1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
93 
FEEDING SHEEP AND LAMBS. 
Fodder as a Part Ration. 
Mr. Mills, in a recent issue of The 
R. N.-Y., started this subject. Experi¬ 
ments showing its feeding value in 
comparison with the different kinds of 
hay, are very few. What we want is 
a basis to work from, as we know that 
fodder cannot safely be used as a whole 
ration as roughness, and have animals 
thrive in the best manner. During the 
Civil War, as a boy, I fed a lot of breed¬ 
ing ewes shock corn as their fodder 
and grain ration, scattered over the sod 
of the pasture field on which they had 
their range. What grass they could 
get balanced the ration. However, we 
knew or thought nothing of balancing 
the rations then. I would not feed ewes 
that way now, except in dry weather 
on a clean sod. During wet weather I 
would feed the corn in racks. This 
manner of feeding would save the labor 
of husking, and, without doubt, the la¬ 
bor required by the ewes to husk and 
shell the corn would be a benefit to 
them in the way of enforced exercise. 
Four years ago I commenced feeding 
lambs to consume the surplus fodder 
and clover hay grown on the farm, as 
I am strenuously opposed to selling 
these products off a clay farm, such as; 
mine, especially as I had worked for 
nearly 20 years, hauling manure 
from town, to reach maximum crops 
from my land. This is not by any means 
a sheep section, although they are 
handled to some extent. As a lamb’s ap¬ 
petite is the most fickle of all animals 
fattened for market, it is necessary 
to know the value of all foods given, 
that breaks in coming to feed may be 
prevented. In connection with a full 
corn ration, how much fodder and 
clover hay can be fed to keep the appe¬ 
tite sharp? Can fouder be fed twice a 
day, and clover hay once, or must hay 
be fed twice, or fodder once? These 
questions have considerable importance 
from two standpoints, the economy of 
feeding, and the effects on the animals 
as regards results. I find it a most diffi¬ 
cult matter to feed corn to lambs in 
such a way that every one will come 
regularly to the troughs, but not by 
any means so difficult to get them to 
come to fresh clover hay or fodder. 
The best manner in which to feed the 
fodder is also a matter of much impor¬ 
tance. It is to the interests of manu¬ 
facturers of shredding, cutting and 
crushing machines, to claim that these 
machines put fodder in the best pos¬ 
sible shape for sheep or lamb feeding. 
The question lies with the practical 
feeder to determine whether these 
claims are true. It is undoubtedly true 
that fodder cut or shredded is much 
easier handled when fed in barns, or 
under sheds, but the main question is 
whether they will eat more of it in this 
shape, whether the additional amount 
consumed will pay for the shredding. 
Personally, I have had no practical 
experience in feeding shredded fodder 
to any kind of stock, but have made 
some inquiry and observation regarding 
the matter. A friend who had both be¬ 
fore his fattening lambs, said he did 
not like the shredded as well as the 
whole fodder, reaching this conclusion 
from close observation of the lambs 
feeding on both. From other sources 
it is condemned for this purpose. I am 
sure that shredding reduces to dust in 
many instances the finer blades and 
tassels that the lambs relish most, and 
that in the form of dust they will not 
eat them. A lamb is the poorest of all 
animals to nose down in the fodder 
ration, or hay, for that matter, for the 
finer choice parts. It eats on top, and 
after breathing or blowing over the 
ration for a time, will refuse to eat it 
unless forced by hunger. Shredded fod¬ 
der packs closely in the rack, and if put 
in in large quantities, such as required 
for a day’s ration, would doubtless be 
refused to a considerable extent, be¬ 
cause of being breathed over. In the 
line of experience, I do not find it neces¬ 
sary in feeding lambs, to feed whole 
fodder under shelter, but in racks out¬ 
side. Rainy, stormy days, this part of 
the ration can be omitted, and only hay 
fed under roof for roughness. The 
coarse stalks I do not regard as a very 
great nuisance when they must be re¬ 
moved as manure. The fodder is fed in 
racks, 12 feet long, 30 inches high, and 
20 inches wide, with slatted sides. The 
bundles are tied with strings four feet 
long, and are supposed to be uniform 
in size. A bundle is thrown in a rack 
with the butts resting on the top of the 
rack at one end, then the string is cut, 
the bundle divided, and the butts of 
one-half of the bundle thrown to the 
other end of the rack, and resting upon 
it. This prevents the bundle from 
pressing down in the bottom of the 
rack, and leaves it comparatively open, 
so the lambs can get all but the coarse 
stalks. After the lambs have gone to 
market, the brood sows or feediqg hogs 
are turned into the lots, and fed their 
corn on the cornstalks left by the lambs. 
In a short time they do the work of a 
shredder, without the expense. When 
the manure is to be hauled, it is found 
that the stalks are completely broken 
to pieces, and can be forked and loaded 
without the hard work attendant on 
handling whole stalks. Doubtless the 
time is not far distant when all husk¬ 
ing will be done by machinery, just as 
soon as hand work costs more than 
the machine. Then, perforce, the farm¬ 
ers will all use machines. In the mean¬ 
time, it is well for us to get at the facts 
as to how to keep the shreddeu product 
and its value. john m. jamison. 
SHEEP FOR SOUTHERN NEW YORK. 
When one of the State Experiment 
Station representatives visited our hilly 
section in the interests of some coopera¬ 
tive experiments, he thought it strange 
that no more sheep are kept here. He 
said that more sheep are kept on the 
farms in western New York, where the 
land is level and more easily tilled, 
than here, among these hills. Of course, 
there are certain reasons for keeping 
sheep in western New York, as they 
grow many peas and beans, feeding the 
vines and inferior beans to the sheep. 
Here, he said, are fields that cannot be 
tilled easily, and, while it is probable 
that a smaller income would be received 
from sheep than from cows, it is quite 
possible that as much net profit would 
be secured as from the cows, especially 
when the cost of hired help is taken 
into account One man can care for a 
considerable number of sheep. It is not 
recommended that the cows be dis¬ 
pensed with, only to reduce the number 
in some instances, keep more sheep, 
and hire less labor. One of my neigh¬ 
bors says he can feed his 30 sheep in 
10 minutes, night and morning, in Win¬ 
ter, and he lets them run outdoors and 
in, as they choose, during the day. 
His five cows require several times as 
many minutes to feed and care for 
them. In Summer he says he can hire 
pasture for $1 per acre here, where 
land is so cheap, and he wants about 
30 acres to pasture 30 sheep and their 
lambs. His own land at home he 
thinks worth more, and the cost of 
pasture there is about $1.5u per head. 
The cost of wintering is about the 
same—$1.50—when the lambs are late. 
This flock of 30 sheep returned last 
year $160, or $5.33 per head. By this 
estimate there is a profit of $2.50 per 
head, and no hired man is needed on 
the farm. The hired man problem is 
thus solved by elimination. Good men 
are scarce and high-priced. Many 
farmers think the hired man gets bet¬ 
ter pay for his work than the owner, 
to say nothing of the owner’s invest¬ 
ment, and the hired man is not kept to 
his work as steadily as the owner. 
Whether it is better to raise early 
lambs or late ones depends upon con¬ 
ditions. The early ones may bring a 
larger income, and, in my own experi¬ 
ence, I have thought it better to get 
them early. Our barns are warm, and 
we have quite as much spare time to 
look after the young lambs in February 
and March as we nave later. If the 
buildings were cold, and it required ex¬ 
tra help to look after the early lambs, 
that expense, together with the extra 
cost for feed, would make the early 
lamb undesirable. Some of my neigh¬ 
bors prefer the late ones for them, and 
I think they are right. Speaking of a 
warm barn reminds me that a barn 
may be too warm for sheep. They are 
very warmly clad, and if kept too warm, 
they are likely to take cold when they 
go out of the barn to drink. After one 
year’s experience, we built a good shed 
by the side of the barn, and kept the 
sheep there, except when it is exces¬ 
sively cold or when the lambs are small. 
Whenever a ewe is likely to lamb, we 
put her in the warmer part, and the 
lambs stay there till they are quite 
strong. 
I read Mr. Woodward’s articles on 
keeping sheep in the orchard; have 
thought the subject over, ana have done 
some figuring. I think I would risk the 
orchard, and am not sure but the or¬ 
chard might be enough better to make 
the method profitable with us. The 
trouble is that we must purchase 3,150 
pounds of bran for those 15 sheep, mak¬ 
ing a cost of about $2 per head for the 
grain alone. That might do when the 
profits from sheep are greater, and 
when land is higher priced; but here, 
where we are studying to lessen the 
cost of production, both as regards the 
cost of feed and the cost for labor, it 
hardly seems like a profitable method. 
When we let our sheep run over a wide 
range, it requires very little time to 
look after them, but if one were to keep 
them in a small lot and feed bran, etc., 
besides taking them water to drink 
every day, the labor of caring for them 
would be considerable. It is the reduc¬ 
tion of labor that we are trying to bring 
about. h. h. l. 
Delaware Co. N. Y. 
Shredded Fodder.— There has been an 
immense amount of fodder shredded in this 
neighborhood this Winter, and they are 
still at it. Some are baling the shredded 
fodder, and though it sells at $8.50 I judge 
the market is only local and quite limited. 
Some who have fed shredded fodder for 
three or four years are strongly in favor 
of it; others after trying it a year have 
dropped it. More keep on with it, however, 
I notice, than give it up. The owners of 
shredders charge $1.10 to $1.50 per acre, and 
the farmer furnishes coal and board, also 
teams and men to get corn to and away 
from machine, so it makes it rather ex¬ 
pensive on the whole, and on this farm we 
are as yet unconverted. a. w. b. 
Rosemond, Ill. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
Sore Shoulders 
sore neck, sore baek,&c., result¬ 
ing from collar.saddle or harness 
gall and chafing, and all forms 
of canker, callous, &c„ are in¬ 
stantly relived and cured with 
Tuttle’s Elixir. 
and endorsed by Adams 
Express Company 
Dr. S. A. Tuttle. Wolcott, Vt., July 15,1899. 
Dear Sir:—I had a horse that had two bunches on his shoulder, 
caused by wearing a new collar. Less thanoue bottle of vour Elixir 
cured It after six mouths* standing. L. W. FISHER. 
Cures also curb, splint, contracted cord,all forms of 
lameness and colic, distemper, founder,pneumonia, &c. 
, TUTTLE S FAMILY ELIXIR cures rheumatism, sprains, 
bruises, etc. Kills pain Instantly. Our 100-page book, 
“Veterinary Experience,” FREE. 
Dr. S. A. TUTTLE, 30 Beverly St, Boston, Mass. 
Beware of so-called Elixirs—non© genuine but Tuttle’s. 
Avoid all blisters: they offer only temporary relief if any. 
WHY Sim DO IT? 
Wiiy buy Liuseed, Cotton seed, Bran, or Gluten 
meal I^r)/\TE]||U necessary to balance the 
togetrKvILin feeding rations. Better 
save that money by growing protein on your own 
farm. How? Ask 
WILLIAMS MFG. CO., Kalamazoo, Mich. 
Breeders’ Directory 
You Can’t Afford a Grade Bull 
when I will sell yon a Registered Jersey 
Bull at a reasonable price. Ida's Stoke 
Pogis ot Exile stock. 
R. F. SHANNON. 907 Liberty Street, Pittsburg, Pa 
HICKORY HILL FARM 
(The Home of the “ Rlssa” Jerseys) 
Can usually furnish young animals of either sex 
at a reasonable price. 
Special at present—a double grandson of Brownell's 
Rissa 1001B7. J. GRANT MORSE, Poolville, N. Y. 
123 HOLSTEINS Z‘I& 
DELLHUR8T FARMS, Mentor, Ohio. 
Fnr Cain— purebredholstein-friesians. 
rUl udlu A registered bull ready for service and 
bull calves. Also BERKSHIRE SWINE and SCOTCH 
COLLIE PUPS. W. W. CHENEY, Manlius, N. Y 
Young Registered Holstein-Frie- 
sian Bulls tor Sale Cheap. 
I have two bulls two years old and several yearling 
bulls for sale cheap. They are large, handsome, per¬ 
fectly marked animals, all sired by Dora He Kol’s 
Oount No. 23757, and from best dams in herd. These 
animals are on McLennan Stock Farm, Isohua, N. Y 
Inquire of P. B. MCLENNAN, Syracuse, N. Y. 
AMISflDi CSfiATC are handsome, hardyand 
JUlUUllM UUA I O profitable. Prize stock. 
Low prices. Large olr. E. W. Cole & Co., Kenton, O 
Keg. P. Chinas, Berkshires and C. Whites. 
Choice Pigs. 8 weeks old, mated not 
ak’n. Bred Sows and Service Boars. 
POULTRY. Write for hard times 
prices and free circular. 
HAMILTON & CO., Rosenvick, Chester Co., Pa. 
250 Cockerels. Hens and Pullets. W. & Bd. Rocks, 
W. & Br. Leghorns, W. Wyandottes. Pearl Guineas. 
Eggs, $1 for2S. Mrs. J. P. HELL1NGS, Hover, Del. 
Cockerels" 
Choice W. Wyan., P. Rocks, Brah¬ 
mas, Cochins, LeghornB, from prize¬ 
winning stock. 23 varieties of land 
and water fowls. Satisfaction guaranteed. Big cat¬ 
alogue free. Pine Tree Farm, BoxT, Jamesburg,N.J. 
Collie Pups 
—Spayed Females. Circulars. SILAS 
DECKER, South Montrose, Pa. 
BEFORE BUYING 
A NEW HARNESS alogue giv- 
lng full de¬ 
scription and prices of all kinds of single and 
double harness and save 25 per cent. 
King Harness Co. 510 Church St., Owego,N.Y. 
n.a H . of Plank save Timber and cash. Best 
DaillS cheapest, strongest; 4,000 in use. Book 
for stamp. 8HAWVER BROS., Bellefontalne.Ohlo. 
Tfae BEST Cattle 
Fastening. 
SMITH'S Self- 
Adjusting Swing 
Stanchion. The only 
Practical swing stan¬ 
chion invented. Thou¬ 
sands In use. Illust’d 
Circular free. 
GLENORA MFG. CO., 
Glenora, Yates County, 
N. Y. infringements 
will be prosecuted. 
TEE CHaXN-HANGxHG 
Cattle Stanchion 
The most practical and humane Fastener ever in¬ 
vented. Gives perfect freedom of the head. I Uustrated 
Circular and Price free on application. Manufactured 
by O. H. ROBERTSON, Forestville, Conn. 
Wilder s stanchion 
—being:an improvement over 
Smith’s, Lightest, strongest, 
quickest, safest swing stanchion 
made. Hassteellatch and automatic 
lock. Becomes stationary when 
open. Animal cannot turn itln back¬ 
ing out. Made of best seasoned hard 
•wood. Pi ns for fastening with every 
stanchion. Send for testimonials. 
J. K. WILDER & SONS, 
COOK YOUR FEED and SAVB 
Half the Cost—with the 
PROFIT FARM BOILER 
With Dumping Caldron. Empties Its 
kettle in one minute. The simplest 
and best arrangement for cooking 
food for stock. Also make Dairy and 
Laundry Stoves, Water and Steam 
Jacket Kettles, Hog Scaldsra, Cal¬ 
drons, etc. ay* Send for ciroalars. 
D. R. SPERRY A CO.. Batavia. IIL 
== NO SPAVINS == 
The worst possible spavin can be cured in 
45 minutes. Ringbones, Curbs and Splints 
just as quick. Not painful and never has 
failed. Detailed information about this 
now method sent free to horse owners. 
Write today. Ask for pamphlet No. 88 
Fleming Bros., Chemists, Union Stock Yds., Chicago. 
DEHORNER 
(Newton's Patent.) 
Every 
Dehomer 
Guaranteed 
in use. 
for them or writ* 
• • DECATUR, 1JLI. 
JITEST 
iT PAYS TO DEHORN* 
Hornless cows give more milk. 
Hornless steers make better beef. 
| mane and easiest to use Is the Keystone Dehorning Knife 
_ _ Cats on four sides at once, without crushing or bruising. Highest award at world’s fair. 
Orders with cash filled fromChicago if desired Send for circulars. M.T. Phillips. Pomeroy, P*„ (SucctSSOr to A. C.BrotlUl) 
