QUANTITY AND COMPOSITION OF HWHS' MILK: ITS 

 RELATION TO THE GROWTH OF LAMBS 



By Ray E. Neidig, Chemist, and E. J. Iddings, Dean arid Director, Idaho Agricultural 



Experiment Station^ 



INTRODUCTION 



During the progress of an investigation upon dififerent breeds of sheep 

 at the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station observations were made 

 upon the rate of growth of lambs from five breeds of ewes that are com- 

 monly found in this section of the country. The results indicated that 

 lambs from some of the breeds studied made a decided gain over others 

 in the same period of time. Inasmuch as the sheep industry is of such 

 economic importance to the Nation, the rate of gro^\i:h of the lambs 

 assumes more than ordinary interest, and an effort is being made to 

 ascertain the relation of the quantity and composition of ewes' milk of 

 each breed to the growth of the lambs. 



FACTORS ESSENTIAL IN GROWTH 



The chief factors in growth are inherited capacity and a sufficient 

 quantity of nutritious food. The second factor only will be studied, 

 since without sufficient food inherited capacity for growth will be more 

 or less inhibited. 



Growth depends upon nutritious foods, and recent investigators have 

 demonstrated that these foods must contain a sufficient quantity of inor- 

 ganic salts, certain amino acids, lipoids, fats or oils of a peculiar nature, 

 and vitamines. The absence of any of these substances is detrimental 

 to growth. It is obvious that a well-balanced food is essential, and in 

 milk we have the highest type of such food. The fact, however, remains 

 that milk from ewes of dififerent breeds has been found to vary in quan- 

 tity and composition, and this may account to some extent for dififer- 

 ences in growth. 



REVIEW OF LITERATURE 



As early as 1850 data were collected giving the analysis of ewes' milk. 

 Since that time many investigators ^ have contributed to our knowledge 

 of the composition of ewes' milk. Their results, however, have dealt 

 mainly with the high-milk-producing ewes of foreign countries, where 



• The authors wish to acknowledge with thanks the careful work of the foUowing men whose assistance 

 made it possible to carry on this work: To Messrs. Grover V>. Tumbow, R. R. Groninger, and Ronald Wood 

 credit is due for the cheniical analyses; to Messrs. O. W. Johnson, C. H. Ficke, and W. H. Booth (killed in 

 service, France) for the careful determination on yield of milk and growth of lambs. 



• K6nIG, J. CHSMIB DER MENSCHUCHEN NaHRXTOGS- UND GENUSSMITTEL. Aufl. 4, Bd. 1, p. 365-271. 



Berlin, 1903. 



Journal of Agricultural Research. Vol. XVII, No. i 



Washington, D. C. Apr. 15, 1919 



rt Key No. Idaho — 2 



