198 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Lambs that are put onto the market in the fall sell mostly for feeders and 

 at feeder prices and the producer must keep in mind the matter of feeding lib- 

 erally if he hopes to realize the best prices at this season. Grass fed lambs are 

 usually all sold by the middle of December and if a system of feeding can be 

 adopted to have choice lambs ready between this time and the middle of Janu- 

 ary when the winter fed lambs begin to arrive on the market, one can secure 

 good prices. 



Late fed lambs that are ready for the market in April or possibly a little 

 earlier when most of the winter fed lambs have been marketed, have little com- 

 petition and may sell well, although the number of lambs that have been mar- 

 keted previously and the demand, determine the kind of a price one will 

 secure. 



It is a safe rule to market lambs when they are fat and at the most de- 

 sirable weight, providing the market is normal. Avoid putting "half fed" stuff 

 on the market and being obliged to accept low prices paid for it. 



The man having one or more carloads can always sell to a better advantage 

 than the man with a smaller lot. This is true providing he can make up a load 

 of uniform stuff which should always be done to the fullest extent possible. A 

 more uniform appearance may be secured by clipping loose wool and tagging just 

 a little about the tail. Expert buyers do not buy on appearance, but a favorable 

 impression tends to make them more liberal and well marketed loads are an in- 

 spiration to the seller. 



Lambs that are shipped should not be stuffed prior to shipping. Dry feed 

 and a somewhat reduced amount enable them to reach the market in the best 

 condition. Do not crowd the cars, but watch the lambs during shipment to avoid 

 their piling up at one end of the car and becoming smothered. 



Fattening Sheep. Feeding and fattening sheep that have simply been 

 grown and not fed grain to any extent on pasture, has always been an important 

 branch of the sheep industry. Men who thoroughly learn the business maintain 

 feeding stations where large numbers of lambs are purchased in the fall and feti 

 during the winter. The margin between purchase and selling price and the 

 gains in weight, are the source of profit in the business. Farmers who raise 

 their own lambs or buy on the markets and men who have access to suitable 

 sheds at convenient shipping points and near factories that supply refuse like 

 beet pulp, pea vine silage and other refuse possessing feeding value, engage in 

 this line of industry. 



The Feeding Period. Early spring lambs if not fattened on grass pas- 

 ture can be fattened in the fall and marketed in December or January and in 

 some instances earlier. Later lambs are fed twelve to fourteen weeks, depend- 

 ing upon their condition, and marketed in March or April. A feeding period 

 of 100 days should secure a gain of 20 Jo 30 pounds per head and a suitable 

 condition for the market. The market should be studied and the most suitable 

 weights, approximately 80 pounds, provided. , 



Rations Suitable for Fattening 1 . Light, low grade and heavyweight 

 screenings with clover or alfalfa, provide rations on which thousands of sheep 



