74 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



"Although definite conclusions should not be drawn from one experiment, yet this 

 feeding test indicates that lambs can be fattened more profitably than yearling weth- 

 ers, and that under favorable conditions it may be better for farmers who have an 

 abundance of coarse fodder to fefed their lambs heavily for 8 or 10 weeks, instead of 

 selling them at the usual time in the fall. It also indicates that forage and grain 

 produced upon the farm may be sold at home for a higher price than the market 

 offers. ' ' 



A second test in the fall of 1898, with 60 lambs, was discontinued 

 on account of many of the lambs being seriously affected with an inter- 

 nal parasite. The indications were that cowpea hay was superior to 

 timothy hay, although the gains were unsatisfactory in all of the lots. 



Feeding ground corn v, ground peas to lambs before and 

 after weaning, W. L. Carlyle ( Wi^mn^ui .St((. Rj>f. 1S99, pp. M-ol, 

 Jigs. 2). — For the past 10 years the station has studied the feeding value 

 of different grains for lambs before and after weaning (E. S. R., 11, 

 p. 5(37). In the present test, coarsel}" ground corn and ground peas 

 were tested with 2 lots of 17 lambs each, before and after weaning. 

 The dams (11 Shropshire ewes per lot) were with the lambs until 

 weaned. The lambs and ewes were pastured on blue grass during the 

 day and housed during the night. Lot 1 was fed ground corn and lot 

 2 ground peas. Until weaning the grain was fed ad Ilhltum; after 

 weaning it was fed at the rate of about i lb. per day. The ewes were 

 not fed grain. The test began May 24, 1898, and was divided into 2 

 periods of 10 weeks each, the lambs being weaned at the close of the 

 first period. In discussing the financial returns, corn is rated at 30 

 and peas at 45 cts. per bushel. Previous to weaning, the average dailj^ 

 gain of lot ] was 8.7 lbs., and of lot 2, 8.9 lbs., the grain required per 

 pound of gain with the 2 lots being 0.883 lb. and 0.889 lb. After 

 weaning, the average daily gain of the 2 lots was 6 and 5.1 lbs., respec- 

 tivel}^; the corresponding amounts of grain required per pound of gain 

 being 2.11 and 2.41 lbs. During the whole test the cost of a pound of 

 gain with lot 1 was 0.752 ct., and with lot 2, 1.085 cts. ""Ground corn 

 is a better feed than ground peas, pound for poiuid, when fed to }■ oung 

 lambs, and is much the more economical feed when the average ruling 

 prices of the 2 grains are considered." 



At the close of the test, the carcasses of 2 lambs from each lot were 

 compared. "The proportion of lean to fat and the character of the 

 fat as to solidity, color, etc. , appeared to be exactly the same in the 

 carcasses of lambs from both the lots." 



In connection with the above test, the comparative effect upon the 

 ewe of nursing single and twin lambs, as well as the gains made by 

 single and twin lambs and the comparative gains made b}^ ewe and 

 wether lambs, were also studied. 



"A ewe can raise twins without losing any more weight than when raising a single 

 lamb. The ewes losing the most flesh while suckling lambs are not necessarily the 

 best mothers. Wether lambs gain more rapidly than the ewe lambs while nursing. 

 Twin lambs nursing one mother gain as rapidly as when there is but one lamb 

 nursing." 



