328 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



the capacity of the animals to consume them. Economy, 

 however, points in the direction of the very moderate feed- 

 ing of roots under American conditions, owing to the cost 

 of growing them. 



For sheep, sugar beets are excellent when fed to breed- 

 ing ewes on dry feed. They are also particularly good for 

 milk lambs that are being pushed for the market. For fat- 

 tening sheep and lambs, sugar beets should be fed along with 

 grain, notwithstanding their high sugar content. They are 

 too bulky a food to admit of feeding them alone for fatten- 

 ing along with hay. 



For swine of all ages, sugar beets are excellent, espe- 

 cially for growing swine. They are greatly relished by 

 young animals and furnish an economical food for them 

 when fed as part of the ration. Brood sows will winter 

 nicely and cheaply on them with a small amount of grain 

 added. A small quantity will be found helpful far beyond the 

 cost, to animals that are being pushed along by heavy feed- 

 ing of grain. Experiments conducted in feeding sugar beets 

 to swine, have shown that from 4 to 8 pounds of sugar beets 

 are equal to I pound of barley. 



To horses, sugar beets are not much fed, but 

 when available, moderate quantities will be as helpful 

 relatively to young horses as to young stock of other 

 classes. To horses that are at work, the same limitations 

 in feeding should be observed as in feeding other roots, 

 which means that they should not be fed to the extent of 

 relaxing the bowels unduly. 



Rutabagas and turnips. The rutabaga is a variety of 

 turnip which it is thought originated in Sweden, hence in 

 Great Britain and Canada they are commonly designated 

 Swedish turnips. They are by far the most commonly 

 grown and also the most valuable of the turnip family, ow- 

 ing to the firmness of the bulbs and the long period during 

 which they may be kept. Turnips, as distinguished from 

 rutabagas, grow more quickly than the latter, are less firm 

 in flesh, and do not retain their good feeding qualities so 



