Q2 STORRS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH SHEEP, 
BY CHAS.’D. WOODS AND CC) SS) FHEUES. 
The experiment was undertaken in order to observe the effects 
of different kinds of food upon the chemical composition of the 
flesh of sheep, and is a continuation of that reported in the pre- 
ceding Report* of this Station. 
PLAN OF THE EXPERIMENT. 
The plan consisted in selecting a number of sheep of the same- 
breed and age, and as nearly alike as possible, and dividing them 
into four groups. One group was to be butchered at the 
beginning of the experiment and the flesh analyzed. ‘The results 
of the weighings and analyses of this group would serve to indi- 
cate more or less accurately the condition of the other animals 
at the beginning of the experiment. Two other groups were to 
be fed differently, one upon a wide ration (relatively deficient in— 
protein), the other upon a narrow ration (relatively rich in pro- 
tein). In the two groups just mentioned, each animal was fed in 
a separate pen. A fourth group was selected from the remainder 
of the flock and fed collectively in one pen. This group received 
the narrow ration. The main object of this part of the test was 
to observe whether there would be any advantage in feeding in 
groups rather than in single pens adjoining each other. At the 
end of the experiment the animals were all to be butchered and 
as complete analyses of the flesh made as should seem advisable. 
DETAILS OF THE EXPERIMENT. 
About the middle of October, 1893, a flock of 38 grade Shrop- 
shire lambs of the preceding spring were purchased for the 
experiments of the winter of 1893-94. They were bred and 
reared in Vermont by one farmer, and were in medium condition 
when purchased, although they varied considerably in size. The 
smallest were excluded from the experiment. ‘The animals were 
kept in a yard, covering about one-fourth of an acre, and were 
fed, in addition to the pasturage of the yard, early-cut hay till 
Nov. 8. At this time they were divided into groups. 

* Report of this Station, 1893, pp. 28-42. 


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