68 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



larger proportioD of lambs reared and sold, the best results were obtained with the 

 pure Welsh breed. At lambing times the Welsh lambs were hardier and stood con- 

 ditions of the weather, etc., better than the heavier crossbreeds and were also ready 

 for market about 3 weeks earlier than the others. Additional experiments are con- 

 sidered necessary before definite conclusions can be drawn. 



Breeding- for fat lambs, W. T. Lawrence {Agr. Dept. Durham Col. Sci. Ami. 

 Rpt., 12 (1908), pp. 78-80). — in experiments at Newton Etigg, an Oxford-down, a 

 Wensleydale. and a Border Leicester ram were each crossed with 19 Cheviot Border 

 Leicester ewes. 



The average weight of the lambs when sold ranged from 74.8 lbs. with the Oxford- 

 down cross to 77.2 lbs. with the Wensleydale cross. The average value per pound 

 with the Oxford-down cross was 9.66 cts. and with the Wensleydale and the Border 

 Leicester cross 9.48 cts. The Oxford-down lambs matured most quickly for market 

 and cost less for maintenance than the others, consequently their dams could be fat- 

 tened and sold more quickly than the other ewes. When the earlier maturity of 

 the Oxford-down lambs is taken into account, according to the author, the results 

 obtained with them must be considered the most satisfactory. 



Feeding experiments with, lambs, 1903-4, B. C. Blffum ( Wyoming Sta. J>nl. 

 64, />/>. J0,]>ls. 3). — In continuation of a test previously reported (E. S. R., 14, p. 382), 

 a lot of 60 lambs was pastured on 11.6 acres of field peas raised on sod without irriga- 

 tion, while 4 similar lots were fed alfalfa, turnips, and linseed meal, with and with- 

 out corn; alfalfa and corn; and alfalfa with a mixture of barley, wheat, and oil meal. 

 All the lots contained both large lambs and small scrubs. 



The test proper covered 100 days, being preceded by a preliminary period in which 

 all the lots received uniform treatment. On field peas the average gain per head 

 was 24.9 lbs. With the other lots the gains ranged from 18.7 lbs. on alfalfa, turnips, 

 and oil meal to 27.2 lbs. on alfalfa, turnips, corn, and oil meal. With all the lots 

 the digestible nutrients per pound of gain ranged from 0.83 lb. protein and 4.04 lbs. 

 carbohydrates and fat on the alfalfa, turnips, corn, and oil meal ration, to 1.43 lbs. 

 protein and 6.65 lbs. carbohydrates and fat on field peas. 



The gain was most expensively made with the lot fed peas, costing 6.22 cts. per 

 pound, and most cheaply with the lot fed alfalfa, turnips, and oil meal, costing 3.35 

 cts. per pound. When slaughtered the largest proportion of dressed carcass, 47.8 per 

 cent, was noted with the lot fed corn and oil meal, and the smallest, 43.3 per cent, 

 with the lot fed oil meal in addition to coarse fodder. 



The principal conclusions follow: 



The lot fed field peas harvested the crop, made better gains, and went to market 

 in better condition than the lot fed corn and alfalfa. 



"It is possible to fatten lambs without grain on a cheap ration of alfalfa, turnips, 

 and oil meal, and such rations will be further investigated. 



"A complete and well-balanced ration of alfalfa, turnips, corn, and oil meal gave 

 the largest gains on the smallest actual amount of nutrients in the fond. 



"There are probably better and more practical rations for fattening lambs in 

 Wyoming than the alfalfa and corn ration commonly used. 



"Combinations of wheat and barley fed alternately in ten-day periods did not give 

 the best results. Fed in this manner, the lambs ate less grain and made smaller 

 gains than on other grain rations. 



"Under our conditions it will not pay to feed small, stunted lambs on full grain 

 rations for short periods." 



Sheep-feeding experiment, W. Bruce ( Edinh. and East of Scot. Col. Agr. /»'"/. 

 4, ]>}>. 1-17, S3).— Using 6 lots of 38 sheep each, a test was undertaken to learn the 

 most profitable feeding stuffs to use with a basal ration of cut Swedish turnips ad 

 libitum with hay in the winter feeding of sheep, and to determine whether the use of 

 concentrated feeding stuffs effected any saving in the daily consumption of turnips. 



