274 FARM ANIMALS 



to the fact that the amount of food required for 

 a pound of gain increases regularly with the age 

 of the sheep. On account of the more rapid growth 

 in young lambs than in older sheep it is desirable 

 to feed more grain, particularly of a nitrogenous 

 nature. As a rule, it will be found desirable to 

 feed grain to lambs to the extent of twenty-four 

 per cent, of the ration, to one-year-old wethers to 

 the extent of fifteen per cent, and to two-year- 

 old wethers to the extent of fourteen per cent. 

 The amount of shrinkage in making long ship- 

 ments to market is about the same in lambs, year- 

 lings and two-year-old sheep, but is considerably 

 higher in very old sheep. In order to reduce the 

 amount of shrinkage in shipment as much as pos- 

 sible, it is desirable not to feed sheep too heavily 

 during the early part of the trip. 



Grades vs. Scrubs. We find again in sheep 

 the same question regarding the relative merits 

 of pure breeds, grades and cross bred animals as 

 compared with scrubs. There can be no question 

 whatever regarding the superiority of pure breeds 

 or animals containing a considerable percentage 

 of pure blood as compared with scrubs, providing 

 always that corresponding care and attention is 

 given to the superior quality of animal. For ex- 

 ample, it has been found in Colorado that Shrop- 

 shire lambs make better gains than common 

 western lambs when given the same ration. Thus, 

 during a feeding period of ordinary length Shrop- 

 shire grade lambs gained forty-three and five-tenths 

 pounds while native western lambs gained only 

 thirty-one pounds. In fact, it has been shown 

 beyond question that it is folly to feed high-priced 

 grains and forage plants and give expensive care 

 and attention to common scrub lambs or sheep, 



