120 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



born in winter, they thus may get such a vigor- 

 ous start that when green grass comes they 

 are able to make the most of it. There are two 

 months in our trying climate of the corn-belt 

 that make ideal natural conditions for making 

 mutton cheaply; they are May and June, with 

 sometimes a bit of April. Wherefore the shep- 

 herd should plan to have his lambs big and 

 strong when this time comes so that they may 

 make the most of their opportunities. There is 

 no profit as a general thing in carrying any 

 over through July, August and September, 

 save those that are destined to remain perma- 

 nently to replenish the breeding flock. 



FEEDING COEN ON GRASS. 



_ "While in winter time on dry feed it is essen- 

 tial tO' feed bran, oilmeal or soy beans to sup- 

 ply the requisite protein to the growing lambs 

 there is not so much need of supplying protein 

 when on grass, that is, if the lambs are des- 

 tined for the butcher. Green grass is more 

 nitrogenous than dry hay and there are many 

 clovers usually mixed in the grass so that a 

 ration of corn (maize) alone will serve a good 

 purpose. This may as well be fed in the ear, 

 laying it in troughs or if there is a clean 

 sward of thick grass the ears may simply be 

 scattered about upon it, in a fresh spot each 

 day. To do this before the lambs are weaned 

 it is of course necessary to fence off a part of 

 the pasture away from the ewes, allowing only 

 the lambs to have access to it. No more corn 

 should ever be fed at a time than the lambs 



