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METHOD OF VALUING LAMBS 



The initial value of the lambs was secured by adding 30 cents 

 per cwt. to the Chicago price. This amount covers the commission, 

 freight, feed, etc., before the lambs were put on trial. The values 

 of the lambs at the end of the first trial were made by Mr. Joe 

 Taylor of the firm of Taylor-Grenard and Co., Lafayette. The 

 final values of the lambs in the third trial were made by Mr. A. J. 

 Knollin of the Knollin Sheep Commission Co., Chicago, Illinois, 

 and Mr. Matheson, buyer for Swift and Co., Chicago. The averages 

 of their values were taken as the final valuation for the different 

 lots. Since a storm destroyed the sheds and necessitated closing the 

 second trial at the end of fifty days, no final values were secured 

 on the different lots in this trial. All lambs were fed the same ration 

 for three weeks after the trial ended, before they were marketed. 

 In order to cover expenses of shipping, 60 cents per cwt. were de- 

 ducted from the Chicago valuation of the fat lambs. Financial 

 statements are based on the top of the feeding lamb market at 

 Chicago plus 30 cents per cwt., and Chicago values for fat lambs 

 less 60 cents per hundred pounds, to cover cost of shipping. 



QUALITY OF FEEDS 



The rations fed were composed of various combinations of part 

 >r all of the following feeds : shelled corn, cottonseed meal, clover 

 ly, timothy hay, and corn silage. The corn fed in the first two 

 ials was old corn and of excellent quality. The corn fed in the 

 lird trial was a little too high in moisture content to grade as 

 fo. 2. Also the grain showed some sign of rotting due to the wet 

 reather in the autumn of 1911. The cottonseed meal was of 

 'Choice" grade guaranteed to contain 41 per cent, crude protein 

 id 8 per cent. fat. The clover and timothy hay used was pure 

 id almost all of good quality, only a very small part of it being of 

 iferior quality or moldy. It was at all times readily eaten by the 

 imbs. 



The silage was made from corn produced on the college farm, 

 taking about 65 bushels per acre in 1910 and 38 bushels per acre 

 1911, the yield of silage being thirteen and seven tons per acre 

 ispectively. The corn was well matured when put into the silo. In 

 [910, about two-thirds of the husks and one-third the blades were 

 >rown when put into the silo. This produced a silage containing 

 approximately 29 per cent, dry matter. In 1911, practically all the 

 )lades were dry but the stalks contained a high per cent, of moisture 

 For such an advanced stage of the blades. The silage in 191 1-12 con- 

 tained approximately 35 per cent, of dry matter. Care was taken 

 it all times that no moldy or spoiled silage was fed. 



