HAY FOR SHEEP FEEDING. 899 
this system of farming the productiveness of the 
place is steadily and rapidly growing. 
Comparative Value of the Hay—Numerous tests 
have been made at experiment stations of alfalfa 
hay compared with wild hay or timothy hay or some 
other roughage for sheep and lambs. In every case 
great superiority for alfalfa has been shown. Thus 
Burnett found that lambs eating alfalfa hay and 
shelled corn made 52 per cent greater gains than 
those fed corn and prairie hay. Similar results were 
had in Wyoming. 
Feeding Operations in the West.—It is in Color- 
ado, western Kansas and Nebraska that one sees 
alfalfa feeding in successful operation in a large 
way. There sheep and lamb feeding is an art and a 
science. Alfalfa is of course the cornerstone of it. 
On the excellence of their alfalfa depends all their 
chance of profit and success. In truth the aim is to 
feed the sheep or lambs as much alfalfa as possible, 
and thus economize as far as may be in grain, which 
is often the costly part of the ration. 
Methods in Use.—The method of feeding is ad- 
mirably simple. As a rule no sheds are used in Col- 
orado since no rain falls in winter and not much 
snow. Yards are erected in somewhat sheltered 
places and the fences so built that sheep can thrust 
their heads through and eat alfalfa hay which is 
drawn from the ricks directly to the yards and piled 
against the fence. From time to time it is pushed 
up to them as they consume it. Grain is fed in 
