398 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



experiment stations, would seem to be correct: (i) That 

 when cattle are turned out on grass to be finished not 

 later than mid-summer, the grain ration given to them 

 before the grazing season should be continued, and in- 

 creased if necessary. (2) That when cattle are to be 

 grazed through the season and sold from off the grass in 

 finished form, it is questionable if the grain fed for two or 

 three months while the pastures are at their best will give 

 an adequate return, viewed from the standpoint of in- 

 crease in weight, but as soon as the grasses begin to fail 

 the reverse of this is true. (3) That the profit will probably 

 be found greater relatively when a light grain ration 

 is fed to animals grazing, rather than a full ration of the 

 same, as grass is relatively cheaper than grain. It should 

 also be noted, that when estimating the result from feeding 

 ^rain on pastures, the influence exerted on the increase in 

 the weight of the animal, on the quality of the meat and on 

 the saving effected in the pasture should be considered. 



Whether it will be found profitable to feed grain lo 

 sheep that are being fattened on pastures has not been made 

 the subject of experiment to any ve^y great extent in this 

 country. The necessity for so doing, and the advantage 

 from the same will probably be based, ( i ) on the character 

 of the pasture; (2) on the shortness of the period in which 

 the fattening is to be done and (3) on the extent to which 

 fertilizers have to be purchased. Sheep and lambs may 

 be finished in good form on well matured rape in 60 to 90 

 days from the commencement of the grazing. In the 

 experience of the author feeding a grain supplement to 

 lambs thus grazed did not secure enough additional in- 

 crease to cover all the cost of the grain. Notwithstanding, 

 when it is remembered that a light grain supplement, run- 

 ning from y* to i pound per animal, per day, is to some 

 extent a safeguard against certain digestive troubles that 

 are liable to affect sheep thus grazed, more especially after 

 hoar frost begins to settle on the rape, it would not be 

 thus fed at a loss. When fattened on clover or amid grain 



