242 Sheep-Farming 



first period is that before weaning ; the second that 

 after weaning ; and the third the fattening period. 



The object of the Wisconsin experiments was to 

 determine whether it pays to feed grain only in 

 the third period, or in both the second and third 

 periods, or whether grain should be fed through all 

 periods, that is, from the birth of the lamb until 

 marketed. Grade Shropshire ewes were used and 

 divided into three lots.^ All the ewes received ex- 

 actly the same treatment throughout the season and 

 were practically uniform in milking qualities. One 

 lot of lambs had access to a small compartment 

 where grain was fed to them. The lambs in the 

 two other lots were not given any grain, and the ewes 

 had exactly the same management as the others. 

 When the ewes were in the shed in the early spring, 

 it was an easy matter to feed the lambs in this way. 

 When they were turned out, both the ewes and lambs 

 ran together on the same pasture, night and morning. 

 The lambs getting grain were separated from the 

 others and allowed to have access to the apartment 

 in which their grain was fed them. This was the 

 method followed until weaning time; then all were 

 weaned at the same time and put together on the 

 same run of pasture. At night the lambs receiving 

 grain were separated from the others and fed their 

 ration at this time. From weaning until fattening, 



1 These experiments were reported in the thirteenth and twentieth 

 annal reports of the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



