RATION EXPERIMENT WITH LAMBS. 
1906 1907. 1907-1908. 
W. L. CARLYLE and G. E. MORTON. 
INTRODUCTION 
This bulletin covers two winters’ work with lambs done under the 
direction of W. L. Carlyle. The first winter’s work, on Cut Hay 
versus Whole Hay, was carried out by H. M. Cottrell, and the 
second winter’s work on Cut Hay versus Whole Hay, and on Self 
Feeders for Hay compared with Old Style Hay Racks, was carried 
out by the writer, G. E. Morton. 
CUT HAY VERSUS WHOLE HAY—ALEAEEA—ElRST TRIAL 
The Fort Collins district furnishes an excellent field for the 
study of the lamb feeding industry. Because of the large numbers 
fed, and the high ranking of the finished lambs on Eastern markets, 
feeders are unusually alert in their search for means of reducing 
the cost of production. One of the questions frequently put to 
live stock men of the College and Station has been concerning the 
value of cutting alfalfa hay into short lengths. There is considerable 
waste in feeding whole hay to sheep as they reject quite a large per¬ 
centage of the stems. There is no doubt that cutting the hay causes 
sheep to eat it more closely, but the question of interest is whether 
enough saving is effected by the cutting to reimburse the feeder for 
the cost of cutting 
The trial here reported was made with grade Shropshire lambs 
from the Idaho range. The lambs were fed whole hay and corn for 
a period of seven weeks, and were then put upon experiment, one 
lot being fed whole hay and the other fed hay run through an ordi¬ 
nary feed cutter, and cut to i/8 of an inch in length. 
TABLE I. 
TOTAL WEIGHTS AND GAINS—SIX WEEKS 
Dec. ist, 1906 , to Jan. 12 th, 1907—125 Lambs in Each Lot 
Weight at 
Beginning 
(lbs.) 
Weight at 
Close 
(lbs?) 
Gain in 
Total Feed Consumed, (lbs.) 
Lot No 
Weight 
(lbs.) 
Corn 
Alfalfa 
Hay 
Oil Meal 
A Whole Hay 
12,635 
14,256 
1621 
7785 
24,592 
140 
B Cut Hay 
12,533 
13,948 
*1505 
7903 
10,893 
140 
*Gain shown by final weight plus 90 lbs., weight of lamb which died. 
