320 



PRODUCTIVE FEEDING OF FARM ANIMALS 



scant to make it worth while to pasture cattle or horses thereon, 

 will often furnish abundant feed for sheep. Their ability to keep 

 weeds in check on farm lands is also important. According to 

 Craig, 1 cattle and horses eat about 50 per cent of the numerous plants 

 regarded as weeds, while the proportion eaten by sheep is over 90 

 per cent. A single sheep does not destroy a whole plant at one time, 



FIG. 88. A fine bunch of yearling rams. (Breeders 1 Gazette.) 



FIG. 89. A good type of mutton sheep. (Pacific Rural Press.) 



but, moving as they graze, each sheep nibbles a few leaves in passing, 

 and when the flock has passed the plant is defoliated. Sheep are, 

 therefore, economical feeders if need be, but they also respond 

 better than the larger farm animals to intensive feeding, and will 

 give quicker returns for the investment for stock and equipment 

 than the larger ones. A daily gain in weight of a quarter of a 

 pound to one-half pound is not excessive for sheep weighing 100 

 pounds, while a 1000 pound steer will not be likely to gain more than 



1 " Sheep Farming," p. 7. 



