134 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



for only a short time. This did not give the lambs' systems sufficient 

 time to adjust themselves to the changed conditions without a consider- 

 able waste of nutrients. Owing to the poor quality of the hay, the ration 

 had to be largely grain. A pound increase is made at a much higher 

 cost from grain than from hay. A pound of grain costs about five times 

 as much as a pound of clover hay, while the nutrients of the two do not 

 differ nearly so much. 



No lamb was off feed during the period of 84 days. This, we believe 

 was due to the effect of the mixed ration and the roots. Though a 

 mixed grain ration, if properly balanced, may be more expensive than 

 some one grain forming an unbalanced ration, the former may be the 

 more profitable because it is consumed with less waste and tends to 

 keep the animal in a healthier condition. 



We kept water before the lambs all the time. They drank nearly as 

 much between the night and morning feed as betw^een the morning and 

 night feeds. The lambs drank 4I/2 pints of water per head daily be- 

 sides about 1% pints of water in the roots eaten. 



Forty-five of the lambs were slaughtered at the college by profes- 

 sional butchers. The students helped in the work. One carcass was cut 

 up into the various cuts for retail sale. We were shown how to cut 

 the carcass so as to get the most out of it. The value and use of each 

 cut was explained. The weights of the live animals, carcasses and pelts 

 were carefully kept. The lambs were dressed at different periods of 

 time off feed to see what difference this would make on the percentage 

 dressed. The results were as follows : Fifteen lambs slaughtered when 

 six hours off feed dressed 53.78 per cent; six lambs slaughtered when 

 twelve hours off feed dressed 52.8 per cent; twelve lambs slaughtered 

 Avhen eighteen hours off feed dressed 55.5 per cent ; twelve lambs slaught- 

 ered when twenty-four hours off feed dressed 55.0 per cent. 



These results were not quite w^hat we had anticipated, but this seem- 

 ing error showed us that we should not expect the results of any single 

 test, with a few animals, to tally with the general rule. Individual 

 characteristics vary greatly. One lamb dressed 59.9 per cent while an- 

 other from the same lot and slaughtered under the same conditions 

 dressed but 50 per cent. 



The carcasses hung in a room without any heat until sold. Some re- 

 mained on the hooks for two days without any appreciable loss in 

 weight, while others lost .5 of a pound each day. The shrinkage on the 

 forty-five carcasses averaged .4 per cent for each twenty-four hours they 

 hung in the room. The shrinkage would have been greater, probably, 

 if the temperature had not been so low that the carcasses froze. 



These carcasses were sold to various meat dealers in the larger 

 cities throughout the State. Each carcass was wrapped in paper and 

 burlap and placed in a light crate. In every case, they arrived at their 

 destination in most excellent condition and were awarded the top place 

 in the market. Only words of commendation have been heard from 

 those receiving them. We consider this experiment successful because 

 we acquired the practical knowledge to be gained so well in no other 

 way, and because we produced mutton of the best quality. We watched 

 the fattening process from the pasture to the butcher's block. We made 

 close comparisons of each lamb with its mates, and formed opinions as 

 to how each lamb would feed. When we examined the carcasses, 

 we knew how nearly correct had been our judgments. These object les- 



