Experiments in Fattening Sheep. 



505 



769. Rape as a second crop. In another trial Shaw 1 sowed 

 rape August 12 on ground which had grown a crop of winter 

 wheat the same season. On October 17, sixty lambs were turned 

 into this field and pastured twenty-five days without other feed, 



with results as follows: 



Pounds. 



Weight of 60 lambs at beginning of experiment .-.. 3,423 



Weight at close 3,813 



Increase in weight 390 



Increase in weight per acre 179 



Average individual increase 6.5 



Average daily individual increase .26 



This is a most favorable showing for rape as a second crop. 

 The feeder watching for opportunity to increase profits will not 

 be slow in following this example. 



770. Alfalfa hay. At the Michigan Station, 2 H. W. Mumford 

 fed one lot of ten lambs on a ration containing alfalfa hay for 

 roughage, giving a second lot of ten, clover hay, both receiving 

 the same allowance of shelled corn and roots. The results of the 

 trial, which lasted fourteen weeks, are summarized in the follow- 

 ing table: 



Alfalfa hay compared with clover hay Michigan Station. 



It will be seen that the dry matter consumed for 100 pounds of 

 gain was practically equal for the two lots, but the heavier gains 

 were made by those getting alfalfa. Commenting on this trial, 

 Mumford writes: "By feeding to each lamb an average of 1.3 

 pounds of alfalfa hay per day, with corn and roots, the lambs so 



1 Rept. Ont. Agr. Col., 1891. 2 Bui. 136. 



