330 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STA. BULLETIN, NO. 115 



during favorable weather. Lot VII was fed in an open yard 

 61' in size east of the sheep barn. This yard afforded no protection 

 from the weather excepting on the west where the sheep barn shel- 

 tered it from the west winds. 



The feeding racks were ten inch grain troughs with a V-shaped 

 hay rack arranged above so the hay would feed down into the grain 

 troughs. 



Feeds and Plan of Feeding. The rations were divided into two 

 equal parts, half of which was fed at 7:30 a. m., and the other half 

 at 4:30 p. m. 



All lots were started on one-fourth of a pound of grain per head 

 per day. This was gradually increased until by the end of the sec- 

 ond week, they were receiving three times that amount, and by the 

 end of the third week they were on a full feed. The appetites of the 

 yearlings varied a little. In all cases they were given as much grain 

 as they would clean up. They did not eat all the hay. Some of the 

 coarser stems and a few weeds were refused; these were saved and 

 weighed back. 



The corn which was fed was good quality No. 2 corn. The lin- 

 seed oil meal and the cottonseed oil meal both were of the best 

 grades that could be obtained. The clover and timothy hay was- 

 choice native hay. It contained very little foreign grasses or weeds- 

 and was bright and well cured. The corn silage was a little sour as 

 it was put up greener than it should have been, otherwise it was of 

 good quality. In feeding the corn silage extreme care was taken not 

 to feed any which was mouldy. Water was provided for each lot in 

 galvanized iron tubs. The water was furnished by the University 

 water system. Salt was kept before the sheep all the time. 



Weight Records. Weights of each lot were taken on three con- 

 secutive days at the beginning and at the end of this experiment, 

 The averages of the three weights taken on successive days at the be- 

 ginning and at the end of the experiment were used as the initial and 

 final weights. The second day of the three weighing days was used 

 as the base date. Each lot was also weighed at the end of each 

 week. 



Buying and Selling Prices. The yearlings cost $4.25 per hun- 

 dred pounds on track at Columbia, Missouri. 



The lots were all marked before shipping and sold separately 

 at the National Stock Yards, East St. Louis, Illinois. This experi- 

 ment was carried on during the winter of 1906 and 1907, which ac- 

 counts for the low prices. 



