General Care of Sheep and Lambs. 483 



We learn from the table that breeding ewes weighing about 145 

 Ibs. each can be so maintained when carrying their lambs in winter as 

 to gain steadily in weight on a daily allowance of 2 Ibs. of mixed hay, 

 2 to 3 Ibs. of corn silage, corn forage, or roots, and 0.5 Ib. of grain 

 or other concentrates. All of the rations tested were highly satis- 

 factory. The daily cost of maintaining these large ewes was 2 cents 

 per head or less according to the value of the feeds used. 



In previous trials at the Wisconsin Station 1 Craig considers alsike 

 clover hay one of the best dry roughages, as it was eaten with relish 

 and comparatively small waste. Corn fodder and oat hay also proved 

 satisfactory. Cut (chaffed) oat hay gave poor results, as the pieces 

 gathered in the wool about the necks of the sheep and it was not well 

 eaten. Of succulent fodders corn silage gave the best results. It 

 should not contain too much corn, however, which is injurious to 

 breeding ewes. 



782. Cost of keep at the South. Grey and Ridgeway of the Ala- 

 bama Station, 2 in studying the cost of maintaining pregnant ewes 

 during the winter, report the following: 



Cotton-seed meal compared with soybean hay for wintering pregnant ewes. 



It is shown that on the given feeds ewes can be maintained at the 

 South for from 30 to 35 cents per month. After lambing it required 

 75 per ct. more cotton-seed meal and 81 per ct. more hulls to maintain 

 the ewe and her lamb than before. 



783. Water and salt. Opinions as to the amount of water neces- 

 sary for sheep vary more than with any other domestic animal. In 

 countries with heavy dews and ample succulent feed in summer, and 

 where root crops are largely used in winter, water may possibly be 

 denied sheep, but under most conditions it is a necessity and should 

 never be withheld. A sheep needs from 1 to 6 quarts of water daily, 

 according to feed and weather. The best results are secured when 

 they have free access to fresh, pure water. On the arid ranges of 

 the Southwest when grazing on certain succulent plants, like singed 

 cacti, sheep sometimes go 60 days without water. 3 (87) 



1 Rpt. 1893. 3 Wilcox and Smith, Farmer 's Cyclopedia of Live Stock, p. 590. 



2 Bui. 148. 



