632 



SHEEP 



small class of mutton, consequently a sheep of the Cotswold type 

 does not furnish a popular carcass where small cuts are wanted. 



The Cotswold as a feeder makes an excellent showing. In 

 various reports on feeding experiments where Cotswolds were 

 used heavy gains have been recorded. In 1852 Sir John B. Lawes 

 reported on important sheep-feeding experiments at Rothamsted, in 

 which he showed that between December i and April 1 7, 46 Cots- 

 wold lambs made a weekly increase per head of 3 pounds 2^ ounces. 

 Twenty of these lambs, fasted weight, dressed out 6 1 .48 per cent 



Fig. 298. A Cotswold ewe, champion at the 1916 Ohio State Fair. From photo- 

 graph by the author 



carcass. In extended experiments by Dr. Lawes the best results 

 were secured with the Cotswold, which showed a more economical 

 production than the Leicester, Hampshire, Sussex, or crossbreds. 

 At the Iowa Experiment Station, in two breed trials with fattening 

 lambs, the Cotswold made the heaviest gain, averaging .62 and 

 .50 pound daily respectively, consuming less dry matter for a pound 

 of gain than any other breed in each trial. In per cent of dressed 

 carcass the Cotswold lambs showed an average of 54.9 and 53.57 

 respectively — just an average record. From figures compiled by 

 Henry and Morrison 1 of records of prize-winning wethers shown 

 between 1895 and 19 12 at the Smithfield Club Show at London, 



1 Feeds and Feeding (1915), p. 518. 

 Digitized by Microsoft® 



