FEEDING FOR MEAT 377 



The selection of the components of the grain mixture 

 should be governed somewhat by market prices. A supply 

 of silage or roots is much to be desired as a part of a sheep- 

 fattening ration, especially when heavy grain rations are 

 to be fed during a long period, although successful feeding 

 during a limited time is entirely possible without these. 

 A succulent food promotes appetite and health, however, 

 and is usually economical and sometimes necessary. 



Rations made up in definite quantities will not be 

 presented in this connection. The quantity of nutri- 

 ents which it is desirable to supply is so variable accord- 

 ing to the age and maturity of the animals to be fat- 

 tened that a feeding standard is applicable to only one 

 set of conditions not long maintained and therefore it 

 must be freely and frequently modified according to the 

 judgment of the feeder. It is, nevertheless, possible to 

 offer practical suggestion as to the proportions of grains 

 in the mixtures that will be foimd acceptable, and as to 

 the kinds and quantities of coarse foods ordinarily utilized. 



In the Iowa experiments cited in this connection the 

 grains used were corn, oats, bran, and linseed meal. In 

 the last of these trials the grain ration for fifteen days at 

 first was made up of corn, oats, and bran in the propor- 

 tions 2, 2, and 1. When the feeding was well established 

 the grains were oats, corn, bran, and oil meal, the rela- 

 tion in quantity being 8, 8, 2, and 1 respectively. Each 

 animal ate about one pound of roots daily and about 

 two-thirds as much hay as grain. The lambs were fed 

 up to the full ration very gradually, several weeks being 

 occupied in doing this. For such preparatory feeding 

 bran and oats are especially useful. When these tests 

 began, each animal ate from one and a half to two pounds 

 of grain daily, which quantity was increased later to 



