DRY LOT RATIONS 269 



from the dry lot into pasture, for they may get indigestion from 

 gorging themselves on green feed. This is particularly true of 

 suckling ewes. If they have been confined in the dry lot for several 

 weeks it is best to let them pasture at first for only an hour or two 

 a day. 



Variety of feed has often been confused with change of feed. 

 That is, a ration composed of several feeds is advisable, but chang- 

 ing every little while from one feed to another is inadvisable. If 

 possible, before lambing, the ewe should be placed oil the kind of 

 ration she is to recei\'e after lambing. If it is a good ration there 

 is no danger of her tiring of it or of failing to thrive on it. 



Water and salt are indispensable to all classes of sheep, but their 

 value for suckling ewes should be especially emphasized. When 

 confined in the dry lot they drink large quantities of water, and also 

 when they are in the pasture, if the weather is hot and the grass has 

 become rather dry. 



In spite of liberal feeding, ewes are inclined to lose in weight 

 during the first few weeks of the suckling period. No other fact so 

 strongly emphasizes the need of having them in rather high con- 

 dition when the lambs are born. If such is the case one need not 

 be so much concerned when he observes them losing in condition 

 and the criterion by which one should judge as to whether the ewes 

 are being properly fed is to note whether or not they are growing 

 their lambs well. 



Dry Lot Rations. — The following rations taken from various 

 experiments are regarded as satisfactory for suckling ewes. All 

 weights of feed are given in pounds and in terms of " per ewe " 

 " per day." 



(a) From the Illinois Station : 



Table 8. — The ewes in this test were two- and three-year-olds 

 from western ewes and by pure-bred Shropshire and Southdown 

 rams. The ewes weighed 130 pounds and were fed in the dry lot for 

 56 days. The water consumption does not make allowance for what 

 was drunk by the lambs. 



Ration No. 19 Ration No. 20 



( linseed oil meal — ^1 part ") ( linseed oil meal — 1 part 



,;„ J corn — 3 Darts I i Rrnin -; 



Grain -< corn — 3 parts I i.o Grain -( oats — 6 parts L i_o 



( oats — 6 parts ) ( corn — 3 parts j 



Alfalfa hay 4.0 Corn silage 4.0 



Water 14-0 Alfalfa hay 2.0 



Water 12.0 



