FEED AND CARE Oi- SHEEP 229 



fall markets than for summer trade. Lambs gain more per 

 pound of feed than mature sheep and there is more money made 

 in fattening lambs than mature sheep. 



Corn is the best fattening feed for lambs. Experiments have 

 shown that about 500 lbs. of corn and 400 lbs. of clover hay 

 produced 100 lbs. of gain in live weight. Shelled corn is the 

 form in which this material is utilized for sheep. The amount 

 of shelled corn in a ration depends upon the character of the 

 roughage and the market value of corn. 



Shock Corn. — In some sections the whole stalk of corn is fed 

 to sheep. Enough shocked corn for a day's ration is placed in 

 the feed rack. The lambs eat the grain, leaves, and more ten- 

 der parts of the stalk. Some nitrogenous roughage as alfalfa, 

 clover, cowpea, etc., makes an excellent fattening food with 

 shocked corn. If nitrogenous hay is not available some pro- 

 tein concentrate should be used. 



Oats produce growth in lambs and for a fattening ration corn 

 should be added. It is not always profitable to feed oats but 

 this is an excellent feed when the market price is low. 



Barley is often fed in sections where corn is hard to grow. 

 It may be used in fattening lambs. Barley is not as valuable 

 as corn for sheep feeding but may be fed unground with other 

 feeds. 



Wheat is not as good as corn for fattening and an addition 

 of corn helps a ration containing wheat. Wheat is a better 

 feed for producing growth than corn because of its higher con- 

 tent of protein. 



Wheat Screenings may often be fed at a profit to sheep. 

 This material contains shrunken grains of wheat, weed seeds 

 and other wastes obtained in preparing wheat, as it comes from 

 the farm, for manufacturing flour. This feed is usually sold 

 at a low price and sheep seem to be fond of it. The feeding 

 value of this by-product is variable. 



Wheat Bran is not a profitable sheep feed. It is too bulky 

 for so small an animal and does not possess sufficient fattening 

 qualities to be of material value for fattening lambs. It is 

 sometimes fed in small quantities mixed with other grains. 



