than the Shropshire ewes of 

 lot 2. The daily cost of maintaining the breeding ewe was 1.522 cts. in lot 1, 

 2.248 cts. in lot 2, 1.317 cts. in lot 3, and 1.851 cts. in lot 4. The amount of 

 wool produced was slightly greater in lots 1 and 3 than in lots 2 and 4. No 

 effect of the ration fed could be detected from the market classification. 



The Sliropshire ewes in lot 1 that yeaned averaged 3.5 lbs. less in weight 

 than those of lot 2, Their lambs averaged 0.9 lb. more per head than those 

 of lot 2, but the mortality of both ewes and lambs was greater in lot 1, 

 indicating that the ration possessing corn silage as a sole roughage for Shrop- 

 shire ewes did not prove satisfactory in this experiment. The pregnant Delaine- 

 Merino ewes in lot 3 averaged in weight 9.6 lbs. less than the ewes of lot 4 



