General Care of Sh^ep and Lambs. 491 



bred lamb of better mutton quality. Formerly many mature wethers 

 were fed, but now mostly lambs are fattened. 



In feeding plants the corral or enclosure is divided into two rows 

 of lots with a lane between, each lot accommodating from 400 to 500 

 lambs. No shelter is provided, but windbreaks are desirable. The 

 hay is fed in the lanes, 12 to 14 feet wide, extending between the 

 lots. The low fences bordering the lanes have a 7-inch space be- 

 tween the first and second boards, thru which the lambs feed on the 

 hay. About 1 running foot of lane fencing and feed trough is al- 

 lowed each sheep. The hay from the stacks is hauled down the 

 lanes, and is piled along the fences, being pushed up to them 2 or 3 

 times a day as it is eaten away. 



All lots are provided with flat-bottomed troughs for feeding grain. 

 There is an extra or vacant lot at one end of each row of lots, like- 

 wise provided with troughs. At feeding time grain is placed in the 

 troughs of this extra lot and the lambs from the adjoining lot are 

 turned in. As soon as a lot is vacated, grain is put in the troughs 

 of this lot, and the lambs enter from the next lot, and so on. At 

 the next meal feeding begins by using the vacant lot at the other 

 end of the row, reversing the process. After a week or more of pre- 

 liminary hay feeding, corn feeding is begun. At first only a very 

 little corn is sprinkled in the troughs, but as the lambs get used to 

 it the amount is gradually increased until after about 2 months the 

 lambs are on full feed, which is from 2 to 3 bushels of corn per 100 

 head daily. The feeding yards are usually located on streams or 

 ditches which supply running water. Those on high ground have 

 watering troughs into which the water is pumped. Salt is liberally 

 furnished in troughs. 



Most of the Colorado lambs are marketed unshorn. If feeding 

 continues until late in the spring the lambs are usually shorn 6 

 weeks before shipping. They will then gain enough more to make 

 up the weight of the wool removed, will pack more closely in the 

 car, and will shrink less in shipping. Gains of from 15 to 30 lbs. 

 per head are secured by this method of fattening. "With favorable 

 markets and low-priced feed enormous profits are made, but some- 

 times heavy losses occur. 



801. Fattening on beet pulp. — In the vicinity of beet sugar fac- 

 tories, especially near Fort Collins, Colorado, and Logan, Utah, wet 

 beet pulp has proved a valuable addition to the ration of alfalfa hay 

 and corn. The pulp is most valuable when fed with a moderate al- 

 lowance of grain, and the corn-alfalfa-beet pulp ration has proved 



