46 CIRCULAR 925, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BODY WEIGHTS 
Body weights of sample groups of ewes from herds A and B were 
recorded over a period of 7 grazing seasons (table 12). Seventeen ewes 
in each of seven different age classes were selected at random from each 
of the herds. They were weighed at the beginning and at the end of 
each winter grazing season. 
Although some variations in the sheep weights were recorded each 
fall, sheep in the two herds were fairly comparable in weight in every 
year except 1943-44. In that year the sheep in herd A, placed on the 
moderately grazed range, weighed only 110 pounds per head and were 
visibly poorer than those in herd B which weighed 121 pounds per head 
when they were placed on the heavily grazed range in the fall. 
TABLE 12.—Average seasonal changes in body weight of 119 ewes in two 
herds (A and B) eee alternately at moderate and heavy grazing 
entensities, 1937-44 
Mculemaic grazing | Heavy grazing 
Grazing =s\- = Se eS = Sob aie 
B02 Fall Spring Change in Fall Spring Change in 
| weight | weight | weight | weight | weight weight 
Pounds Pounds | Pounds Pounds | Pounds Pounds 
103 36. L 118-9 122.6 | od. 116.4 | 111.8 —4.6 
1938-392 = 2 114.7 122.3 | 7.6 113.7 | 108 .1 —5.6 
1939—40_ __ __ 108.3 121.0 12.7 eH Fea 8 119.6 Bao 
1940-41= | 121 124.9 | 12.8 | 110.1 | 113.3 | 3.2 
1941-42. ____ TLE 129.8 | 18.1 113.0 | 124.2 11.2 
1942-43 ____- 120.2 125.6 | 5.4 118.0 112.7 —5.8 
1943-44_____ = 109-6] 114.0 4.4 121.1 | 122.5 1.4 
Average... 113.6 | 122.9. 9.3 114.9 116.0 Le 
1 Figures in italic type for herd A, others for herd B. 
Sheep on the moderately grazed range under good management 
showed an average seasonal gain of 9.3 pounds per head for the entire 
period of study, whereas those on heavily grazed range with poor 
management gained only 1.1 pounds per head. The 8.2 pounds dif- 
ference between the two herds was nearly the same as that recorded 
for the sheep in the moderately and the heavily grazed pastures where 
the treatment and management were uniform. There were great 
fluctuations in weight changes from year to year, primarily because 
of differences in forage production and weather conditions. Notwith- 
standing this fact, the sheep on moderately grazed range remained in 
good condition and showed gains in all winters (fig. 21). Ewes on 
moderately grazed range made greater gains in every year than those 
on the heavily grazed range. “In three winters—1937-38, 1938— 39, 
and 1942-43——when weather conditions were rather severe, sheep on 
heavily grazed range showed net losses in weight. 
In the concluding year of this phase of the study, half of herd B, 
which was then on heavily grazed range, was sold. Although the re- 
maining sheep had ample forage throughout the winter, much of it was 
