44 SHEEP FEEDING 



A summary of System I. As the writer considers this 

 method of feeding sheep the most profitable that he has 

 ever studied, and as there will undoubtedly be a number 

 of farmers who will wish to try it, there may be added a 

 few additional points of interest and precaution. 



1. Do not overstock the undergrowth, for this is apt to 

 cause the lambs to eat the corn ; and besides, fattening sheep 

 must have an abundance of feed in a palatable form. If 

 given the opportunity they will eat the catch crops clean, 

 but they cannot be profitably forced to do it. 



2. If the undergrowth gives out and the lambs are not 

 fat, they cannot generally be profitably finished on corn, 

 for a change from green forage to grain results in a set- 

 back that cannot be regained without an abnormally long 

 and unprofitable feed. The following instance illustrates 

 the point. The weights given are those taken in Denver 

 when buying, and in St. Louis or Chicago when selling. 

 The sheep were turned into a very excellent growth of 

 cowpeas and rape, and gained as follows: 



Oct. 1-9 : received 5766 yearlings, weight 87^ lb. 

 Nov. 8 : 30 days' feed, 750 head sold, weight 97J lb., gain 10 lb. 

 Nov. 15 : 40 days' feed, 1000 head sold, weight 981 lb., gain 11 lb. 1 

 Nov. 20 : 45 days' feed, 750 head sold, weight 100 lb., gain 121 lb. 

 Dec. 10 : 60 days' feed, 800 head sold, weight 971 lb., gain 10 lb. 

 Dec. 20 : 75 days' feed, 2000 head sold, weight 96 lb., gain 81 lb. 



In this case the undergrowth gave out about the middle 

 of November, and the feed from then on was mostly corn 

 that the sheep gathered from the fields. Of course each 

 time a shipment was made the tops were taken out, but in 



1 On November 15 there were a thousand head more that were as fat 

 as those sold. 



