178 HOW TO FEED SILAGE. 



sheep would all push their noses down through the hay, 

 if there was silage at the bottom of the manger, and 

 little or no hay would be eaten until the silage was first 

 taken. 



O. C. Gregg, superintendent of farmers' institutes for 

 Minnesota, has been conducting some experiments on 

 feeding ensilage to sheep. He gives the result in one of 

 our American exchanges as follows: 



"We made preparations to use ensilage in the feeding 

 of our flock during the past winter. We have now some 

 facts to report which seem to verify the thought that we 

 had that ensilage will enter as a large factor in the fu- 

 ture production of good mutton in Minnesota. Our en- 

 silage has been fed (beginning gradually) in troughs. 

 These troughs can be readily cleaned by being turned 

 over, that the center piece prevents any chance of the 

 sheep jumping over them and so soiling the food. The 

 troughs are also wide enough so that two rows of sheep 

 will feed from them without undue crowding. We have 

 enough of these troughs, so that when the flock is feeding, 

 each sheep has a reasonable space to feed quietly. This 

 in itself is an advantage that every feeder of stock will 

 understand. 



"As a result so far, the sheep are in better condition 

 than we have ever had them before, and, in fact, to use 

 an English term, they are in "blooming" condition. We 

 do not consider that they are any too fleshy, but in a 

 good, bright, healthy state. The wool is evidently of 

 good quality, and the flock will shear heavily. The sheep 

 are high grade Shropshires. Good shepherds have esti- 

 mated that they will furnish between seven and eight 

 pounds of wool per head. There are a few young ewes 

 in the flock which we do not consider in this estimate. 

 The ewes are beautiful to look at, square on the back, 

 bright of eye, active in appearance, and when the time 

 comes for the feeding of ensilage they are anxious for 

 their feed, and in case there is any lapse in time, they 

 soon make their wants known by bleating about the 



