Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-24
Experiment on Feeds For Sheep
By Prof. w. J. Kennedy of Ames

!: The paper given by Prof. w. j. Ken
nedy Of Ames college before the sheep
breeders and wool growers yesterday
farmers whose fiocks number any
great amount. Prof. Kennedy's COM
plete paper on Experiments for Feeds
for Sheep follow:
The subject Experiments on Feeds
for Sheep Is a broad one. 1t covers a
wide area. Both the breeding flock
and fattening animals mt st receive
consideration. A careful review of the
work done in this country, by both the
experiment station and the practical
man, reveals the fact that we have
rot given this subject the same careful
thought that our British friends have.
We have done some real good work IN
|ascertaining the value of our more
common feeds. When 1T comes to the
question of furnishing variety for our
flocks we suffer by comparison with
the English f1ockmaster. Right here is
where the ma jority Of sheep men tall
down There is no other class of live
stock that respond so surely and rap
idly as does the sheep when fed va
riety of feeds.
Feeds for the Breeding Flock.
Breeding ewe.-Immediatefy after
the lambs are weaned the eve Sock
should receive attention. The aim
should be to feed and handle the Hook
in such a way as to secure the largest
number possible of strong healthy
lambs at lambing time.
The practice of flushing" the ewes
is a good one. BY flushing we mean
putting the ewes on ration that IS
highly nutritious and very palatanle.
for about three weeks previous to the
time of mating in order that they
may be rapidly gaining in flesh when
bred Flushed ewes not only produce
more twin lambs but are much more
twins are not desirable. Experiments
show that ewes sucking twins do not
lose any more flesh than those with
one lamb and that twins make as rapid
gains as singles. This is an easy way
to double the profits of the breeding
flock. For flushing the ewes, a gooa
clover or rape patch will serve use
full purpose. Where these are not avail
able a grain ration. composed OF equal
parts by weight of bran, oats and corn,
fed to the extent Of one pound per day
per eve in addition to the regular pas
ture will prove very helpful. During
the winter months variety of feed
should be furnished. For roughage
clover. alfalfa, or COW pea hay. along
with some well cured corn fodder or
corn stever and q small allowance OF
either roots or corn silage, will give
good results. The English shepherds all
use roots Experiments in this country
indicate that corn silage is useful
feed Silage should be fed in moderate
amounts. From two to three pounds
per head per day would be ample For
concentrates variety of feeds may pc
used. Corn should never form more
than one third of the grain ration
Oats, wheat bran, peas. and oil meal
are all useful feeds. Breeding ewes
should be kept in good condition ana
given an abundance of exercise. When
handled in this way good results are
sure to follow. The following rations
have given good results when fed TO
ewes averaging about $50 pounds live
weight.
Ration MIXED hay rs pounds.
corn silage 2.5 pounds and grain
mixture of equal parts corn, oats and
bran pounds.
Ration 2.-Clover hay rs pounds.
corn silage 2.5 pounds, corn 6 pound.
Ration s.-Clover hay rs pounds,
roots pounds and equal parts corn
and oats Z pound.
Ration 4-Corn fodder 3.5 pounds
and mixture Of equal parts corn, oats
and bran 6 pound.
Ration 5.-Clover hay pounds and
a mixture of equal parts oats, corn
and bran 4 pound.
Ration 6.-Mixed hay 2.5 pounds and
a mixture equal parts corn, oats and
8 pound.
Ration 7.-Alfalfa hay 2.5 pounds,
equal parts oats and corn s. pound.
During the spring and summer
months a flock that has been well
wintered will not require much, if any.
additional feed than good pasture. The
more variety you furnish your flock In
<ho foNS, ~ fDr hn
the flock will be and the greater the
number possible on a given area OF
ground. While all Of the various soil
ing crops serve useful purpose, rape
is away in the lead Rape furnishes
more feed and better feed than any
other form Of forage crop grown TN
this central western country. This is
should remember While the eve flock
does not as rule, need any grain
during tn best grass season-this rule
does not apply to the lambs. 1t is al
ways q good policy to feed the lambs
a little grain. Grain never gives such
large returns as when fed to healthy
young animals. The lamb is no excep-
ton to this rule. At some convenient
place in the pasture a amb-creep"
should be built. This is a place SO con-
that the mother cannot enter
but the lamb can. In a fiat bottomed
trough should be placed some tempt
ing feed. For this purpose ration
composed of one third corn meal, one
third oats and one-third wheat bran
will give good results.
Feeds for Fattenine Lambs.
The finishing and fattening Of lambs
for market is a profitable phase Of
stock farming 1t is a line of work
that is steadily growing in favor. Our
American people are demanding more
and more the tender, juicy high flavor
ed meat Of properly fattened lamb.
AS result of this demand the prices
for fat lambs rule high as compared
with mature sheep and other classes of
farm animals. There are various meth
DDS for fattening lambs ready for the
market. The date OF birth is an import
ant factor The February or March
lamb should be forced right along and
marketed during the early summer
months. Such lambs are out Of the way
before the stomach worm and other in
ternal parasites give much trouble.
This method also makes it possible to
buy in bunch Of western lambs and
finish them during the months Of Sep
tenohar nctobor or NOyember. Lambs