226 



Sugar Beet for Sheep. 



twelve sheep each, picked out as evenly as possible, were fed 

 on uniform rations of dry food (maize, oats, and linseed cake) ; 

 the sheep in each lot were given in addition mangolds or 

 sugar beet ad lib. The results showed that in a period of 

 twelve weeks the sheep fed upon mangolds gained in live 

 weight, on an average, \o\ lb. per sheep as against 33 lb. for 

 those fed upon sugar beet, the proportion of dead to live 

 weight and the amount of wool in each case being practically 

 equal. It was found that ten-elevenths of an acre of sugar beet 

 would serve sheep as long as one acre of mangolds, each area 

 providing succulent food for thirty-eight sheep for twelve weeks. 



The sheep fed upon the mangolds, however, increased 7'6 lb. 

 per head on the average more than those fed upon the beet ; 

 or, in other words, one acre of mangolds furnished 293 lb. 

 more live weight than ten-elevenths of an acre of sugar beet. 

 The cost of growing the mangolds was £8 15s. gd. per acre, 

 while to grow ten-elevenths of an acre of sugar beet cost 

 £9 9s. 4d. 



These experiments on the relative value of mangolds and 

 sugar beet as food for sheep were repeated last year. The 

 trial began on April, 190 1, on two pens of sixteen sheep each, 

 all of whiich were Romney Marsh ewe or wether tegs about 

 thirteen months old, picked to get the two pens as nearly 

 equal as possible at starting. One pen received mangolds, 

 the other sugar beets, the amount consumed being weighed ; 

 each sheep in addition received 1 lb. per diem of a mixture 

 consisting of oats, maize, and linseed cake. Water was given, 

 and the folds on the grass were renewed from time to time. 



The trial began on April 2nd and finished on May 28th, 

 a period of eight weeks, during which the daily con- 

 sumption of mangolds per head amounted to 19 lb. as com- 

 pared with 13 lb. of beet. The average increase in live 

 weight in the sheep fed upon mangolds was 30 lb., or 24*3 

 per cent., as compared with an average increase of 22 lb., or 

 i8'0 per cent., in those fed upon sugar beet. Moreover, the 

 sheep which had received mangolds handled better, and their wool 

 looked brighter than in the case of those receiving sugar beet. 



These results were, therefore, even more unfavourable to 

 sugar beet than those obtained in the trials of the preceding year. 



