Rations for Fattening Sheep 355 



to be accounted for b}' any unusual conditions pertain- 

 ing to these feeding trials, and therefore indicate what 

 may generally be expected in practice. 



THE SELECTION OF A RATION FOR SHEEP 



The range of feeding stuffs from which a sheep 

 ration may be selected is wide and includes practically 

 all home -raised fodders and grains and the whole list 

 of by-products. It cannot be said, though, that all 

 materials are equally desirable as sheep food. Of the 

 fodders, those from the legumes are especially to be 

 sought, even pea and bean straws, and among the 

 grains corn stands preeminent as the basis of a fat- 

 tening ration. Probably no feeding stuffs are more 

 favored for mixing with corn than oats, bran and 

 linseed meal, probably because none are more success- 

 fully used. Barley, peas, beans, gluten feed, gluten 

 meal and cottonseed -meal have also been successfully 

 fed to sheep. A mixed grain ration is unquestionably 

 to be preferred to any single grain or by-product, be- 

 cause with the mixture greater palatableness is insured, 

 it is possible to maintain the consumption of a larger 

 ration, and the danger to health of heavy feeding is 

 less. The selection of the components of the grain mix- 

 ture should be governed somewhat by market prices. 

 A supply of silage or roots is much to be desired as 

 a part of a sheep - fattening ration, especially when 

 heavy grain rations are to be fed during a long period, 

 although successful feeding during a limited time is 

 entirely possible without these. A succulent food 



