CHAPTER XI 
FATTENING RANGE LAMBS IN WINTER 
Tue fattening of range lambs in winter has become an 
important industry in the irrigated sections of the West 
where good hay and grain are abundant. Since both 
hay and grain are required for the best results, lambs 
cannot be fattened profitably where either one is lacking 
or excessively high in price. A comparatively dry cli- 
mate is also very helpful. Where there are a great many 
wet storms, sheds and barns are necessary and cost of 
maintenance and interest on the investment in such 
barns take off a large part of the profit. 
THE LAMBS 
The lambs used for winter fattening are those that 
are brought in from the range in the fall or early winter 
and that have not had good enough grass during the 
summer to make them fat. When the range is extra 
good, lambs will become fat and attain weights of seventy- 
five to eighty pounds before fall and are thus suitable to 
go directly to market. When the range is not so good, 
the lambs will not be fat, and will weigh approximately 
sixty pounds each when they come off the range in the 
fall. Such lambs, while rather small and lacking in flesh, 
are in most cases very strong and vigorous, and when put 
on full feed make rapid gains. When fat, moreover, 
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