﻿46 BULLETIN 20, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



MISCELLANEOUS FEEDS. 



Potatoes. — Potatoes are ordinarily too valuable to be fed profitably 

 to sheep. Heavy yields have occasionally in past years lowered the 

 market price to such an extent that it did not pay to market them. 

 On such occasions potatoes are an economical feed for sheep. They 

 should be cut up in small pieces like roots. Small potatoes can also 

 frequently be fed to sheep with profit. 



Molasses. — Molasses has been fed to sheep with more or less success. 

 It can be fed either with the grain or roughage. 



Sugar. — Low-grade sugar is sometimes fed to sheep. It is some- 

 times sprinkled upon the lambs' ration to induce them to eat. 



Wet and dry beet pulp. — Wet beet pulp can profitably be fed to 

 fattening, sheep, if the source of supply is near at hand. It can form 

 a considerable portion of the ration during the first part of the fatten- 

 ing period, as much as 12 to 15 pounds having been fed, but during 

 the latter part it should be fed only in small amounts to act princi- 

 pally as an appetizer. If largely fed at this time it is said to produce 

 soft flesh. 



Dried beet pulp has, in some cases, produced larger gains than the 

 wet. It can be used for feeding over a much larger area, because of 

 its reduced weight and better keeping qualities. 



Meat meal. — This product of the slaughterhouse has been fed to 

 sheep to a limited extent. Dried blood has also been fed to young 

 lambs with reported success. 



Water. — The flock should constantly have access to an abundant 

 supply of clear, pure water, both while in the barn and in the pasture. 

 It has been stated that the dew on the grass furnishes enough water, 

 but such is not the case. It is true that sheep can exist upon dews 

 and snows for a long time, but to expect them to thrive under these 

 conditions is certain to prove disappointing. A sheep needs from 1 

 to 6 quarts of water per day, depending upon the nature of the ration, 

 climate, size of sheep, etc. They should never be forced to drink 

 dirty or stagnant water because of the danger of contracting disease. 



Salt. — Either too much or too little salt can be fed to sheep. It 

 is sometimes claimed that an overdose of salt will cause abortion in 

 pregnant ewes. The veracity of this statement has never been 

 proved, but it is a wise precaution to avoid an excess, especially if 

 the flock has had none for a long time. 



By having a constant supply available the sheep can help them- 

 selves whenever they desire, and there is no danger of their con- 

 suming too much. Rock salt is a convenient form for this purpose, 

 especially when fed outside. If granular salt is used in the winter 

 time, a little sulphur and pulverized copperas mixed with it acts as 

 a tonic and improves the health of the flock. These can be mixed by 

 the flockmaster himself and take the place of the "so-called" medi- 

 cated salts. 



