899 



the end of four weeks. After the lambs had cleaned up the grain, 

 roughage was fed twice daily. Hay and straw were fed in such 

 quantities as would be cleaned up before the time for the next feed. 

 Silage was fed in such quantities as would be consumed within an 

 hour to an hour and a half. Feed not consumed was removed from 

 the troughs and weighed. When feed was not all consumed the 

 quantity offered at the next feed was reduced. 



DESCRIPTION OF LAMBS 



The animals used in this trial were choice Idaho lambs pur- 

 chased on the Chicago market October 21, 1914. They were the 

 product of Hampshire rams on fine wool ewes. They were very 

 uniform in size and quality, and cost $7.15 per cwt. on the Chicago 

 market. The lambs were dipped under Government supervision 

 and arrived at Lafayette, October 23, 1914. They were fed clover 

 hay and turned to a pasture of aftermath from a timothy meadow 

 where they remained, except at night, until November 3. Clover 

 hay was kept before them while they were in the sheds at night. 

 One of two-hundred forty-three lambs purchased, died during 

 the first few days on experiment and one was killed before the 

 experiment began. Two-hundred twenty-five of the thriftiest and 

 most uniform lambs were selected for the experiment. These two 

 hundred twenty-five lambs were divided into nine lots equal accord- 

 ing to size, quality, sex, thrift, and condition. November 3 all 

 lambs used in the experiment were numbered with key tags on the 

 ears. Individual weights were taken November 4, 5, and 6. The 

 average cost of lambs when started on feed was $7.10 per cwt. 



THE METHOD OF VALUING LAMBS 



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

 per cwt. to the top market price in Chicago for choice feeding 

 lambs of the weight of the experimental animals when the trial 

 began. Thirty cents per hundred weight covers the commission and 

 cost of shipping from Chicago to Lafayette. The Chicago price, 

 plus 30 cents, is taken instead of the actual cost in order that the 

 series of trials covering several years' work may be reported uni- 

 formly and thus eliminate the factors of cheap gains on grass, loss, 

 and market fluctuations between the time the lambs are purchased 

 and the date they are placed on experiment. This method of re- 

 porting the trial is used in order to show the same results as if the 

 lambs had been purchased at the time of starting the experiment. 



Valuations of the fat lambs were made by Mr. C. H. Shurte 

 of the Knollin Sheep Commission Company, Union Stock Yards, 

 Chicago, Illinois. All financial statements are based on the market 

 prices of feeding lambs at Chicago, plus 30 cents per hundred 

 weight, and Chicago prices for fat lambs less 60 cents per hundred 

 weight, to cover cost of shipping. 



