RATION EXPERIMENT WITH LAMBS 



hay required by those fed on the ground. This brings the cost of 

 loo pounds gain in live weight of the lambs fed on the ground up 

 to $4.89 compared with $4.47 for the self feeder lot. With a higher 

 price than $5.00 for hay the difference would be correspondingly 

 greater. 



The self feeder racks shown in the cut of the feed yard's, cost 

 $1.00 per running foot completed. They will accommodate about 

 four lambs to the running foot, two on a side, as not so much space 

 is needed at a self feeder as at the ordinary rack, not nearly all the 

 lambs eating at one time. With hay at $5.00 per ton, these racks 

 saved in the present instance 42 cents for each 100 pounds gain, or 

 about 14 cents on each lamb. With four lambs to the running foot of 

 rack this would be a saving of 56 cents against an initial cost for 

 material of $1.00. With hay at $7.00 per ton, a saving of 18 cents 

 per head was effected. This one experiment then indicates consider- 

 able advantage for the self feeder when whole hay is fed, as the 

 racks would pay for themselves in two seasons or less. Another trial 

 is contemplated. 



SUMMARY. 



Two trials of chopped hay do not settle the question of economy 

 in cutting the hay, but the second trial with good hay, where undue 

 waste was not allowed shows no economy. The lambs ate more hay 

 and less corn when the hay was cut, but the cost of 100 pounds gain 

 was practically the same whether the hay was cut or not, with $1.00 

 per ton charged for cutting. 



One trial of self feeders for hay shows a considerable saving. 

 With hay at $7.00 per ton, the self feeders costing $1.00 per running 

 foot for materials, repaid their initial cost in one season, accommo- 

 dating 6 lambs to the running foot. 



LAMB FEEDING, 1907-1908 



Bi-weekly Data, Lot i. 200 Lambs in Lot. Ration: Corn, Alfalfa Hay, 



Cut, in Self Feeder 



