Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 164, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1916 — Winter Sheep Feeds. [ARTICLE]

Winter Sheep Feeds.

As indicated by the makeup of its stomach, the sheep is an animal designed for the consumption of rough feeds, such as various sorts of hay and fodder. To keep up the fertility of our soil and to keep our land clean, it is necessary to grow hay crops containing some clover in rotation with crops that may be cultivated, such as fodder or shock corn. Such hay feeds have no particular market value, and should be valued according to the cost of producing them. Grains have a market value, and may be disposed of. A dollar invested in producing rough feeds will produce more feed than a dollar invested in grain at market price. Rough feeds, therefore, should be grown and used as feed for sheep. Breeding ewes, if In fair condition when put Into winter quarters In the fall, are sufficiently prepared for their work by a gain of from 15 to 25 pounds per head. This gain allows for the development of the unborn lamb and the wool crop. Rations to make the ewe gain slightly and yet keep her thrifty, must be carefully made. Some rough feeds contain considerable fibre. With them is is necessary to feed succulent or oily feeds. For example, with oat straw, timothy or oat hay, roots or oil cake should be fed. With clover, which is naturally laxative in es feet, such a supplement is not needed. Exercise for the ewes,, regularity in reeding, watering and salting, are factors that count in sheep raising. A few rations that have been fed to ewes in lamb with good results follow. They are the dally feed per 100 pounds live weight: L Second crop clover hay alone, 3.5 to 3.7 pounds. 2. Corn fodder in which are nubbins. 3.7 pounds. 3. Second crop clover hay, LB lb.; com fodder, 1 Jb.; oats and com 8 lb. 4. Second crop clover hay, 1.8 lb.; roots, 1.5. lb.; shelled corn, 0.3 lb. 5. Second crop clover hay 2.5 Ib.; barley, 0.55 lb. 6. Com fodder fc6 lb.; roots, 1.5 lb.; oats and com, 0.3 lb. 7. Oat hay, 1.5 lb. and O.T of a lb. of grain composed of barley, 98 parts, flaxseed, 2 parts. 8. Oat straw, 2 lb.; roots 1.8 lb. and 0.6 of a polmd of grain com posed of oats and bran equal parts D. A - Gaumnltz, Minn. University.