CHAPTER III 



THE MAINTENANCE RATION FOR SHEEP THE PRO- 

 DUCTION OF WOOL 



T N addition to the material and energy which 

 *- every animal requires for maintaining life, there 

 is in the sheep a further demand for material for 

 the production of wool, and this being of a protein 

 nature, requires protein for its formation. It is, 

 therefore, clear that sheep require more food pro- 

 tein than do full-grown oxen at rest in the stall. 

 The greater sensitiveness of sheep and the liveliness 

 of their movements, as well as the greater extent 

 of body surface, all point to the increased needs 

 of this species for nitrogenous nutrients, as com- 

 pared with resting oxen, even though the wool 

 of the former protects them from loss of heat. 



Amongst the first investigations carried out on 

 the maintenance food for sheep was one series with 

 two 4^-year-old wethers of a coarse-woolled Hanover 

 breed. The animals had an average weight of 

 47-9 kg., including 2-4 kg. wool, and they were 

 given daily per 1000 kg. live weight (without wool) 

 25-96 kg. meadow hay, which contained in digestible 



247 



