RATION EXPERIMENT WITH LAMBS 



cut hay. In view of the unusually heavy consumption of whole hay, a 

 series of experiments along the same line is necessary before a con- 

 clusion is warranted. The trial reported below is the second in a 

 series bearing upon the same problem. 



CUT HAY VERSUS WHOLE HAY, ALFALFA, SECOND TRIAL 



In this trial, self feeders for hay were used, and if there be 

 economy in the use of cut hay, it should appear under these conditions ; 

 for the self feeder should protect fine cut hay and leaves from staling 

 and from being blown away by the wind even to a greater degree 

 than they protect whole hay, with the following exception. If there 

 are frequent wet snows, these serve to cause greater waste of cut 

 hay than of whole hay when self feeders are used, because the cut 

 hay dries out less readily than the whole, and so becomes less 

 palatable. 



In the following table, Lots I and II are the Lots to be com- 

 pared : 



TABLE A 



TOTAL WEIGHTS AND GAINS 14 WEEKS 

 Nov. 23d, 1907, to Feb. 29, 1908 200 Lambs in Each Lot 





The amount of corn eaten by the two lots was practically equal. 

 There is again a difference in the amount of hay eaten, but in the 

 opposite directions, showing 4700 pounds of hay saved by the whole 

 hay lot. This may be accounted for by too wide an opening in the 

 self feeders where the lambs remove the hay, resulting in some waste 

 of cut hay. The self feeders are in an experimental stage even for 

 whole hay, and little is known concerning their construction for 

 greatest economy with cut hay. 



