barley 
37 
Whole Grain versus Ground Grain, 
Pens Nos. 7 and 9 received ground grain, while pens 
Nos. 6 and 8 received the same amount of the same kind 
of grain fed whole. From November 19 to April 6, while 
being fed these rations, pen No. 6 gains 4 pounds per 
head more than pen No. 7 and pen No. 8 gains 2 
pounds more. For the whole season the average is 2 
pounds per head in favor of the whole grain. Thus, the 
grinding of the grain was not only time and labor lost but 
was an actual detriment to the sheep. 
What Grain is Best for Sheep. 
In previous years when corn has been fed in compari- 
son with wheat, the results have been the same. This 
year, in comparing corn with common barley and bald 
barley, the corn is far ahead. Whole corn fed to pen No- 
6 makes 4 pounds more of growth than whole common 
barley with pen No. 8. Ground corn to pen No. 7 gives 4 
pounds more weight than ground common barley to pen 
No. 9. Corn makes 4 pounds more of growth than com- 
mon barley, whether weights are taken April 6 or May 17. 
It may seem to some that this is attaching a great 
deal of importance to a small amount of growth; that only 
four pounds difference in a whole winter’s feeding of 180 
days, is scarcely enough to show much difference in the 
feeding value of the various grains used. It must be re- 
membered, however, that these small differences in 
growth are what determine the profit or loss on the winter’s 
work. Lambs are fed here on a rather narrow margin. If 
one could be sure of paying all expenses and netting 30 
cents per lamb, above the market price of hay and grain 
fed, it would be considered worth trying, while 50 cents 
per head is counted as a good return. On this margin, the 
difference in the above results, between corn and common 
barley, represents half the net profits of the whole season. 
The comparisons of bald barley with the other feeds are 
not so easy or satisfactory. Bald barley contains so 
large an amount of gluten that the lambs could not han- 
dle more than a pound per head per day. It is necessary 
to make all comparisons with this grain before April 6, as 
after that date the lambs were more or less off feed and 
did poorly. 
