Care and Management of Sheep. 



It will be seen that Lot II, kept in a yard with an open shed, made 

 the largest and the most economical gain, while Lot I, kept out of 

 doors, made as good gains as those confined in the barn, but re- 

 quired slightly more feed for 100 Ibs. of gain. (771, 828) 



735. Water. The following table presents data gathered at the 

 Michigan 1 and Colorado 2 Stations on the consumption of water by 

 fattening lambs weighing about 80 Ibs. at the beginning of the ex- 

 periment : 



Water drank by lambs on various rations during fattening. 



It will be noticed that the addition of roots to the ration greatly 

 decreased the amount of water required per lamb daily, lambs fed 

 clover hay and unlimited sugar beets drinking only 0.3 Ib. each daily. 

 Lambs fed in an open yard required less water than those kept in 

 confinement. At the Colorado Station, supplying lambs fattening on 

 alfalfa hay and grain with warm instead of cold water made no dif- 

 ference either in the quantity of water drank or in the rate and 

 economy of the gains produced. (87, 612) 



Grey and Ridgeway of the Alabama Station 3 found that in late 

 summer ewes in confinement drank 2.5 Ibs. of water each while liv- 

 ing on green sorghum forage, and 6.1 Ibs. when on cotton-seed meal 

 and hulls. 



736. Salt. In a feeding experiment in France 4 in which 3 lots 

 of sheep were fed the same ration of hay, straw, potatoes, and beans, 

 those receiving 0.5 oz. of salt per head daily gained 4.5 Ibs. per head 

 more than those fed no salt, and 1.25 Ibs. more than those fed 0.75 

 oz. of salt per head daily. This indicates that sheep can be given too 

 much as well as too little salt. The fleeces of the salt-fed sheep were 

 better and heavier than of those fed no salt. 



*Bula. 113,128.136. 



2 Bui. 75. 



3 Bui. 148. 



4 Abs. in Agr. Jour, and Min. Eec. 5 (1902), p. 361. 



