l62 



Sheep Feeding Experiments. 



It is important also that feeders should be made aware of 

 the fact that no cereal fluctuates so widely in its composition 

 as maize — the albuminoids vary from 5 -J to 1 5 J percent., 

 and the oil, which is a very important constituent of that 

 cereal, ranges from to 9 per cent., and it should always be 

 bought under a guarantee of analysis. 



Oats. — This has been used as a by-fodder for sheep from 

 old times, and it was the chief one used before the importation 

 of other concentrated by-fodders. It resembles maize in 

 composition very closely, but unless in the case of light or 

 unsaleable corn it cannot be used as a substitute for maize 

 with economy. It also fluctuates greatly in composition, and 

 has proved itself to be a very profitless by-fodder, and pro- 

 ductive of poor results, even when of first class quality. At 

 no stage of the feeding process does it possess any distinctive 

 advantage, and the oat-fed sheep always killed badly, 

 and one notable peculiarity of their carcases was the abund- 

 ance of loose tallow. The maize-fed lots also shared that 

 peculiarity, but in a minor degree. Oats is so valuable a 

 feeding stuff for horses or for other animals that are being 

 fed for strength that it commands a price far in excess of its. 

 value as a fat producer, and therefore it is profitable to sell 

 even inferior oats, and use the price for the purchase of other 

 feeding stuffs when fattening is the object in view. 



Barley. — This also is a very farinaceous by-fodder, having 

 the defects of both maize and oats without their advantages 

 so far, at least, as sheep feeding is concerned. 



Mixtures. 



It is the practice of most feeders to use mixtures of by- 

 fodders, and the few mixtures that were used in these 

 experiments give support to the view that there is both safety 

 and economy in their use. There is much to be learned on 

 this subject, and it offers a wide field for investigation of a 

 most useful and profitable kind. 



The few experiments as yet carried out by the Society in 

 this direction would indicate the following as a rational kind 

 of practice so far as the limited number of feeding stuffs 

 operated with are concerned. For the first month sheep that 



