WESTERN TjAMB feeding. 2'i'5 



has fed sheep for many years. This neighbor, 

 Charles Bales of Madison Co., formerly fed in 

 open yards protected only by high fences. In 

 these yards he fed with shock com, using self 

 feeders toward the latter part of the period. 

 He was able to get a gain of about 30 pounds, 

 using the best class of Montana feeders. 



Later he built bams and sheds in which he 

 fed clover and alfalfa hay. Continuing his 

 grain feeding in much the same manner he 

 was able to increase- his average gain so that 

 1,000 sheep weighing when they went into the 

 yard 110 lbs. average increased to a weight of 

 156 lbs. besides shearing a fleece of 10 pounds. 

 At the same time he cut down his death losses 

 to 2 sheep from 1,200 one year and again to 

 6 from 1,200. He attributes the lighter losses 

 to the fact of the sheep being more comfortable, 

 thus eating with more regularity and not in- 

 juring their digestions by sudden overloading 

 of grain. He now believes that the self feeders 

 should be under cover and only the shock corn 

 fed in yards. 



Mr. Bales makes a practice of saving the late 

 summer growth of blue-grass on large pastures, 

 on which the sheep are turned in October or 

 November. On these pastures they remain 

 until Christmas or sometimes till February if 

 the season is suitable, having also racks filled 

 with clover or alfalfa hay. They then go to the 

 yards for the final feeding, going to market, 

 sho'm, in May. 



Mr. Bales thinks the secret of success in feed- 

 ing wethers is to buy the best, using those with 



