482 



Feeds and Feeding. 



satisfactory. An especially choice bite may always be provided for 

 the lambs at this important time by a little forethought on the part 

 of the stockman. 



Wing writes: 1 "As a rule it is not necessary to wean lambs be- 

 fore they go to market. If they are fed right they will, while suck- 

 ing their mothers, reach a weight of 75 to 85 Ibs., if of mutton breeds." 

 Lambs which are to remain on the farm should be weaned at 10 to 12 

 weeks. By separating them from their dams before the advent of 

 warm weather, and putting them on clean pasture free from contam- 

 ination, they may escape stomach worms and other parasites. 



781. Maintenance ration for breeding ewes in winter. At the 

 Wisconsin Station 2 Carlyle and Kleinheinz recorded the amount of 

 feed eaten in winter by well-fed, pregnant Shropshire, Dorset, South- 

 down, Merino, and Shropshire-Merino ewes ranging in weight from 

 138 to 157 Ibs. each at the beginning of the trial. The ewes were 

 divided evenly as regards size and breed into lots of 12 each. The 

 mixed grains fed consisted of equal parts of corn, oats, and bran. 

 The corn forage consisted of corn fodder and corn stover. The table 

 shows the average amount of feed consumed daily by each ewe during 

 the winter and the average daily gain of each lot: 



Feed required to maintain a breeding ewe for 1 day in winter. 



Single trial 



Av. 



daily 

 gain 



Average of 2 other trials 



Av. 



daily 

 grain 



Lot I 



Shelled corn, 0. 5 Ib. 

 Mixed hay, 2 Ibs. 



Corn silage, 2.5 Ibs 



Lot II 



Whole oats, 0.5 Ib. 

 Mixed hay, 2 Ibs. 



Corn silage, 2.5 Ibs 



Lot III 



Wheat bran, 0. 5 Ib. 

 Mixed hay, 2 Ibs. 



Corn silage, 2.5 Ibs 



Lot IV 



Dried brewers' grains, 0.5 Ib. 

 Mixed hay, 2 Ibs. 



Corn silage, 2.5 Ibs 



Lot V 



Mixed bran, corn, and oats. 0. 7 Ib. 

 Mixed hay, 2. 3 Ibs. 

 Corn silage, 2.7 Ibs 



Lbs. 



0.23 



0.23 



0.20 



0.24 



0.20 



Lot I 

 Mixed grain, 0.5 Ib. 



Corn.f orage, 3. 3 Ibs. 

 Lot II 



Mixed grain, 0. 5 Ib. 

 Corn silage, 3 Ibs. 

 Corn forage, 1.8 Ibs. 

 Lot III 



Mixed grain, 0. 5 Ib. 

 Cora silage, 2. 9 Ibs. 

 Mixed hay, 2. 1 Ibs. 

 Lot IV 



Mixed grain, 0. 5 Ib. 

 Roots, 2. 9 Ibs. 

 Mixed hay, 2. 6 Ibs. 



Lbs. 

 0.19 



0.09 

 0.16 

 0.18 



1 Sheep Farming in America. 



2 Epts. 1900-1903. 



