FEEDING SHEEP 227 



often necessary, in order to secure the most profit 

 on the feeding, to choose the food that is most 

 economical to use, although it may be the highest 

 in price. Cottonseed meal, while one of the highest 

 priced concentrates on the market, is at the same 

 time a heavy carrier of protein, and when a rough- 

 age material like corn stover or timothy hay is fed, 

 cottonseed meal is really a cheaper food than corn 

 at a much less cost. It is not only advisable, but 

 very profitable, to pay a higher price for this grain 

 than for other less heavy protein carriers, even at 

 prices considerably less. 



The two most valuable feeds for winter use are 

 clover and alfalfa. Cut when in blossom, cured so 

 as to preserve all good qualities and kept from damp 

 and mold, each of these is a good basic food for all 

 feeding purposes, and where a maintenance diet is 

 desired each will practically meet the requirements 

 without any additional supply. Well-cured pea 

 straw comes third in the list, and is liked by sheep 

 better than either timothy or any other grass or 

 cereal hay. 



Oat hay, if cut when the grains are in the milk 

 stage, is much liked and is an admirable feed for 

 sheep. Fodder corn is greedily eaten, blades, husks 

 and ears, the hard stalks only being rejected. When 

 fodder corn is fed, some protein food like oil meal, 

 bran, pea meal, or a mixture should be fed in addi- 

 tion. 



Choosing the Feed. While there is wide choice 

 as to the variety of food, those foods that furnish 

 abundant flesh should be chosen for the grow- 



