772 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



[Vol. 35 



The animal-breeding' industry, R. Pearl (Sci. Mo., S {1916), No. 1, pp. 

 2&-30). — A general article treating of the number and value of farm live stock 

 in the United States, exports and imports. 



Sheep management; breeds and judging, P. Kleinheinz (Madison, Wis.: 

 Author, 1916, 3. ed., rev. and enl., pp. XX +306, figs. 111). — This is the third 

 edition of this book, revised and enlarged (E. S. R., 26, p. 570). 



The improvement of the sheep of the Middle Tiber Valley by means of 

 crossing with Rambouillet Merinos, P. Pazzini (Staz. Sper. Agr. Ital., 48 

 {1915), No. 9, pp. 649-676; abs. in Internat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. 

 Intel, and Plant Diseases, 6 {1915), No. 12, pp. 1681-1683). — In these experi- 

 ments it was found that compared with the native breed the crosses show better 

 shape, greater weight of the lambs at birth, greater increase in weight of the 

 lambs, greater carcass weight in the wethers, and greater chest index, together 

 with a lower heart and lung index. Observations made on the production of 

 wool show that the crossbreds have an additional advantage, both as to absolute 

 weight of fleece and quality of fiber. 



A new fleece record claimed, W. Stemmons {Breeder's Gaz., 69 {1916), No. 

 21, p. 1114). — It is claimed that the heaviest fleece ever shorn from a single 

 sheep was recently taken from a 2-year-old Rambduillet ram on the farm of 

 the Oklahoma Agricultural College. The fleece weighed 46.25 lbs. The fibers 

 of the fleece were measured and found to average 1/1800 of an inch. The 

 average length of the staple of this fleece was 3.25 in., and the average length 

 of the fiber when stretched 5.25 in. This fact shows that the crimp is excep- 

 tionally good, and because of this the felting properties of the wool are 

 extraordinary. 



Mendelism of short ears in sheep, E. G. Ritzman {U. S. Dept. Agr., Jour. 

 Agr. Research, 6 {1916), No. 20, pp. 797, 798).— The author describes a distinct 

 type of short ears in sheep which in breeding experiments at the New Hamp- 

 shire Experiment Station has behaved as a simple Mendelian unit factor, being 

 dominant over long ears. 



Com silage for lambs, J. W. Wilson (South Dakota Sta. Bui. 165 (1916), 

 pp. 377-390, figs. 7). — This bulletin gives results of two experiments involving 

 140 lambs, those for the 1914 test being home-grown or native lambs and those 

 used in 1915 being western range lambs. Each fall there were 7 lots of 10 

 lambs each. The rations fed, the grain part of which was a mixture of corn 

 axid oats half and half by weight, and some of the results obtained are 

 given in the following table : 



Results of lamb-feeding experiments in 1914 and 1915. 



Lots. 



Average daily ration per head. 



1914 



DaUy 



gain 



per bead. 



Feed 

 cost per 

 pound of 



gain. 



1915 



Daily 



gain 



per head. 



Feed 

 cost per 

 pound of 



gain. 



1.15 pounds grain, 1.38 pounds silage 



1.52 pounds grain, 0.72 pound silage, 0.7fi pound hay . . 

 1.52 pounds grain, 0.6 pound silage, 0.86 pound hay.. 

 1.49 pounds grain, 0.49 pound silage, 0.97 pound hay. 



1.51 pounds grain, 0..37 pound silage, 1.23 pound hay. 



1.52 pounds grain, 0.22 pound silage, 1.33 pounds hay 

 1.61 pounds grain, 1.11 pounds hay 



Pounds. 

 0.13 

 .23 

 .28 

 .28 

 .25 

 .24 

 .23 



Cents. 

 11.44 

 8.45 

 7.12 

 7.09 

 7.96 

 7.21 

 7.45 



Pounds. 

 0.08 

 .18 

 .23 

 .21 

 .19 

 .17 

 .16 



Cents. 

 12.00 

 9.69 

 7.83 

 8.39 

 9.23 

 10.40 

 10.47 



