374 



FACTORS AFFECTING GAIN IN FATTENING 



of grain and the problem in fattening consists in determining how 

 little grain can be used with hay supplied ad libitum. 



In fattening lambs at the Illinois Station/ the writer found 

 that it was possible in a period of 98 days to feed 100 pounds of 

 com to every 86 pounds of alfalfa hay. This ration produced 

 a prime market finish and was satisfactory in all respects except 

 that it required close watching at times to keep the lambs from 

 going " off feed." In the first third of the feeding period, 100 

 pounds of corn was fed to every 157 pounds of hay; in the last 

 third, 100 pounds was fed to every 6G pounds of hay. In a period 

 of 90 days it was not possible to get lambs fed 100 pounds of 

 corn to every 242 pounds of hay in choice market condition. The 

 gains made seemed to be more in the nature of growth than of fat. 

 But lambs fed 100 pounds of com to every 203 pounds of hay 

 for a period of 98 days were graded as prime. 



The table which follows gives further d'etails of these experi- 

 ments on the proportions of com and alfalfa hay for fattening 

 lambs as reported in Illinois Station Bulletin 167. 



Average Feed, Gain Per Lamh Per Day, and Feed Required Per Pound Gain 

 (All weights expressed in pounds) 



Eroportion 

 of corn to 

 Lot hay 



hay 



Average 



corn per lamb 



per day 



Average 

 alfalfa hay per 

 lamb per day 



Gain per 

 lamb per day 



Corn required 



for one pound 



gain 



Alfalfa hay 



required for 



one pound 



gain 



Experiment No. 1. — Feeding period 90 days, Oct. 23 to Jan. 20. Twenty 

 wether lambs in each lot. Approximate initial weight per lamb, 69 pounds. 



Experiment No. 2. — Feeding period 98 days, Feb. 19 to May 27. Twenty 

 wether lambs in each lot. Approximate initial weight per lamb, 65 pounds. 



The Form in Which Feeds Should Be Given. — The grinding 

 or crushing of grain does not materially improve it as a feed for 



*See table on this page. 



