RATION EXPERIMENT WITH LAMBS 
7 
hay required by those fed on the ground. This brings the cost of 
ioo pounds gain in live weight of the lambs fed on the ground up 
to $4.89 compared with $4.47 for the self feeder lot. With a higher 
price than $5.00 for hay the difference would be correspondingly 
greater. 
The self feeder racks shown in the cut of the feed yard's, cost 
$1.00 per running foot completed. They will accommodate about 
four lambs to the running foot, two on a side, as not so much space 
is needed at a self feeder as at the ordinary rack, not nearly all the 
lambs eating at one time. With hay at $5.00 per ton, these racks 
saved in the present instance 42 cents for each 100 pounds gain, or 
about 14 cents on each lamb. With four lambs to the running foot of 
rack this would be a saving of 56 cents against an initial cost for 
material of $1.00. With hay at $7.00 per ton, a saving of 18 cents 
per head was effected. This one experiment then indicates consider¬ 
able advantage for the self feeder when whole hay is fed, as the 
racks would pay for themselves in two seasons or less. Another trial 
is contemplated. 
SUMMARY. 
Two trials of chopped hay do not settle the question of economy 
in cutting the hay, but the second trial with good hay, where undue 
waste was not allowed shows no economy. The lambs ate more hay 
and less corn when the hay was cut, but the cost of 100 pounds gain 
was practically the same whether the hay was cut or not, with $1.00 
per ton charged for cutting. 
One trial of self feeders for hay shows a considerable saving. 
With hay at $7.00 per ton, the self feeders costing $1.00 per running 
foot for materials, repaid their initial cost in one season, accommo¬ 
dating 6 lambs to the running foot. 
LAMB FEEDING, 1907-1908 
Bi-weekly Data, Lot 1. 200 Lambs in Lot. Ration: Corn, Alfalfa Hay, 
Cut, in Self Feeder 
Weight 
(lbs.) 
Gain 
(lbs.) 
Average 
Gain Per 
Head lbs. 
Feed 
Corn 
, lbs. 
Alfalfa Hay 
Beginning. 
11675 
2nd Week. 
14270 
2595 
12.984 
1895 
4th Week. 
15037 
767 
3.832 
2800 
6th Week. 
15720 
683 
3.418 
2800 
8th Week. 
16355 
635 
3.173 
2S00 
10th Week. 
17200 
845 
4.225 
3150 
12th Week. 
18300 
1100 
5.500 
3500 
14th Week. 
• 
19330 
1030 
5.15 
3500 
7655 
38.30 
20445 
46329 
