- 36 - 
hard every night and not thawing in the shade in the day time. During 
these three weeks the sheep lost weight, and on December 13 weighed 
just about the same as when they came in October. It is probable that 
this loss of weight was merely a shrinkage of the water in the sheep’s 
system, ‘not a loss of real llesh—a preparation by the sheep for cold 
weather. During these weeks they decreased in the amount of water 
drunk, and for the rest of the winter they drank very sparingly. 
FEEDING RECORD NOVEMBER 19 TO DECEMBER 13. 
Western yearlings. 
Western lambs, 
Mexican yearlings, 
Mexican lambs. 
Weight 
Nov. 19. 
lbs. 
Weight 
Dec. 13. 
lbs. 
Hay eaten per 
head per day. 
Iba. 
128 
121 
5.0 
103 
99 
4.0 
75 
75 
3.6 
66 
61 
2.2 
93 
89 
3.7 
Hay eaten per 
day per 1000 lbs 
live weight, 
lbs. 
Digestible dry 
matter per day 
per 1000 lbs 
live weight, 
lbs. 
42 
21.0 
40 
20.0 
49 
24.5 
35 
17.5 
41 
21.0 
In this heavy increase of food the different lots retain the same rela¬ 
tive places they did the month previous on lighter feed. The Mexican 
yearlings still eat the most for their weight, and this relation continues 
throughout the whole winter’s feeding. They also make the least gain 
in return for their food. 
CHANGE OF FEED. 
On December 13, they were divided into four groups of twenty 
each and put in four separate pens. Each pen had a small shed for 
shelter from the wind and snow, but, as it was always open, it was 
not much protection from the cold. Nor did they seem to mind the 
cold in the least, although it was an unusually severe winter. All 
feeding was done in the open air. Each group consisted of five western 
yearlings, five western lambs, three Mexican yearlings, and seven 
Mexican lambs. Care was taken to have the groups as nearly even 
as possible, and the extremes of variation from the average were less 
than half a pound in live weight per head. 
Pen No. 1, received 1-2 pound cracked wheat and 3 to 5 pounds 
of beets per day per head, with all the alfalfa hay they wanted. 
Pen No. 2, 1-2 pound cracked wheat and alfalfa hay. 
Pen No. 3, 1-2 pound cracked corn and alfalfa hay. 
Pen No. 4, 3 to 5 pounds beets and alfalfa hay. 
