FEED RACKS 



439 



comfort of the animals, and convenience in feeding and watering, 

 and in cleaning the pens. Since sheep are easily restrained, the 

 partitions between pens should be movable and made of compara- 

 tively light material and then the penning arrangement of the barn 

 can be changed from time to time to suit the needs of the flock. 

 Often it is of advantage to construct movable racks which may also 

 serve as partitions between pens. 



Feed Racks. A feed rack for sheep should hold a sufficient 

 quantity of feed, but it need not be a great, cumbersome thing; it 





FIG. 239. Floor plan of shed shown in Fig. 238. (From U. S. D. A. Bulletin 810.) 



should be planned so that the animals can get to the feed easily 

 without wasting it or getting it in their wool, and there should be 

 no sharp corners or rough surfaces to pull out the wool or to cause 

 injury to the animals. If possible, racks should be built of sur- 

 faced lumber. 



In nearly all types of racks for hay or similar roughage, the feed 

 is drawn out between slats. These should be either so close to- 

 gether that it will be impossible for a sheep to thrust its head 

 between them or so far apart that the head will pass between them 

 without danger of becoming fast. Three and one-half to four-inch 

 spaces are sufficient for drawing out feed without inserting the 



