SILAGE FOR SHEEP. 199 



is not dangerous or even deadly in its effects when fed to lambs. 

 Some time after the close of one of the early experiments at 

 Purdue, four lambs died from the effects, supposedly of eating 

 spoiled silage. The cause was assigned to poisonous products 

 resulting from decomposition of the silage, which was favored 

 by the exposure of the silage to the air in warm weather and the 

 low condition of the silo. 



Feeding an abnormal amount of silage, close confinement, lack 

 of exercise and lack of an experienced shepherd to handle the ewes 

 at lambing time often prevent maximum results, and silage feeding 

 has for this reason been unjustly condemned at times. 



The Indiana Station has been conducting experiments with 

 feeding silage to pregnant ewes since 1907. A three year experi- 

 ment was commenced that year with two lots of ewes, one lot 

 being fed silage along with hay and grain and the other lot hay 

 and more grain, but no silage. The silage ration was limited the 

 first year, increased to 4 pounds the second year, and the third 

 year the ewes were given all they could clean up, which was prac- 

 tically 4.6 pounds. Even with this amount no harmful results 

 were observed either in the ewes or the lambs. 



The experiment showed that the general thrift and appetite 

 of the silage ewes was superior to that of the lots fed hay and 

 grain alone. The former made each year a larger gain over winter 

 than did those on dry feed. The latter averaged for the three 

 years a gain of 6 pounds, while the silage ewes gained 13.75 

 pounds, or more than twice as much. Yet the Station Bulletin 

 states definitely that this gain was not mere fat like corn feeding 

 will produce, but that the ewes were in good condition to produce 

 strong, vigorous lambs. It was a noticeable fact, that "right 

 straight through the whole three years, the lambs from the ewes 

 having the succulent feed, i. e., silage, averaged nearly ten per 

 cent, larger at birth. As to the cost of feed, the ration including 

 silage proved the more economical, while more satisfactory results 

 were obtained. The lambs from these two lots of ewes were all 

 fed out for an early market, and those from each lot did equally 

 well, gaining nearly half a pound per day until they were sold." 



Prof. King says that the same station has also "tested the value 

 of corn silage for fattening lambs and found that the lambs were 

 very easily kept on feed, made as rapid gains and finished as well 



