II Oct., 1909.] Oats for Fattening Sheef and Lambs. 637 



OATS l-Oll FATTEXING .^.IIEEP AND LAMBS. 



H. W . Hatu, Sheep Expert. 



The methods of management and the benefits and profits likely to 

 accrue from feeding oats to sheep cannot be stated in a general way, as 

 much depends on the breed, health, degree of conditicm, and the price 

 paid for the sheep when bought. 



Each individual farmer mu.st study for himself the advantages of being 

 near a market, both for buying and selling. A fairly well improved farm 

 and proper appliances are necessary, and, above all, good fences, for the 

 breeds that pav best for this work are the worst on fences. 



A farmer needs good judgment and a knowledge of sheep, in order 

 to buy healthy and suitable types for this object. The difficulty, in late 

 years, has been that sheep of the right class are seldom offering. Merinoes 

 are the least suitable for the work, although good profits have been made 

 out of them when bought at a low figure, in times of drought, but they 

 take longest to fatten. 



Seasons vary ; some years it is pos.sible to buy \ery cheaply in Feb- 

 ruary and March, whilst in other years sheep are dear right through, and 

 there is very little difference benveen the price of stores and fats, which 

 will probablv be the case during the next few months. When the northern 

 areas are experiencing fair seasons, sheep will fatten there rapidly and 

 cheaply ; and if farmers are to compete profitably they must of necessity 

 buy store sheep at the cheapest time, and have them fat for the winter 

 months. In earlv spring the northern farmers can have fat sheep 

 ready off the natural pasture, especially ewe muttc-n. Any ewes that 

 miss getting in lamb, or even those whose lambs die, are by then very 

 fat : and if fat sheep are selling at all well, it pays to send them down. 



Half a pxjund of oats per dav will keep an average sized sheep going 

 well, proriding good water is available. If there is a fair picking of 

 grass as well, they will steadily fatten. The larger the sheep, and the 

 more its disposition is to put what it eats into wool-production, yolk. &c., 

 the more feed and longer time it takes to fatten. 



Merinoes as a rule are not suitable for this method of fattening. 

 They are wilder for cme thing, and a great manv starion cull lots are 

 badly shaped and yolky woolled. and never fatten. The skins of good 

 merinoes. especiallv when fattened on natural pasture, are most valuable, 

 and assist in selling the sheep; but when fattened at feeding troughs, the 

 dust and the rubbing due to jostling lessen their skin value to a consider- 

 able extent. 



Troughs for feeding oats to sheep should be fully 12 inches wide, 

 and the sides 4 to 6 inches high — ^the width allows for carele.ssness of 

 lads and general farm hands when emptying oats into the troughs ; 

 this width also allows sheep to ft-ed facing one another. Some farmers 

 u.se old railwav sleepers — one laid on its flat and one each .side on edge, 

 and kept in position with short stakes. It is usual to allow twelve inches 

 to the sheep : 50 feet will allow 100 hundred sheep to feed. 



Among other plans is one where ridging iron fastened inside a rough 

 frame is used. One farmer near Avoca has adopted this method. He 

 solders ends to them, and when the troughs are filled with oats, pours 

 boiling water on the oats a few hours before letting the sheep in to feed ; 

 even cold water is better than not soaking them at all. By this means he 

 fattens broken-mouthed, old crossbred and merino ewes in a very short 

 space of time. 



