Care and Management of Sheep. 



453 



It will be seen that Lot II, kept in a yard with an open shed, made 

 the largest and the most economical gain, while Lot I, kept out of 

 doors, made as good gains as those confined in the barn, but re- 

 quired slightly more feed for 100 lbs. of gain. (771, 828) 



735. Water. — The following table presents data gathered at the 

 IMichigan^ and Colorado- Stations on the consumption of water by 

 fattening lambs weighing about 80 lbs. at the beginning of the ex- 

 periment : 



Water drank hy lamhs on various rations during fattening. 



Water 

 drank 

 daily 



Av. 



daily 

 gain 



Feed and water for 100 lbs. gain 



Grain Hay Roots Water 



No. 



of 



trials 



Michigan 

 Grain and clover hay, open- 

 yard feeding 



Grain and clover hay 



Grain, roots, and clover hay 

 Clover hay and sugar beets 

 Colorado 

 Grain and alfalfa hay, cold 



water given 



Grain and alfalfa hay, 



warm water given 



Lbs. 



1.4 



2.8 

 1.9 

 0.3 



5.1 

 5.3 



Lbs. 



0.22 

 0.28 

 0.36 

 0.13 



0.36 

 0.36 



Lbs. 



583 

 520 

 422 



365 

 374 



Lbs. 



530 

 423 



279 

 1,018 



489 

 500 



Lbs. 



591 

 4,901 



Lbs. 



599 

 979 

 540 

 314 



1,423 

 1,514 



It will be noticed that the addition of roots to the ration greatly 

 decreased the amount of water required per lamb daily, lambs fed 

 clover hay and unlimited sugar beets drinking only 0.3 lb, each daily. 

 Lambs fed in an open yard required less water than those kept in 

 confinement. At the Colorado Station, supplying lambs fattening on 

 alfalfa hay and grain with warm instead of cold water made no dif- 

 ference either in the quantity of water drank or in the rate and 

 economy of the gains produced, (87, 612) 



Grey and Ridgeway of the Alabama Station^ found that in late 

 summer ewes in confinement drank 2.5 lbs. of water each wdiile liv- 

 ing on green sorghum forage, and 6.1 lbs. wdien on cotton-seed meal 

 and hulls. 



736. Salt. — In a feeding experiment in France* in which 3 lots 

 of sheep were fed the same ration of hay, straw, potatoes, and beans, 

 those receiving 0.5 oz. of salt per head daily gained 4.5 lbs. per head 

 more than those fed no salt, and 1.25 lbs. more than those fed 0.75 

 oz. of salt per head daily. This indicates that sheep can be given too 

 much as well as too little salt. The fleeces of the salt-fed sheep were 

 better and heavier than of those fed no salt. 



' Buls. 113, 128, 136. 

 = Bui. 75. 



Bui. 148. 

 ' Abs. in Agr. Jour, and Min. Kec. 5 (.1902) , p. 361. 



