576 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



876. Annual vs. permanent pastures. It will commonly be found that 

 iambs grazed oil annual pastures, such as rape, will make more rapid 

 gains than where the entire reliance is placed on such permanent 

 pastures as bluegrass. For example, in a trial by Craig at the Wisconsin 

 Station 88 lambs grazed on rape pasture and fed 0.7 Ib. grain per head 

 daily in addition gained 0.37 Ib. each daily, while others fed the same 

 amount of grain on bluegrass pasture gained only 0.24 Ib. When the 

 lambs were later removed from pasture and fattened in feeding pens, 

 the lambs which had been on rape continued to make somewhat larger 

 and more economical gains, due to better thrift. In trials by Hammond 

 of the Ohio Station 89 rape or a succession of rye, clover, and rape pro- 

 duced somewhat more rapid gains and better finish on lambs than blue- 

 grass pasture. Rape pasture was worth 3 to 4 times as much per acre 

 as the bluegrass pasture. Sometimes unsatisfactory results are secured 

 with rape, because it may 90 cause scours. 



Commonly the best system of flock management is to use annual pas- 

 tures to supplement the permanent pastures. As is pointed out in the 

 next chapter, the greatest need for such additional feed comes when the 

 lambs are weaned. At this time some fresh pasture crop, uncon- 

 taminated with parasites, should always be provided to furnish an 

 abundance of palatable, succulent, and nutritious feed. 



8s Wis. Rpt. 1897. 

 'Ohio Bui. 340. 

 Nebr. Bui. 170. 



