266 FARM ANIMALS 



The Cost of Gain. The actual expense incurred 

 in putting a pound of gain on lambs or old sheep 

 depends primarily on the cost of the grain and al- 

 most equally on the skill of the feeder. It is 

 frequently true that the cost of a pound of gain 

 during the fattening period is equal to the price 

 per pound finally secured for the sheep when sold 

 in a finished market condition. At first thought, 

 this would indicate that the feeding had been done 

 at a loss, but this is quite untrue as should appear 

 upon a little consideration. In fact, the same 

 condition appears everywhere with all kinds of 

 farm animals. The cost of gain is almost always 

 apparently obtained at a loss. It should be re- 

 membered, however, that the market value of the 

 whole carcass is increased by putting on a fine 

 finish. While, therefore, the price obtained for 

 the gains produced during the fattening period 

 may not be more than what the same amount of 

 meat cost in feeding the lamb, yet the increase in 

 value in the rest of the carcass is sufficient to make 

 the whole process of fattening a profitable one. 

 In general, the cost of gain in lambs under the 

 prevailing conditions and managed in a skillful 

 manner should range from three and a half to 

 four and a half cents per pound. It may actually 

 run much higher than this, but so long as five, 

 six or even seven cents a pound may be obtained 

 for live sheep in a fine market form there is 

 sufficient profit for the feeder to incur this ex- 

 pense. 



The Milk Yield of Ewes. Ordinarily, the ewe 

 yields n\ilk for from four to six months and then 

 dries up, whether the lamb has been taken from her 

 or not. It is a matter of interest to determine the 

 amount of milk yielded by ewes. This is obtained 



