FEEDING ROOTS TO SHEEP 251 



special feeding. It is usual to have a separate cutter 

 (which cuts the roots into long chips or fingers) for 

 every one or two lots of sheep, and as fast as one heap 

 becomes used up, the hurdles are pushed forward 

 against the next. At the same time the land gets 

 uniformly manured. 



The sheep are thus relieved of the trouble of 

 breaking their own roots, and as soon as November 

 comes in they may be handicapped by teething changes 

 taking place. They can still get their full quantity of 

 roots with a minimum amount of trouble, thus giving 

 them longer periods of rest. It is not advisable to fill 

 the troughs full of cut roots, say, morning and after- 

 noon, because so many get pulled over the side of the 

 trough and wasted. Further, in frosty weather any roots 

 which are not cleaned up immediately, become frozen, 

 and on this account are much less suitable for fattening 

 purposes. It is much better to feed the cut roots three 

 to four times a day, and give them no more than they 

 can clean up immediately. 



The feeding of cut roots for sheep which are being 

 fattened off for mutton is very general, at any rate after 

 the supply of soft turnips has become exhausted. The 

 quantity allowed with hay and cake is anywhere from 

 14 to 21 Ibs. per head per day, depending on the size 

 of sheep, etc. Sheep have been fattened off on hay and 

 roots, but the mortality is apt to be high, and the cost 

 of producing live-weight increase considerably in- 

 creased. Feeding the roots cut reduces the mortality, 

 as the sheep get very little sand with their roots 

 compared with the practice of feeding the roots off 

 whole on the ground. 



Principal Lawrence found that sheep receiving 

 cake, hay, and turnips increased in live weight at the 



