General Care of Sheep. 



527 



winter. The ewes were Sliropshires and Shropshire-Merino crosses 

 ranging from 148 to 177 pounds each in weight at the beginning 

 of the trial. Each lot was fed separately and received one-half 

 pound of oats or bran per head daily. In addition to this, rough- 

 age was supplied as shown in the table. The figures given below 

 are calculated for 100 ewes averaging about 160 pounds each. 



Feed required in winter to maintain 100 pregnant breeding ewes, 

 weighing from 1^8 to 177 pounds each — Wisconsin Station. 



By the above we note that to maintain a flock of 100 breeding 

 ewes weighing about 16,000 pounds, there are required daily 50 

 pounds of oats or bran, 175 pounds of com fodder and 310 pounds 

 of sugar beets. The stockman can easily calculate the cost of 

 this ration. Under Western conditions the cost of maintaining 

 a flock of 100 large ewes will be about $1 per day, or one cent 

 per head when kept on corn fodder, sugar beets and oats. Ee- 

 viewing these findings, Craig reports that alsike clover hay was 

 considered one of the best feeds in the list, being eaten with rel- 

 ish and comparatively small waste. Cut (chaffed) oat hay was 

 found unsatisfactory, as the pieces gathered in the wool about the 

 necks of the sheep, and it was not so well eaten. Com silage 

 was found desirable unless it contained much corn, which is in- 

 jurious to breeding ewes. 



