22 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



increase. Then came next the failure to feed the 

 lambs well and get a good thing from the mutton. 

 Another blunder occasionally committed was too ex- 

 pensive feeding in winter, resulting in running the 

 cost too high. Too much feed is as bad as too little ; 

 indeed it is worse, as it hurts the flock and hurts the 

 pocketbook as well. 



A frequent source of loss was careless feeding of 

 forage in winter. Eacks so made that ewes pulled 

 the hay through between narrow openings filled with 

 hay will be emptied within a few hours, no matter 

 how much is put in them; whereas racks made so 

 that ewes can thrust their heads in and eat will 

 hardly be emptied before the hay is all eaten. I 

 found one man who fed 4 pounds of hay daily to 

 each of his ewes, say 700 pounds per head during 

 winter. This alone would cost about $3.50, and this 

 man also fed more than 1 pound of grain per day 

 to each ewe, or more than $2 worth of grain. Add to 

 this expense his cost of summer keep, and it is clear 

 that he is not making much money in the sheep busi- 

 ness. Other men near by found their ewes maintain 

 well with i/ 2 pound of grain daily and 2 pounds or 

 less of hay. It is clear that the men who fed with 

 the Jess expense made the more profit. 



It is a curious fact that no experiment station has 

 thus far determined the correct amount of feed for 

 a breeding flock in winter when only economical 

 maintenance with the greatest profit is desired. My 

 own studies have convinced me that there is here a 

 great field for experiment. Breeds differ very wide- 



