156 PRINCIPLES OF FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



6. The cost of a feeder large enough to accommodate 10 

 or 12 steers will be between $35 and $50. 



7. There will be less roughage consumed than when hand 

 feeding is practiced. 



The advantages of the self-feeder for cattle are as follows : 



1. It is more economical of labor. 



2. It is more reliable than a careless man. 



3. Cattle will eat more and m^ke greater gains and con- 

 sequently require a shorter feeding period. 



4. When properly constructed, there is little feed wasted. 

 Thus it seems that, although the self-feeder for cattle is not 



advisable for all conditions, yet there certainly is a place for 

 it upon some corn belt farms, especially where labor is expen- 

 sive and unreliable and where roughage is scarce. 



For Sheep. — Self-feeders for sheep are used to a large 

 extent by men who make a practice of feeding large numbers 

 of western lambs or wethers. They are used to only a small 

 extent by small feeders, as they reduce the gains and waste 

 feed owing to the fact that the sheep is very particular 

 about eating feed which has been slobbered over by other 

 animals. Most good sheepmen, however, have a ''lamb 

 creep " in which feed is kept in an ordinary feed trough for 

 suckling lambs. 



For Horses. — Self-feeders are never used for horses except 

 when a '' creep " is provided for sucking and weanling foals. 

 Then the feed is kept in a feed box or trough rather than in 

 a self-feeder. 



