Experiments in Fattening Sheep. 



461 



For each 100 lbs. of gain the IMontana lambs consumed on the aver- 

 age about 310 lbs. of oats and 850 lbs. of clover hay. The South 

 Dakota lambs ate 350 lbs. more oats and 300 lbs. less prairie hay for 

 the same increase. Since on the average these lambs consumed about 

 as much oats and nearly 250 lbs. more hay for 100 lbs. of gain than 

 those fed corn as reported in Article 744, we may conclude that oats 

 have somewhat less value than corn for fattening lambs. The great 

 importance of a legume hay is emphasized by the high feed cost of the 

 Dakota lambs getting prairie hay. (169) 



748. Barley. — Thruout the western range district barley is used 

 for fattening sheep and lambs. Below are given the results of 5 

 trials at western experiment stations with barley and hay for fat- 

 tening range lambs. 



Fattenhig range lambs on ivliole barley and hay. 



*Bul. 35. +Bul. 47. tBul. 71. $Bul. 86. ||Bul. 81. 



In round numbers the Montana lambs consumed less than 300 lbs. 

 of barley and 800 lbs. of clover hay for 100 lbs. of gain, w^hile the 

 South Dakota lambs required from 500 to 600 lbs. of barley and only 

 400 lbs. of prairie hay. It is shown that the lambs fattened on 

 barley required about the same amount of grain and 100 lbs. more 

 hay than corn-fed lambs for 100 lbs. of gain. Whole barley was 

 satisfactorily masticated and digested by the lambs, and the beards, 

 with rare exceptions, caused no injury to their mouths. Whole bar- 

 ley is only slightly less valuable than corn for fattening lambs. In 

 these trials prairie hay again gives poor returns with fattening ani- 

 mals in comparison with legume hay. (171) 



749. Emmer. — Owing to the greatly increased production of 

 emmer (speltz) in the western states, this grain has assumed im- 

 portance as a food for sheep and lambs. In tlie table on the next 

 page are given the results of four trials at western experiment sta- 

 tions with emmer for fattening range lambs. 



