252 SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



when, in consequence of insufficient food, the live 

 weight of the animal steadily decreases. Very rich 

 feeding, though, does not, on the other hand, 

 cause a greater growth of wool than when a suf- 

 ficient maintenance ration is given. 



With regard to the feeding-stuffs which may be 

 used, care should be taken not to give an excess 

 of watery foods, for these are not good for sheep. 

 Roots and tubers, on this account, are only used 

 as subsidiary foods, and the main diet is composed 

 of the different varieties of hay and straw, and the 

 lack of protein made good with small quantities 

 of oil cakes, lupines, dried grains, dried distillers' 

 waste, etc. Full-grown sheep only require very 

 small amounts of bone-forming mineral substances, 

 for it has been found that two-year-old wethers 

 which had ceased to grow and weighed 55 kg. only 

 required 0*57 g. lime and 0-05 g. phosphoric acid, 

 which quantities are to be obtained from the usual 

 rations. 



