346 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



apparently tends to accumulate internally and impair the breeding 

 qualities and lessen the general vigor, instead of imparting tone to 

 the system. 



Some succulent food should be fed to breeding ewes at all times, 

 though it is very easy to feed them too much just previous to lamb- 

 ing. When turnips or silage are fed to breeding ewes in too liberal 

 quantities, weak lambs are likely to result. Before lambing, 3 pounds 

 of any succulent food, such as mangel-wurzels, sugar beets, corn or 

 clover silage, will be found sufficient. After lambing, unlimited 

 quantities of these may be fed, to stimulate the milk flow. 



Turnips are relished by the sheep, and many prefer them for 

 sheep feeding to any other roots. Sheep are very fond of any of the 

 varieties of Swedish turnips, and also relish mangel-wurzels near 

 springtime. Sugar beets are satisfactory if fed in small quantities. 

 In some trials it has been found that a ewe would eat daily 3.3 pounds 

 of sugar beets, with 1.5 pounds of hay and 0.5 pound of oats or bran, 

 costing about 1.3 cents. The ewes that were fed this ration averaged 

 from 150 to 160 pounds. 



Corn or clover silage, when well preserved, is a succulent food 

 that may be fed to sheep with satisfactory results. It is cheap, is 

 liked by the sheep, and if fed in quantities not exceeding 3 or 4 

 pounds per head daily it will give satisfaction. The corn kernels in 

 the silage are one of the drawbacks to feeding it liberally. 



As between mangel-wurzels and corn silage, the lambs sucking 

 the ewes fed roots made slightly better gains than those sucking ewes 

 fed silage, although the silage appeared to be the cheaper ration. 

 As between beets and corn silage, the lambs of the ewes fed silage 

 made slightly the larger gain in weight. These results show but a 

 meager difference in the feeding value of these foods. 



Spring Feeding of Breeding Ewes. If the ewes lamb before the 

 conditions are such that they may be turned out to pasture, they will 

 require liberal feeding, which means about 1 to 1.5 pounds of bran, 

 2 pounds of hay, and as much succulent food as they -will eat. It is 

 very desirable to maintain a heavy flow of milk, and to do this, grain 

 feeding and the free use of succulent food are necessary while the 

 sheep remain in the sheds. 



It is generally good management to turn the ewes and lambs 

 out to pasture as soon as possible, provided some grain is fed to the 

 ewes while the grass is in a very succulent state. There is not suffi- 

 cient nourishment in it at this time to properly support the ewes that 

 are suckling lambs. It is advisable to so stock the pastures with 

 sheep that none of the grass may grow too coarse. On the other 

 hand, overstocking injures the pasture. Frequent change from one 

 pasture to another will be found advisable. When the pasture ceases 

 to consist altogether of a fresh growth peculiar to an early spring, 

 there is no advantage in feeding the ewes grain. 



Summer Feeding of Breeding Ewes. In the summer manage- 

 ment of the breeding flock there is nothing of more importance than 

 a provision of some green fodder to supplement the dry and parched 

 pastures that are common in most sections in the summer months, 



