native pastures often contiguous to the irrigated ranch, and blue 

 grass and various mixtures of grasses that can be kept growing 

 vigorously until late in the fall by irrigation. On the irrigated ex- 

 perimental farm at Gooding, Idaho, conducted in co-operation by the 

 Division of Irrigation Investigations of the U. S. Department of Agri- 

 culture and the Idaho Experiment Station, one-half acre of irrigated 

 mixed pasture has been set aside for sheep pasture. During the sum- 

 mer of 1912 this pasture easily carried six mature Lincoln rams and 

 is now carrying eight ewes and five lambs. 



George V. Leighton of the Boise Valley has received as high as 

 $42 per acre annual cash rental for blue grass and white clover pasture 

 grazed by sheep. 



Sheep diversify the farming system, giving the farmer an added 

 source of income, and, as in the lamb feeding, benefits to the land must 

 be recognized as important. There is a double source of income from 

 the wool and the lambs, coming in at different seasons of the year. 

 The western states are practically free from the many serious handi- 

 caps found in the Mississippi valley and by far eastern sheep owners. 

 In those sections dogs and internal parasites in many cases almost 

 prohibit the rearing of sheep. Dogs have been known to bother in but 

 few parts of the west. In many sections coyotes are something of a 

 menace but a tightly fenced yard for the sheep at night is as a rule ade- 

 quate protection. Internal parasites, that have driven sheep off 

 of many farms in the blue grass regions, are practically unknown 

 here. 



FEEDING EXPERIMENTS 



PURPOSE 



The experiments of 1910-11 and of 1912-13 were carried on with 

 the idea of testing out the value of our alfalfa hay in lamb feeding and 

 to ascertain the feeding value of Idaho grown grains. 



METHODS AND EQUIPMENT 



The lambs of both feeding trials were fed in the open without 

 protection of any kind from the weather. Sheds are to be recommend- 

 ed but are not necessary for feeding in most sections of the state. At 

 Caldwell, where the above mentioned lambs were fed, a tight board 

 fence built to shut out prevailing winds and storms in fall and early 

 winter would have given considerable protection at times, and will 

 be built for future feeding operations. 



An outline of preparations made for the 1912-13 experiments 

 will suffice to make clear methods to be followed and equipment 



