172 EXPEKIMENT STATION BEOORD. 



experiment. This serves to indicate that the amount of corn silage consumed by 

 breeding ewes decreases with prolonged feeding and that alfalfa hay will re- 

 main practically constant when both are fed as roughage in the same ration. 

 The total amount of air-dry matter consumed by breeding ewes was greatest 

 with lots fed alfalfa hay and corn silage as roughage. Due to greater weight and 

 size, the Shropshire consumed more air-dry matter than the Delaine-Merino ewes. 

 The consumption of air-dry matter per 100 lbs. of live weight was also slightly 

 less with the Delaine-Merino ewes receiving corn silage as roughage than the 

 Shropshire consuming the same ration. From these data it appears that the 

 Delaine-INIerino breeding ewes or wool sheep require more air-dry matter per 

 imit weight than mutton-type Shropshire ewes. 



The cost of feeding the ewes in all lots increased with the addition of grain 

 and commercial feeds. Lot 1, receiving corn silage alone as a roughage, had a 

 daily cost of 2.282 cts. per ewe and 1.72 cts. per 100 lbs. of live weight during the 

 period. Lot 2, receiving alfalfa hay and corn silage as roughages, had an average 

 daily cost of 2.933 cts. per ewe and 2.264 cts. per 100 lbs. of live weight. The 

 same correlation was obtained with the costs of feetls fed the Delaine-Merino 

 sheep. The average cost per ewe was I.O.'jG cts. daily in lot 3 and 2.698 cts. in 

 lot 4, and per 100 lbs. of live weight the cost was l.S.')l cts. daily in lot 3 and 2.641 

 cts. in lot 4. The cost of maintaining the Delaine-^Ierino ewes was less than 

 that of the Shropshire ewes because of the greater size and feed capacity of the 

 Shropshire sheep. However, the cost of feed fed per unit weight was less with 

 the Shropshire than with the Delaine-Merino ewes. 



A study was made on the effect of rations fed, the behavior of the ewes and 

 lambs, the percentage of lambs raisetl in each lot, the development of lambs after 

 birth xintil they reach eiglit weeks of age, the condition of the ewes, the sex of 

 lanil>s, and the feed consumed by the lambs. 



Comparing the two Shropshire lots 1 and 2 with the two Delaine-Merino hits 

 3 and 4, the average weiglit of ewes and lambs was greater with the former. 

 The Shropshire ewes averaged 131 lbs. and the Dehiine-Merino ewes 102.16 lbs. 

 at the time of weaning. The Shropshire lambs averaged 9.42 ll)s. and the De- 

 laine-Merino lambs 8.52 lbs. The Shropshire ram lambs averaged 10.58 lbs. 

 and the ewe lambs 8.88 lbs. 



Tlie lambs in lot 1 consumetl the greatest amount of air-dry matter per head 

 daily. In lots 3 and 4 tlie amount consumed was practically identical. The 

 Shropshire lambs consumed more grain than the Delaine-Merino lambs. The 

 average weight of ram lambs in the Shropsliire lots at the end of eight weeks 

 was 35.2 lbs. and of Shropshire ewe lambs 28.59 lbs. The ram lambs in the 

 Delaine-Merino lots averaged 29.25 lbs. at the end of eight weeks, while the ewe 

 lambs wei.ghed 28.25 lbs. The Shropshire and Delaine-^Merino ewes fwl corn 

 silage supplemented with cotton-seed meal had heavier lambs than ewes of the 

 same breed receiving corn silage and alfalfa hay as roughage. 



In a study made of the production and value of wool by the breeding ewes, 

 there appeared to be a greater amount of yolk or oil in the fleeces of the lots 

 receiving corn silage alone as roughage. Unwashed Shropshire fleeces brought 

 more per pound than the Delaine-Merino fleeces. The average weight of the 

 fleeces was 6.799, 6.123, 12..587, and 11. .386 lbs. for the respective lots. 



The author states that this investigation is still in progre.ss and that a dupli- 

 cation is deemed necessary to justify definite conclusions. 



Report of the animal husbandman (yew Jersey Stas. Rpi. 191^, pp. 85-9S, 

 pis. 2). — A 4-acre plat of rape, soy beans, and sweet clover pastured an equiva- 

 lent of 60 days by 30 spring pigs produced, deducting gains made by corn, 1,854_ 

 lbs. of iwrk. It was observed that the pigs preferred the bean forage and that 



