The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-12-03
Alfalfa Proves Best Winter
Ration for Breeding Ewes

years wit hthe same ewes, thus offering an
opportunity to note the effect Of the diff
ferent feeds at diffeernts ages.
The first winter the experiments inelud-
ed tests with three lots Of sheep Of about
100 sheep in the lot. One lot was fed hay
only, another received hay and corn and
the third, hay and e~Ottonseed cake. The
feeding period continued for 1O5 days and
when the sheep were weighed at the close
those that had been fed hay only had
gained an average Of Ills pounds; those fed
hay and cOttOnseed cake, 12.4 pounds. 1t
was found that one pound Of corn or a
replaced 30 pounds Of hay.
The second winter the trials were con-
tinued and an additional lot Of ewes was
fed hay and oats. The feeding continued
for a period Of 81 days. The lot fed hay
gained more than two pounds more than
any other lot and it was found that one
pound Of corn replaced approximately 90
pounds OF hay, one pound or cake approx
imately 2.S pounds Of hay, and one pound
Of oats replaced approximately 81 pounds
Of hay. The difference in gains between
the different feeds was so slight as to be
of no material significance.
! The third winter Of feeding included the
same ratiOnS as the winter before except
that the one with cOttOnseed cake was ON
tilted. The feeding continued for a period
Of 8 days. Average gains were practically
the same for all three ets-14 pounds for
the lot on hay. 146 pounds for the lot on
hay and corn and 14.5 pounds for the lOt
vi nay duu OdLcs OMC pOuuu VI COIA Wdl
found to replace 2.28 pounds of hay and
one pound Of oats replaced % pounds OF
hay.
In the fourth trial the cottonseed cake
ration was included again and during the
S2-day period, hay only produced an aver
age gain of 8S pounds, hay and corn 6
gain Of 81 pounds; hay and cottonseet
cake a gain of 10.7 pounds and hay anC
oats a gain of 9.5 pounds. A pound Of
corn replaced 238 pounds Of hay; a pound
Of cOttOnseed cake, 2.19 pounds of hay, anC
a pound OF oats, 213 pounds of hay.
A summary Of the four trials shows tina
corn and cOttOnseed cake are nearly O.
equal value when used to replace a par
of the alfalfa hay ration. Average gains
made by. the lots fed on cOttOnseed cakl
and hay were slightly greater than thOs
made by the lots fed corn and hay. Corr
had an average replacement value Of 20
pounds Of hay. Average daily gains for tn
four years of experiments give the ration
of hay only a slight advantage over tn
ration of hay and cOrn-.13 pounds a
compared with II pounds.
In summarizing the work, DR.. JOSEF
Says: According to results thus far, pric
and convenience in feeding are the factor
that should determine the concentrate t
use with alfalfa hay for wintering breed
ing ewes. At prices which have prevaile
for the past few years it is doubtful j
concentrates can be used economically t
replace hay in such ratiOns unless the cos
of handling hay is much greater. On tn
other hand, if limited amounts of hay ar
available, a supply of one of these cOncen
trates may prove exceedingly valuable /
the event that weather conditions necessi
tate a much prolonged feeding season.
"It should be borne in mind that thes
results were obtained with ratiOns con
tanning alfalfa hay and that observation
may not apply to the use Of concentrate
in ratiOns consisting mainly of native ha
or to their use for sheep on winter rang,