FEEDS FOR SHEEP 555 



a ration of corn and alfalfa hay or a ration of corn, linseed meal, and 

 alfalfa hay. 



Considering all the data available, we may conclude that while barley 

 is an excellent feed for fattening lambs, it is worth 18 to 20 per ct. less 

 per ton than shelled corn. California feed barley was found by Morton 

 to have slightly lower value than the heavier Scotch barley, lambs given 

 feed barley requiring 11 per ct. more grain and 4 per ct. more alfalfa 

 hay than those fed Scotch barley. 



Altho somewhat richer in protein than is corn, barley is yet a carbona- 

 ceous grain and hence gives the best results when fed with legume hay. 

 When fed with carbonaceous hay, the ration should be supplemented with 

 a protein-rich concentrate, such as linseed meal or cottonseed meal. 



At the Wyoming Station Faville 11 found that soaking, cracking, or 

 grinding western Scotch barley, which is harder than eastern brewing 

 barley, did not increase its value for lambs. It will probably pay to 

 roll or crack the hard bald or hulless barley, as Faville found that 

 lambs passed more of it undigested than of Scotch barley. If it is 

 ground fine, instead of being cracked or rolled, bald barley is apt to 

 form a sticky mass in the mouths of the sheep. (833) 



849. Wheat. Rarely is wheat fed to sheep unless it is off grade or un- 

 usually low in price. (215) To show its value compared with shelled 

 corn, the following table presents the results of 3 trials, averaging 104 

 days, in which good quality common wheat was compared with corn 

 in lamb-feeding trials. 



Average ration gain Grain H & y 



Wheat vs. corn for fattening lambs 



Daily Feed for 100 Ibs. gain 



Grain Hay 



Lbs. Lbs. 



Lot I, total of 29 lambs* 



Wheat, 1.4 Ibs. Hay, 1.5 Ibs 0.30 524 482 



Lot II, total of 29 lambs* 



Shelled corn, 1.4 Ibs. Hay, 1.5 Ibs . 30 515 472 



*Average of 2 trials by Wilson and H. G. Skinner (S. D. Buls. 80, 86), and 1 by F. B. Mumford (Mich. 

 Bui. 128). 



The lambs fed wheat made the same gains as those fed corn, and re- 

 quired only 2 per ct. more grain and hay for 100 Ibs. gain. In 4 trials 

 which have been carried on to compare wheat and barley for lambs, 

 wheat has proven of slightly higher value than barley, less being re- 

 quired for 100 Ibs. gain. 12 These results, confirmed by British experi- 

 ments, show that good quality wheat is slightly superior to barley and 

 nearly equal to corn for fattening sheep. Since wheat is a carbonaceous 

 grain, the best results are secured when it is fed with legume hay. 



In 2 trials at the South Dakota Station, Wilson and Skinner 13 found 

 durum, or macaroni, wheat practically equal to common wheat for fat- 



"Wyo. Buls. 89, 103. 



12 Linfield, Mont. Buls. 47, 59; Wilson and Skinner, S. D. Bui. 86; Carlyle and 

 Iddings, Idaho Bui. 77. 

 13 S. D. Bui. 86. 



