386 



MANUAL OF CATTLE- FEEDING. 



Experiments liave also been made by Wolff/^' in Ilolien- 

 lieim, upon the feeding of sheep. Animals of three dif- 

 ferent breeds were nsed, viz., Merinos, Sonthdowns, and 

 the so-called Wurtheniberg bastard breed (grade Merinos), 

 and each received two different rations, viz., per 1,000 lbs., 

 shorn weight : 





Digestible 



protein 



Lbs. 



Digestible carb- 



hydrateb and 



tat. 



Lbs. 



Total. 

 Lb8. 



Kuti itivo 

 ratio. 



I 



II 



1.37 

 1.28 



8.93 

 9.03 



10.39 

 11.15 



1 :C).l 

 1 :8.1 



These quantities agree well with those used in Weende, 

 except that the qnantity of earbhjdrates, and consequently 

 the total amount of nntritive matters, is somewhat less, a 

 fact which explains the slight decrease of weight which 

 the animals suffered, especially when the daily growth of 

 wool was taken into account. 



The loss of weight was somewhat greater with the so- 

 called "electoral" sheep (Merinos) than with the South- 

 downs or the natives. Sheep of the fine-wooled breeds 

 are mostly smaller and of a more delicate build than those 

 of the coarse-wooled races, and consequently demand a 

 somewhat greater amuunt of nutriment for the same live- 

 weight than the latter. 



The general result of the researches hitherto made is 

 that mature sheep which are kept solely for the produc- 

 tion of wool may be kept constantly in good condition by 

 rations corresponding to the following feeding-standards : 



*Laii(iw. Jalirbucher, I., 5^3, 



