CONCENTRATES FOR FATTENING 



370 



In a compilation from various experiments on lamb feeding, 

 Henry and Morrison * show that when corn silage (a carbonaceous 

 succulent which would reduce the percentage of protein in the 

 ration) has been fed in conjunction with corn and clover hay, the 

 lambs fed silage ate six-tenths of a pound less hay and one-tenth 

 of a pound less com daily and yet gained slightly more than those 

 fed clover hay and shelled corn. Experiments conducted by 

 Skinner and King," however, show that when cottonseed meal 

 formed from 12 to 19 per cent of the grain part of the ration, 

 the rate of gain was increased from 1 to 2 per cent. 



In general, such a balance in digestible nutrients as is to be 

 found in a ration composed of corn and clover hay is about what 

 is required for fattening lambs. The advisability of using a 

 larger amount of protein depends chiefly on whether it can be pro- 

 cured at such a price that it will pay to use il. If a palatable suc- 

 culent, such as corn silage, is used to supplement corn and legume 

 hay, the amount of digestible protein can be reduced somewhat 

 and the ration will still be satisfactory for fattening purposes. 



Older sheep can be fattened on rations containing relatively 

 less protein than is contained in those suitable for lambs. From 

 investigations by Bull and Emmett ^^ of the Illinois Experiment Sta- 

 tion the following feed requirements for fattening lambs have been 

 determined, and the requirements for the third group (lambs 

 weighing from 90-110 pounds) may be regarded as similar to the 

 requirements for sheep. 



Variaiion in Rations for Lambs of Different Weights.- 



Live Weight. 



-Per Day Per 1000 lbs. 



Concentrates for Fattening. — Grains. — Corn, barley, wheat, 

 emmer, kafir corn, and oats are the grains used in the United 



^ " Feeds and Feeding," 1910. 



'Indiana Station Bulletins 1G2, 168, 179. 



"Illinois Station Bui. 166. 



