The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-02-28
APr06lem n FssdfhSs

Have 100 lambs to fatten for market
by March. Am feeding at present one
bushel OF corn and oats per day. They
are running on the cabbage field and
have corn fodder. / have clover hay.
corn fodder, oats and corn to feed this
winter. What ration should 1 use
When I begin to fatten? Would it be
pest to divide them into. lots of twenty
i've each? Are self-feeders practicable?
When shall / begin to.feed to fatten??np
Every year presents new problems in
feeding because Of the varying prices
OF feeding materials. Last year it vas
economy to use a part %rationeof wheat
because of it's comparative cheapness.
This year corn, oats and perhaps oil
meal should make up the grain feed
Corn fodder and clover hay are the best
possible dry folders.
It may be laid down as an invariable
rule that the smaller the flock the bet
ter they willethrive. But the question
whether twill pay to, make four f1ocks
OF 100 head involves another factor,
that OF. the increased cost of caring for
them. If A. B. can arrange his flock
into punches of twenty-five each, SO
that each bunch can have water and be
fed grain in its. own apartment, he can
make his grain produce a little more
mutton than otherwise. If such a divi-
sion of them is going to5be at much cost,
or if it would add greatly to the labor
OF caring for them, SO much so that
some other interest would be neglected,
it probably would not pay.
Fatteling lambs do not need to leave
their stable for best results, provided
it has good ventilation and plenty of
sunlight. It is very convenient, how
ever, for the attendant to have them
out when feed is to be put in, and under
most circumstances the feeces can be
kept much cleaner to have the sheep
out when hay is being handled about
the stable.
The consideration Of labor saving is
the only one fayoring the use of the
"self-feed." l do not believe that a
given amount of grain fed in this way
will produce as great gain as when fed
in the usual way. When allowed free
access to grain, sheep will eat more
than they can assimilate. The results
of an experiment at the Michigan sta
tionSsupport this view. l know the self
feed" is much in favor with many good
feeders, they %contending that in no
other way can a flock be put in prime
condition. But l am convinced that the
injury to some individuals in putting
them on full feed and the excessive
amount eaten more than counterbal-
ances the advantages for small flocks.
Corn is the superior fattening grain,
and this year it is the cheapest grain
for finishing fat stock. Oats is a splen-
did grain for growing animals. You can
very properly continue the use of both
grains in equal amounts by weight un-
til within six weeks of the time you
intend selling. During the next two
weeks gradually replace the oats by
corn so that during the last four weeks
their grain is clear corn.
You are now feeding only one-half
pound grain each day. You should
double this amount at once when the
lambs are removed from the cabbage.
Give it to them at two feeds a day. BY
the middle Of January they ought to
be eating n and one-half pounds Of
grain each day and during the last six
weeks they should have approximately
two pounds each day. They will eat
that amount on cold days, but care
should be taken to withhold a little on
warm and rainy days..
Feed fodder in the morning and
clover hay in the afternoon, ali they will
eat Or a little more. The refuse. should
be removed for other stock, preferably
for horses, to clean up. Have regular
hours for feeding, not earlier than
seven in the morning nor later than
four in the evening.
Remember that fattening stock re-
quire more water than store animals.
Give free access to salt. Do not allow
the 1ocks to9be disturbed during their
hours Of %rumination. Let the man at
tend them SO far as possible. Excite
ment and restlessness are unfavorable
conditions for the storing Of fat.-H. P.
Miller, in Ohio Farmer.
Advantages of the silo.
l. The silo stores away corn more
safely and more permanently than any
other plan. Silage is practically fire
proof, ard will keep in the silo indef-
initely.
2. Corn al be made into silage at
less expense than it can be preserved in
other form.
3...The silo preserves absolutely all
but tile roots of the corn.
4. Silage can be made in the sun