158 



Western Live-stock Management 



one-and-a-half to two pounds of hay. A system of feed- 

 ing lambs that is very often found in feed-lots where the 

 ninety days' feeding period is used could be outlined as 

 follows : 



Hat Daily a Head 



First 30 days 

 Second 30 days 

 Third 30 days 



2 J pounds 

 2 pounds 

 IJ pounds 



After he is on full feed, a thrifty lamb will eat close to two 

 pounds of grain a day, but in the West it is not customary 

 to give quite all he wants. As a rule the alfalfa is-of fine 

 quality and rather cheap, while the grain is very expensive, 

 hence the necessity for economy in the feeding. Re- 

 markably heavy gains are often obtained with good al- 

 falfa and only one pound of grain a head and it is very 

 doubtful whether a larger amount of grain is a profitable 

 investment. It will be noticed that the increase of grain 

 ration is greater in the first and second periods than in 

 the second' and third periods. Great care has to be ex- 

 ercised in increasing the ration toward the close of the 

 feeding period as lambs go off feed easily at this time. 



METHOD OF FEEDING 



It is essential in fattening lambs that the grain and 

 hay be fed in such a manner that fresh hay can be put in 

 and stems and refuse taken out without interfering with 

 the lambs. The method most widely used is to have the 

 lambs fed through a fence made of panels so that the hay 

 can be put on one side while the lambs are on the 



