PROFITABLE SYSTEMS FOR FEEDING SHEEP 71 



feeding sheep shows that it takes three hundred and fifty- 

 four pounds of grain and five hundred and fourteen pounds 

 of roughness to make one hundred pounds of gain. On 

 either side of the average we find variations from six hundred 

 and seven pounds of corn and three hundred and eighty- 

 seven pounds of alfalfa to two hundred and twenty-nine 

 pounds of corn and nine hundred and ninety-nine pounds 

 of alfalfa to make one hundred pounds of gain. Also, one 

 hundred and seventy pounds of corn and blue-grass or rape 

 pasture have made one hundred pounds of gain. The rate 

 of gain is from one fifth to one half of a pound per head 

 per day. 



These experimental figures show a very great variation, 

 but their accuracy is borne out in practice. One large 

 Illinois feeder says, " When my lambs are on full feed, I 

 give three and one-half pounds of grain and one fourth of 

 a pound of clover hay per head per day." This man feeds a 

 low grade of screenings and corn meal. Another says, " I take 

 a great deal of pains to feed all the hay I can, and I fatten 

 my lambs on seven tenths of a pound of corn and two pounds 

 of alfalfa hay per day." This is equivalent to two hundred 

 and eighty pounds of corn and eight hundred pounds of hay 

 per one hundred pounds of gain. The following statement 

 is from a neighbor to the second man quoted : " I try to 

 make my hay go as far as possible by cutting it and mix- 

 ing it with the grain. I feed one pound of corn and one 

 and one-fourth pounds of hay per head per day." This is 

 equivalent to four hundred pounds of corn and five hun- 

 dred pounds of hay per one hundred pounds of gain. 



Adaptability of sheep under varying conditions. These 

 figures should present no little encouragement to the sheep 

 feeder, for they show the wonderful adaptability that sheep 



