60 SHEEP FEEDING 



morning again throw out fresh corn, regardless of whether 

 the last is all eaten or not ; but feed only a very little, for 

 it is dangerous to let too much uneaten corn accumulate 

 while starting. Take pains to string out each allowance 

 over quite an area so that it will be impossible for a few 

 greedy sheep to keep the others away and get it all them- 

 selves. From this time on feed twice a day, increasing very 

 gradually until the sheep are on full feed, which takes from 

 one to three weeks. Do not scatter corn twice in the same 

 place unless compelled to do so. If it is raining or snowing 

 during feeding time, it is probable that the sheep will not 

 clean up the usual amount. Do not force them to eat it all 

 before more is given, but feed at the customary time in the 

 morning and at night, reducing the fresh allowance a little 

 until the old is about consumed. Sheep do not like cold, 

 wet feed, and it may appear that they are wasting a good 

 deal, but in most cases they will return to corn that was 

 refused when wet and clean it up fairly well when dry. 



Corn thrown on the grass. It is a convenient method of 

 feeding to go to the crib once a day, load enough corn for 

 both feeds, drive out to the pasture, and scatter over the 

 cleanest, driest places a long string of corn, feeding half the 

 load in the morning and half at night. It takes from two to 

 three bushels of corn per hundred head per feed when on 

 full ration. Some prefer shock corn for feeding on the grass, 

 stating that sheep do not roll the ears about as much in 

 getting the corn off (which generally gets it dirty and makes 

 it unpalatable) when the ears are on the stalks as they do 

 when the shucked corn is fed. Gains from this system of 

 feeding are not quite as satisfactory as those obtained in the 

 cornfield, for more grain is wasted and more labor required. 

 This method recommends itself more particularly to the 



