172 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



a "creep" for the lambs to go through into the field, and 

 lets them stay there at pleasure. They soon wean them- 

 selves; the "creep" is then closed and a safe pen in the 

 alfalfa field is used for shelter from rains and protection 

 from dogs. When necessary to fasten them in at night to 

 guard against dogs or wolves, he cuts green alfalfa each 

 evening to give them with a little grain in the morning 

 before turning them back to the field. The lambs grow 

 rapidly and none ever bloat. Nevertheless, most sheep 

 raisers will continue to reckon alfalfa pasture too expen- 

 sive when it costs so many animals for the privilege of 

 its use. Safety is the exception, and not the rule. 



Owners of large flocks of sheep claim to be able to 

 market lambs from alfalfa pasture, or when soiled, at 

 one-half to one-third the cost of maintenance with any 

 other crop. Green or cured it seems to hasten develop- 

 ment and the lambs are in fine condition for fattening in 

 October, or the ewes to put into the breeding pen. 



The Nebraska station in a winter experiment of 98 

 days with one hundred 50-pound lambs, divided into dif- 

 ferent lots and variously fed with prairie hay, alfalfa hay, 

 shelled corn, wheat bran, oats and linseed meal figured at 

 the prices then current, reached these results : 



1. The alfalfa-fed lambs consumed 1.34 pounds of 

 alfalfa hay and one pound of grain per day as against 

 .88 pound of prairie hay and .89 pound of grain con- 

 sumed by the prairie hay fed lambs. 



2. The alfalfa-fed lambs made fifty-two per cent 

 greater gains than the lambs fed prairie hay and the same 

 grain ration. 



