SHEEP 353 



Cost and Value of the Increase. In comparing foods for fat- 

 tening sheep it has been the custom to compare them on the basis of 

 the cost of 100 pounds of gain, overlooking the increased value per 

 pound which the sheep realizes in the market because of the increase 

 that has been made during the feeding period. It is but a moderate 

 advance to accept 3 cents per pound as the cost price of feeders and 

 4 cents per pound as the selling price when ready for market. Thus 

 each pound that cost 3 cents when the feeding began becomes worth 

 4 cents at the close of the feeding, owing to the better condition of 

 the sheep, which increases the percentage they will dress. This bet- 

 ter condition is produced by the foods that are fed, so that in esti- 

 mating the profits from any ration the ration should be credited with 

 this increased value per pound of the sheep. Calculations of profit 

 in succeeding experiments here mentioned have been made on this 

 basis. 



Fodders for Fattening Lambs. There is no doubt as to the 

 preference of the sheep in the choice of fodders, but there is no ex- 

 perimental data upon which to base conclusions as to their relative 

 values. Clover hay seems to be the fodder they relish most, then 

 pea straw, corn fodder, and timothy hay. The condition of the fod- 

 der will materially influence the gain, for if it is musty, burned, or 

 dusty, or has been allowed to grow too coarse, they will neglect it. 

 Two or three pounds of any of the fodders mentioned will be about 

 the quantity that wether lambs 9 or 10 months old will eat daily 

 through the fattening period. When being fattened wether lambs 

 should have some succulent food in their ration, for the reason that 

 they will remain healthier and not be troubled with the common 

 disorder called stretches, and they will usually make a better gain. 

 It is very seldom that a group of sheep may be fattened on dry food 

 without some of them dying or suffering with constipation. 



At the New York Cornell Station two lots of 5 lambs each, about 

 8 months old, were fed alike, except that one lot had corn silage and 

 the other hay. In nineteen weeks the lot on silage gained a total 

 of 132.5 pounds; the other lot gained 124 pounds in the same time. 

 The silage ration was estimated to be the cheapest. Four pounds of 

 silage were considered to be equivalent to 1 pound of hay. The value 

 of roots in a ration was shown by trials at the Michigan Station, in 

 which corn and hay were compared with corn, roots, and hay. Ten 

 .^hccp on the former gained 328 pounds in fifteen weeks, as compared 

 with 397 pounds on the corn, roots, and hay. The profit was about 



3 cents per head more for the latter lot. 



At the Wisconsin Station a ration of oats, corn, and linseed 

 meal with hay was fed against a similar ration containing roots. The 



4 lambs fed the former ration made a weekly average gain of 2.64 

 pounds per head and those fed the ration with roots made a weekly 

 gain of 2.48 pounds per head. The profit was about 2 cents per head 

 more from the ration without roots. These results do not show a de- 

 cided difference in favor of either ration, but in feeding large num- 

 bers the advantage more decidedly appeal's in favor of the succulent 

 ration because of the decreased risk of deaths due to digestive de- 



