688 IOWA DEPARTMENT CF AGRICULTURE. 



RATION FOR LAMBS. 



JOHN A. CRAIG OF TEXAS EXPERIMENT STATION, IN BREEDERS GAZETTE. 



R. M. W., Saline, Mich., writes: "What mixture of the following feeds 

 will produce the largest and most economical gains on lambs weighing 

 about 65 pounds when put on feed: Corn at 50c per bushel; oats at 30c; 

 bran at $20 per ton; cottonseed-meal at $27 per ton; linseed meal at $29 

 per ton? How much per head should I feed per day? Rough fodder is 

 limited to good oat and wheat straw and shredded corn fodder during the 

 first half of feeding period, and fine timothy hay during second half. The 

 intention is to feed about five months and to shear the lambs at the end of 

 the fourth month." 



Of the feeds mentioned I would select the oats, corn and cottonseed- 

 meal. I would only use the oats at the beginning of the feeding, as they 

 are a very safe food to start lambs on. I have never found them to give 

 very satisfactory gains in a fattening ration, but undoubtedly they are 

 a very wholesome food and are especially useful in starting lambs on 

 grain that have not been accustomed to it before. They are comparatively 

 cheap at the price mentioned too, and I should certainly prefer them to 

 the bran for the same purpose at the prices mentioned. The corn and 

 cottonseed-meal at the prices mentioned are the two that I would try to 

 m-ake the major portion of the ration. I have never fed cottonseed-meal 

 except in combination with corn to the extent of one part of cottonseed- 

 meal to two parts of corn-meal by weight. The lambs made very satis- 

 factory gains on this, making nearly three pounds per head weekly. 



I would start the lambs on oats alone and after feeding them about 

 a week on this I would introduce a little corn, about a quarter of a pound 

 per head per day. At the end of two weeks they should be eating this 

 ration with relish. At that time they will be taking about a half a pound 

 per head daily, which would consist of one-half oats and one-half corn by 

 weight. If the lambs are exceedingly eager for the ration, in the course 

 of a week I would divide this into two feeds and give them one-half per 

 head daily of the mixture. In the course of another week they should 

 be taking about a pound per head daily divided into two feeds. I would 

 then begin to introduce the cottonseed-meal, giving them a quarter of a 

 pound per head daily in the mixture of corn and oats. If the lambs con- 

 tinue to do well and eat the ration eagerly I would get them onto a ration 

 consisting of two-thirds corn and one-third cottonseed-meal as soon as 

 possible. At the end of the feeding period they will probably be taking 

 as much as two pounds per head daily divided into two feeds of one 

 pound each. The rough fodder that your correspondent has is not very 

 satisfactory, the shredded corn fodder I believe being the best of that 

 which he has. If he could possibly secure some clover for roughage it 

 would make a very satisfactory addition to such a ration. There is a 

 great deal of prejudice against the feeding of cottonseed-meal. I notice 

 that those who have never fed it are very fearful of its killing their 



