The Delta independent., 1915-06-25


and cattle feeding tests in corn coun-
tries barley-fed animals have won over
corn-fed. 1t seems safe to assume
that barley will make fat lambs. San
Luis valley feeds lambs on peas and
tops the market. Peas do well there.
Their land irrigates cheaply They
farm large areas. The sheep do the
harvesting. We cannot afford to take
$1,000 per acre for a matured crop
here as they often do there hence we
cannot feed peas. A limited amount
of silage has proven satisfactory in
many tests. Pasturing on different
crops has made good gains. Grain
and lfalfa-aftermath and beet tops
are good. Some pasture tops and feed
hay at night. When a boy I was
bright. Observation and experience
have impressed me with that truth.
1t is up to the feeder to furnish
nearly balanced ration whether feed
ing sheep or anything else. One need
not be surprised at getting growth
but no tallow when feeding alfalfa
alone or with oats. Be up to date and
study feeds. Plan in the spring what
you will feed the next winter and then
feed it. One who feeds must expect
to do so year after year for more
reasons than need be enumerated.
Since this article is written in the
interest of the farmer will presume
the feeders must be bought. feeder
in this valley has three possible
sources of supply. New Mexico lambs
come nearer topping the market one
day after another than any other class
of fed lambs whether fed here, in the
San Luis valley. Arkansas valley,
Northern Colo, Nebraska, or else
where. Selling high at the finish they
are correspondingly high as feeders.
They are a light-boned, light-pelted
lambs that furnish the highest per cent
OF dressed meat compared with their
live weight.
Next best is the Colorado lamb.
raised right here on these adjacent
ranges. The feeder end of these
lambs is satisfactory in the feed lot
The only reason why the feeders are
not fed here. thereby consuming our
hay and grain at profit and increas-
ing the wealth of our community and
state is that the grower refuses to
sell the feeders at home. Most of the
lambs grown here are sold to the
packers. But in every flock there are
some lambs that must. and do. go to
someone's feed lot.
This attitude on the part of the
grower will become a boomerang to
vice maintains it's attitude of making
the ranges under its control serve
the cultivated areas adjacent. Farm
ers in a neighboring valley are now
asking the Government for the right
to introduce sheep grazing on Forests
not now used by sheep. They expect
to feed part of what their ranches
produce in summer to sheep in winter
The Government must listen to their
application. The growers here should
a ahSh OEEdulLcu
effort puts them in the mine hole"
have actually heard growers ask
fifty cents per head more than lambs
netted on a steady market.
The third source of supply is west
This stuff is mostly of the merino
class, heavy pelted, good shearers.
but not so satisfactory to the packer
The smooth bodied merinos and the
cross bred stuff makes fair grade
of feeders that can be handled at
profit when bought right, fed right
and sold right
That is all there is to the sheep
feeding business. Bought right.
whether you buy them yourself or
one to buy for you. There are so
many tricks to the trade that It seems
profitable to hire lambs bought, es-
pecially the first year.
Fed right, whether hay is fed
against the fence or in self-feeders
Whether grain is fed and how
Whether pasture is used. Whatever
the ration used, be sure that the stuff
is right when marketed.
Sold right, is an item over which
the feeder has little control The
commission firm takes your fourteen
dollars per car. sells your stuff, smiles,
asks you to patronize them again.
sends your money to your bank and
It is all over.
It is good plan for feeder to
go with his stock to the market, COM
pare 1t with stock from other sec