300 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



alfalfa be fed, since peas are exceedingly rich in 

 protein. 



Cheap beans also make a very rich feed on which 

 sheep and lambs thrive. In Michigan and New 

 York, where beans are quite extensively grown, 

 bean straw with pods are fed, together with broken 

 and refuse beans. Sheep thrive on bean straw. 

 Being a forage rich in protein, it is well suited to 

 the needs of sheep. When beans or peas are fed 

 it is well to feed corn with them, since either beans 

 or peas are too highly nitrogenous to form a per- 

 fectly balanced ration; corn, rich in starches and 

 oil, serves well to bring the ration into more per- 

 fect balance. 



LAMB FEEDING IN MICHIGAN. 



In central Michigan is seen a type of lamb feed- 

 ing unique in America. In Shiawasse and adjoin- 

 ing counties it is well developed. Farms are given 

 over entirely to lamb feeding. Only forage is 

 grown, as hay and silage; not all feeders yet use 

 silage. Bean straw is used to a limited extent. 

 Grain purchased either in the form of "salvage" 

 grain (damaged grain from burned elevators often- 

 times) or corn from the cornbelt. Barns are very 

 large and good, holding from 500 to 3,000 lambs. 

 Some feeders fill their barns twice during the sea- 

 son, selling the first lot in midwinter, the second 

 lot in May or June. Astonishingly little forage is 

 fed; the lambs are required to clean up every whit 

 of what is given them. The distinguishing feature 



