FEEDING SHEEP 397 



ing May. Fall feeding is extensively practiced both by the 

 farmer who raises his own lambs and by the sheep feeder who 

 buys his lambs either locally oi* from the western range and 

 fattens them in seventy to one hundred days. Fall feeding is 

 practical on pasture, either permanent or sown, when supple- 

 mented by feeding grain. The various pastures that may be 

 used for this purpose are the same as those suggested for the 

 flock in summer (pages 382 to 386). 



Getting the lambs on full feed. — Much care must be exercised 

 in getting a flock of lambs on full feed, particularly if they are 

 from the range and not familiar with grain. Furthermore, many 

 of the plants used in fall pastures for fattening lambs are likely to 

 produce bloating, and for this reason much care must be exercised 

 in turning the flock to pasture, particularly if the grass is com- 

 posed of alfalfa, clover, or rape plants. These are most ex- 

 cellent crops for fattening lambs in the fall, but due care must 

 be exercised in turning on the sheep. The grain should be fed 

 sparingly at first and gradually increased from day to day until 

 the full amount is being fed. Most satisfactory 'results can be 

 obtained by feeding the grain twice daily. Care must be ex- 

 ercised never to feed more than the lambs will consume; or if 

 there is any grain remaining, it should be removed before a new 

 supply is placed in the troughs. 



Lambs thus cared for should make rapid and economical 

 gains. Under such feeding, 60-pound lambs should attain a 

 weight of 85 pounds in 75 days and be sufliciently fat 

 for the market. Thus, lambs put on feed September 1 

 would be ready for the market November 15. As suggested in 

 the case of spring lambs, when the flocks are sufficiently large 

 and the sheep feeder is located conveniently near to market, it 

 will, as a rule, pay to make two drafts, selling the fattest at the 

 end of about 75 days and the remainder of the flock in 90 to 

 100 days. This keeps the two flocks more even and avoids 

 holding those already fat for the slower maturing ones to 



