SHEEP RAISING FOR BEGINNERS, 13 



some. Cornstalks placed where the ewes can eat off the leaves may 

 be used as a part of the roughage ration. If this ration is made up 

 largely of cornstalks or straw, a nitrogenous concentrate should also 

 be used. Timothy hay is not good sheep feed. 



Such succulent feeds as roots or silage are desirable in keeping the 

 ewes in gocd health. The use of silage will often materially reduce 

 the cost of the ration, but silage can not safely be used without any 

 hay. Only silage from well-matured corn should be used for sheep, 

 and caution should be exercised to guard against feeding spoiled, 

 frozen, or moldy silage. It is not advisable to feed more than 3 

 pounds per head daily of this feed. 



For bred ewes, roots, particularly turnips, should be used sparingly 

 until after lambing. Each of the following rations contains approxi- 

 mately the amount of the variou.s nutrients required daily for ewes 

 of from 120 to 145 pounds in weight : 



(1) 



2 pounds alfalfa or cbwpea hay, 

 2 pounds corn silage. 

 \ pound shelled corn. 



(2) 



'2 pounds alfalfa. 

 2 pounds corn stover (amount eaten) . 



(3) 



2* pounds alfalfa. 

 2 pounds silage. 



1 pound oat straw. 



2 pounds corn silage, 

 J t pound oil meal. 



(4) 



pound corn. 



Where the ewes can run on fall wheat or rye during the winter 

 months the pasture should be supplemented by some dry or concen- 

 trated feed. Silage or roots are not desirable when the pasturage 

 is soft or green. One-half pound of cottonseed meal contains the 

 daily requirement of protein for pregnant ewes. When price sug- 

 gests the use of this concentrate, the other feeds should be of a car- 

 bonaceous character. One-quarter pound of cottonseed meal per 

 day and a selection of other feeds will be better than a ration con- 

 taining a larger amount of cottonseed meal. 



EXERCISE IN WINTER. 



If the lambs are to be born strong and vigorous, a moderate amount 

 of exercise is necessary for the ewes during the winter. This can be 

 obtained by scattering their roughage over a field and allowing them 

 to work back and forth over it while eating, or by feeding some of 

 the roughage some distance away from their shelter. If winter 

 pastures are used, no other arrangement for exercise is necessary. 

 At no time should the pregnant ewes be forced to wade through 

 deep mud or snow, neither should they be chased by dogs nor forced 

 to jump over boards nor to pass through narrow doors, as such 

 treatment is sure to cause loss of lambs or of both ewes and lambs. 



If fleeces are allowed to become soaked with rain or wet snow, 

 colds and pneumonia will surely result. Dry snow, on the other hand, 

 has no ill effect, as the ewes readily shake it off. 



