FATTENING SHEEP AND LAMBS IN WINTER 215 



sheep that are being fattened, but in some instances twice 

 these amounts are fed. Two to three pounds daily are 

 helpful, because of the influence of the succulence pres- 

 ent, as well as of the nutrients in such food. Nor is it 

 usual to feed more than four to five pounds of field roots 

 daily, save when fed as beet pulp, but no hazard will re- 

 sult from feeding quantities double those just mentioned. 

 Under average conditions the greatest profit will doubt- 

 less result from feeding small quantities of roots, not more 

 probably than two to four pounds daily, because of the 

 beneficent influence which these exercise on the diges- 

 tion. They are a safeguard under heavy feeding of grain, 

 and the heavier the feeding of the grain and the more 

 concentrated it is, the more advantageous is such a safe- 

 guard. 



Concentrates that are suitable There is no kind of 

 grain grown on this continent that may not be used in 

 fattening sheep. These grains include corn, wheat, oats, 

 barley, rye, speltz and Canada field peas in the North, 

 sorghum seed both in the saccharine and non-saccharine 

 varieties in the states further South, and cowpeas and soy 

 beans in states where these may be successfully grown. 

 There is also the by-product of certain cereals known as 

 screenings. Of these corn will probably be used to a 

 greater extent than any other concentrate, for the reason 

 that it is more extensively grown than any other, and 

 that it is relatively cheaper. Wheat has high adaptation 

 for fattening sheep, as shown in many experiments, but 

 the high price which it commands forbids feeding it thus. 

 It is at least doubtful if wheat will ever again be fed in 

 this way in any considerable quantities, unless it should 

 be damaged, as by untimely frost. Oats are excellent 

 fed alone or in combination with other foods, but usually 

 the high price which they bring makes them a somewhat 

 expensive grain food. What is said of oats will apply al- 

 most equally to barley. The amount of rye grown rela- 

 tively restricts its use. It is not wise to feed it as the sole 



