196 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



may soon result in the death of the animal. These results 

 may be prevented by confining the sheep to the grass pas- 

 tures until the sun has removed the rime. Where this can- 

 not be done, a feed of grain given in the very early morning 

 before grazing begins will usually, if not indeed in all in- 

 stances, prove a measure of safety. In some areas the early 

 snow falls upon the rape and in a day or two vanishes. This 

 does not lessen the value of the rape for grazing unless 

 severe frost accompanies or precedes the snowfall. When 

 frost occurs severe enough at any time to cause the rape to 

 wilt, its feeding properties are much injured. When the 

 wilting is marked in the stems, the attempt to fatten sheep 

 upon it further should be abandoned, nor should it form any 

 large proportion of the food of other sheep. 



The sustaining and fattening power of well-grown rape 

 is very great. The Wisconsin station grew 36 tons per acre, 

 and the Ontario station 27 tons. Doubtless even the amount 

 first named could be exceeded. Twelve tons per acre is a 

 very moderate crop. On well-grown rape 15 well-grown 

 lambs may be grazed for about 60 days on an acre, and if the 

 lambs are of good quality they should increase at the rate 

 of 10 to 12 pounds per month. Common lambs should in- 

 crease on rape alone from eight to 10 pounds per month. In 

 one instance the author obtained an increase of 14.3 pounds 

 per month from rape only and a gain at the rate of 762 

 pounds per acre. From common sheep or lambs an increase 

 of 300 to 400 pounds should be forthcoming from an aver- 

 age .acre of good rape. The author obtained an increase of 

 179 pounds per acre from rape sown at the Ontario station, 

 August 12, after a crop of winter wheat had been harvested. 

 From what has been said the relative cheapness and profit- 

 ableness of rape as a food for fattening sheep will be readily 

 apparent, and all the more so when it is called to mind that 

 rape is frequently grown as a catch crop. In estimating the 

 profit, the enhanced value of the weight of carcass when the 

 grazing begins should be considered. 



The question as to whether sheep should be given grain 



