288 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



You should be about 45 days in getting them on 

 to what is practically a full feed of corn. And then 

 do not give them all they want, but give them nearly 

 all. If when on full feed they are eating as much 

 as they desire within a very few grains you have 

 done well. Be sure they clean it all up at every feed 

 and come eagerly for more at the next feeding time. 



Now when they have gotten to eating corn well 

 you may as well drop the bran and oats, merely be- 

 cause of the expense of feeding them, since oats are 

 usually dear. If they are cheap enough continue to 

 feed them, and so of barley, in connection with corn ; 

 they form an admirable ration. If a portion of the 

 hay must be prairie hay, oat hay or timothy, in fact 

 any grass not a clover, you cannot discard bran, 

 since there is too little protein in the grasses to 

 make the lambs grow. They need to make a lot of 

 flesh and bone, too, besides the fat. If you have them 

 to spare feed a small amount of soybeans in con- 

 nection with corn. Soys are rich in protein, some 

 varieties having above 35 per cent. And the soy 

 straw, if it has not been wet, is relished though 

 too coarse to be eaten clean. Oilmeal in connection 

 with bran, where grasses or corn stover form the 

 hay, works admirably. 



There is most clean profit, however, in feeding 

 a simple ration of alfalfa hay and ear corn and 

 nothing else, unless corn silage. No feed will make 

 better or more marketable lambs. 



Once on full feed the programme should be an 

 unvarying one. At some regular time in the morn- 



