GENERAL CARE OF SHEEP AND LAMBS 59f 



should be thrifty, deep-bodied, broad, compact, and low-set, with broad, 

 clean-cut heads, and smooth skin, free from wrinkles. Some men make a 

 specialty of fattening weak, "pewee" lambs or old ewes, but such ani- 

 mals must be purchased cheap and fed with unusual care to make profit. 

 The discussions which follow deal chiefly with the fattening of lambs, 

 owing to the fact that lambs constitute about 75 per ct. of the sheep 

 sold for slaughter. Also they deal largely with lambs from the western 

 ranges. In general the same suggestions apply to farm-raised lambs 

 which are not sold at weaning time, but are fattened in the fall or winter. 



899. Hints on sheep feeding. It has been previously pointed out in 

 this chapter that regularity and quiet are of especial importance with 

 fattening sheep. A striking example of this is given by Faville who 

 reports that during a certain 2-week period of a feeding trial at the 

 "Wyoming Station 23 160 lambs fed by McLay, a most experienced shep- 

 herd, made a total gain of 475 Ibs. During the next 2 weeks McLay was 

 absent. Tho his place was taken by a man who followed the "letter of 

 the law," the lambs lost 85 Ibs. in the 2 weeks, several going off feed. 

 The next 2 weeks, after McLay had returned, the lambs gained 508 Ibs. 



In all cases before sheep are put on feed, they should be examined by 

 an experienced shepherd, and if any evidence of skin disease or vermin 

 is found, the flock should be dipped in the most thoro manner. In the 

 West scab and in the East lice and ticks are common troubles. To at- 

 tempt to fatten sheep afflicted with any of these pests, is to court disaster. 



Lambs from the western ranges must be accustomed to grain and 

 silage gradually, or scouring and other digestive troubles will result. 

 At first the lambs may be fed as much hay or other dry roughage as they 

 will clean up, but only a small amount of grain, 0.1 to 0.2 Ib. per head 

 daily, should be fed, and but little silage. The allowance of grain and 

 silage should be increased gradually until in 6 to 10 weeks the lambs 

 are on full feed. During none of this time should more grain be fed 

 than will be cleaned up in a few minutes. In no case should getting 

 the lambs on feed be hurried, for it means a waste of feed and injuring 

 if not losing some of the animals. It is a good practice to start the 

 lambs on a mixture made up chiefly of a bulky feed, like oats or wheat 

 bran, and gradually increase the proportion of corn or other concen- 

 trated feed, until when on full feed the lambs may be given only corn 

 with a small amount of a protein-rich supplement, if needed to balance 

 the ration. (845) On warm days in winter it is often necessary to, re- 

 duce the grain allowance slightly, or the lambs may go off feed. 



Sheep feeders do not begin operations at an early hour in winter, pre- 

 ferring not to disturb the animals until after daybreak. Usually grain 

 is first given, followed by silage if this is fed, with the hay last. The 

 trough in which grain is fed should be kept clean at all times, and 

 there should be ample space, so that each animal may get its share of 



. Bui. 89. 



