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2 CONTENTS PURCHASING FEEDER LAMBS Characteristics to Look For Standard Grades of Feeder Lambs Important to Know Where Lambs Were Grown Lambs Are Obtainable From Various Markets ,faking Arrangements for Shipping PRICE.CONSIDERATIONS Margin Between Buying and Selling Prices Margin Above Feed Costs Variations in Seasonal Price Trends CONTRACT FEEDING SHIPPING FEEDER LAMBS TO FARM GUARD AGAINST EXCESSIVE DEATH LOSSES DO NOT OVERLOOK SIMPLE THINGS FEEDING LA1IBS IN FIELDS Good Gains Possible on Cornfield Feeding Keep Close Watch for liaggots Other Precautions in Field Feeding DRYLOT FEEDING Get Lambs Used to Drylot Ration in Fields Be Sure Rations Meet Requirements Simple Rations for Drylot Feeding Other Grains May Be Substituted for Corn Little Practical Difference in L egumes S onlegume Roughages Must Be Supplemented Supplement With Legumes Sometimes Profitable Silage Has Favorable Place in Ration Self-Feeders Can Be Used for Some Feeds '" 30 KEEP LAMBS GAINING MARKETING THE FATTENED LAMBS PAGE This circular is a revision of Circular 413, "Feeding Lambs on Illinois Farms" Urbana, Illinois March,1942 Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics: University of Illinois, College of Agriculture, and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. H. P. RUSK, Director. Acts approved by Congress May 8 and June 3D, 1914.

3 Fattening Lambs for Market By W. G. KAMMLADE, Chief in Sheep Husbandry EACH YEAR several hundred thousand lambs from the western ranges go into Illinois feedlots and pastures. Many Illinois farmers find Iamb feeding a profitable way of disposing of at least part of their grains and roughages and a significant help in maintaining soil fertility. Records of some Illinois lamb feeders show for average returns of $155 for each hundred dollars' worth of feed fed. For the two previous years the returns were $165 ( ) and $253 ( ). Successful feeding calls for discriminating buying and selling, the intelligent and economical use of feeds, and the management of the Iambs in such a way as to avoid severe death losses. It is a drastic change from the high, sunny, open ranges of the west, where lambs feed with their mothers on green vegetation exclusively, to corn-belt feedlots, where their opportunity for exercise is limited and the character of their feed completely altered. To withstand such a change tests the vitality of the lambs and the skill of the feeder. Fairly definite plans for taking care of the lambs should therefore be made before they are ordered, and only as many purchased as can be accommodated on the farm and can be suitably fed with the feeds on hand or obtainable. Beginners in lamb feeding sometimes buy several hundred lambs and then wonder what to do with them after they arrive at the farm. PURCHASING FEEDER LAMBS Characteristics to Look For There is more to purchasing feeder Iambs than merely getting enough to make a car or a truck load. Health, constitution, weight, quality, condition, form, fleece, breeding, and previous handling are all to be considered. Uniformity is also important. If one is not able to appraise these features in a group of lambs, the advice of a reliable and competent buyer should be obtained. Health and constitution. Good health and constitution are absolute requirements if lambs are to withstand heavy feeding and the hardships frequently met in shipment and in the fields or feedlots. 3

4 4 CIRCU LAR No. 523 A top price for feeder lambs is justified only if there is reasonable assurance that they can be developed into top-priced fat lambs. Lambs that appear to be so lacking in constitution or health as to be susceptible to disease or likely to fail to thrive unless very carefully fed and handled must be purchased at a significant discount if a heavy financial risk is to be a voided. Lambs from various areas of the range country may be infested with internal or external parasites. Lack of alertness, evidence of Black-faced lambs similar to these are fed by the thousands in Illinois each year. Note uniformity in size and condition and the general appearance of good health and vitality. digestive troubles, and paleness of skin and eye membranes are all symptoms of these parasites, which must be removed if the lambs are to thrive and death losses are to be avoided. Ticks and lice can be readily destroyed by dipping. Lambs infested with scab mites should never be bought, as these pests are difficult to eradicate. Weight. Weight is an important factor in determining prices offered for fat lambs. The purchaser of feeders must therefore take weight into consideration when deciding what he can pay for them. For most feeders lambs weighing 55 to 65 pounds are usually most suitable, as they finish in reasonable time and weigh 85 to 90 pounds when ready for market. Heavy feeder lambs (70 to 75 pounds) that are very thin are not so satisfactory as those of lighter weight; they are likely to be too heavy if fed for a normal period, or to lack finish if returned to

5 FATTENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 5 market at weights of 85 to 90 pounds. During the last few years, however, there has been less price discrimination than formerly against fat lambs weighing as much as 100 pounds. Lightweight lambs (45 to 55 pounds) are satisfactory for rather long feeding and if of good quality can be developed into choice fat lambs. Because of improved breeding and management there are not many lightweight lambs available except in years of scant rainfall. Lambs of this kind are often shorn by the feeder before being sent to market, especially if wool is bringing a good price. Quality, condition, and form. In feeder lambs quality, condition, and form vary greatly. The most satisfactory lambs are those show Light-pelted fine-wool type of fe eder of Rambouillet breeding. Freedom from wrinkles and evenness of lines should be emphasized in selecting lambs of this breeding. ing good general quality. Such lambs are free from coarseness, paunchiness, and peltiness (wrinkles or folds in the skin). Lambs with a moderate amount of condition (fat) are preferable to very thin lambs. Moderately low-set lambs, compact, wide, deep, and straight-lined not only make the most satisfactory gains and attain the best finish, but sell for the highest prices when finished. Fleecing. For field feeding, tight-fleeced lambs are preferable to those with shaggy coats, for a tight fleece gives more protection than a loose one. Densely fleeced lambs are also more attractive and have a

6 6 CIRCULAR No. 523 better "touch" when handled for finish, or amount of fat. Shaggycoated lambs are not likely to attain a hard, thick finish. Breeding. Feeders often specify that the lambs they purchase be either black-faced or white-faced, preferring the breeding that is represented by one color or the other. Practically all lambs from the western ranges carry some fine-wool blood, especially that of the Rambouillet, which is a white-faced breed with fair mutton qualities. The percentage of such breeding varies Cross-bred feeder lamb from a Hampshire sire and a Rambouillet ewe. It has a coarser fleece and more pronounced mutton qualities than the lamb shown on page 5, but both types can be deyeloped into choice fat lambs. greatly. Fine-wool lambs that are free from large wrinkles and are of good type often do well in feedlots. It is best to avoid those that are very wrinkly and uneven in their lines. Within recent years much crossbreeding of fine-wool and long-wool sheep has been done. These efforts have resulted in the production of the Corriedale, Columbia, and other similar white-faced types. When crossbred and fine-wool lambs are of like quality neither has any distinct advantage in rate or economy of gains, as shown by feeding trials. The crossbreds, however, are likely to have better conformation and hence more attractive carcasses. Many Illinois feeders prefer lambs carrying about SO percent blackfaced mutton breeding because such lambs are thought to make faster gains than lambs of fine-wool ancestry. The face color of these lambs

7 FATTEXING LAMBS FOR MARKET 7 varies from a grayish-white with some brown spots to complete black. Most of the black-faced range lambs are sired by Hampshire rams, altho rams of the Suffolk breed are also used in range areas. Few rams of other dark-faced breeds are used in range flocks. Tests have shown that there is little or no difference in the gaining qualities of black- and white-faced lambs of comparable quality and conformation. Standard Grades of Feeder Lambs The above features, together with uniformity, or evenness, are the chief ones considered in placing feeder lambs in the various market grades. Lambs possessing all these desirable features to a very high degree are known as choice feeders. As desirability in one or more respects declines, the lambs are designated as good, fair, or medium, and common or inferior feeders. The lower grades of feeder lambs are not likely to develop into the higher grades of fat lambs, especially if their low grade is due to lack of quality or desirable form. Therefore the lower grades should be bought at a discount from the price of the best feeders. Important to Know Where Lambs Were Grown The region from which feeder lambs come and the way in which they have been handled are important. Climatic conditions and the prevalence of internal parasites vary greatly in the range-sheep areas. Formerly troublesome to sheep only in the central and southern states, these parasites within recent years have become a serious problem in many range sections also. Because of more favorable climate and less likelihood of internal parasites in the northwestern range area, some feeders prefer lambs from that section. Some feeders are sincerely prejudiced against lambs from Texas and the southwestern areas. However, farm records computed on the basis of returns for feed fed show no apparent advantage in feeding lambs from any particular region. Texas and southwestern lambs, if in good health, show returns comparable to those made by lambs from ranges farther north. Lambs from all sections soon become acclimated to Illinois. Experienced feeders dislike to purchase lambs from extreme drouth areas because the lambs are lacking in vitality due to a shortage of feed. Many feeders will not take lambs that have been on feed for some time in another feedlot unless they can be had at a discount, as later gains are often expensive.

8 8 CIRCULAR No. 523 Improvement in methods of feeding and managing native lambs (those raised in Illinois and other central states) is reducing the number available as feeders. Death losses from internal parasites are likely to be greater in these native feeders than in most lots of range feeders. When given proper treatment and carefully fed, however, native lambs have proved profitable to some feeders. Lambs Are Obtainable From Various Markets Noone market has a monopoly on feeder lambs, and feeders should make their purchases wherever they can obtain the best value. While it is advisable for a feeder to see the lambs he considers buying before he purchases them, it is seldom necessary to take expensive trips to buy one or two decks, for the services of well-qualified, reliable buyers may be obtained on all markets. Lambs may also be purchased thru cooperative agencies or dealers direct from growers in the West. Altho this method has been proposed as the solution of the problems associated with the buying of feeder lambs, it has been accompanied by much buying by speculators for resale at a profit. Also extremely large losses in weight between range loading points and corn-belt feedlots have been reported in some cases. Purchasers can guard against such losses by insisting that all lambs be weighed after being without feed and water for twelve hours and that the weighing be done on accurate tested scales by someone not interested in the deal. Disappointments likewise result at times when Iambs are purchased that have been held in a central market for several days, as such lambs are likely to shrink heavily during shipment from market to feedlot. Making Arrangements for Shipping Many railroads offer feeders the privilege of billing lambs on a thru bill of lading from the place where purchased to the market where they will be sold, with a provision "for feeding in transit" for a more or less definite period. At the present time feeder rates, which are about 15 percent lower than those on fat animals, are available from central markets, as well as from range points. This matter should be taken up with the local agent of the railroad before purchases are made, as substantial savings in freight charges can often be made in this way. Rates charged by truckers within the state are not now regulated by public agencies.

9 FATTENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 9 PRICE CONSIDERATIONS Margin Between Buying and Selling Prices Lambs weighing 60 pounds when purchased are often sold at 90 pounds. With their initial weight representing two-thirds of their final weight, it is easy to understand why the margin, or spread, between the price per hundred at which lambs are bought and the price at which they are sold is generally the most important single factor in determining profit. The necessity for care in buying is also clear from the fact that the original cost of feeder lambs generally represents 50 to 70 percent of the total cost of lamb feeding. A mistake in judgment as to the value of the lambs may result in severe financial loss. Margin Above Feed Costs Next to the original cost of feeder lambs, the cost of their feed is the most important item, for it constitutes 20 to 40 percent of the total cost of the feeding enterprise. The feeder should therefore strive for a margin above feed costs also. If all the feed costs are charged against the gain in weight and none against maintenance of the original weight, then a margin over feed costs for lambs bought at 60 pounds and sold at 90 pounds would represent a margin on 30 pounds. A margin over purchase price would represent a margin on 60 pounds. Thus a given margin over feed costs is about half as important as the same margin over the purchase price on the original weight. It is from these margins-on feed cost of gain and original weight -that all expenses must be paid and a profit obtained. The following simple illustrations will make the above clearer to the inexperienced: 1. A margin of 2 cents a pound over cost of gain Cost of 6O-pound feeder lamb at $9 a hundredweight $ 5.40 Feed cost of 30 pounds of gain at $7 a hundredweight Total lamb and feed costs $ 7.50 Sale value of 90-pound lamb at $9 a hundredweight Margin to cover other expenses and profit...$ A margin of 2 cents a pound over purchase price Cost of 6O-pound feeder lamb at $9 a hundredweight...$ 5.40 Feed cost of 30 pounds of gain at $11 a hundredweight Total lamb and feed costs $ 8.70 Sale value of 90-pound lamb at $11 a hundredweight Margin to cover other expenses and profit....$ 1.20

10 10 CIRCULAR No A margin of 2 cents a pound over both purchase price and cost of gain Cost of 60-pound feeder lamb at $9 a hundredweight...$ S.40 Feed cost of 30 pounds of gain at $9 a hundredweight Total lamb and feed costs $ 8.10 Sale value of 90-pound lamb at $11 a hundredweight Margin to cover other expenses and profit $ 1.80 A given margin over the cost of the lambs does not yield the same return at different price-levels unless all items of expense vary to the same degree. In the following illustrations a $2 spread between buying and selling prices is assumed. Feed costs remain the same. 4. A margin of $2 with $8 feeder lambs Cost of 60-pound feeder lamb at $8 a hundredweight $ 4.80 Feed cost of 30 pounds gain at $8 a hundredweight Total lamb and feed costs $ 7.20 Sale value of 90-pound lamb at $10 a hundredweight Margin to cover expenses and profit...$ A margin of $2 with $10 feeder lambs Cost of 6O-pound feeder lamb at $10 a hundredweight..... $ 6.00 Feed cost of 30 pounds gain at $8 a hundredweight (as in 4) Total lamb and feed costs $ 8.40 Sale value of 90-pound lamb at $12 a hundredweight Margin to cover other expenses and profits $ 2.40 Variations in Seasonal Price Trends Lamb feeding is done mostly in the fall and winter months. Prices for lambs usually decline in the fall and then tend to become higher in January, February, and March. There is no assurance, however, that prices will decline and rise in just the same way each year, and feeders should therefore plan their purchases and marketings mainly to suit the system of feeding they use and the conditions under which they operate rather than to attempt to base their feeding operations wholly on seasonal price trends in the past. On the other hand a feeder would be foolish indeed to ignore seasonal price tendencies. Undoubtedly one of the most satisfactory ways to conduct the lamb-feeding enterprise is to make it a definite part of the farm scheme and include it in each year's farm operations. Trying to "hit it right" for good years, and staying out other years is often disastrous and does not contribute to any definite development of the farm. For field feeding, lambs must be purchased early in the fall; but for drylot feeding during the winter they may be bought over a considerable period of the fall and winter. A number of agencies furnish information about the supplies of feeder and fat lambs that will prob

11 FATTENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 11 DOLLARS PER loa POUNDS JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT NOV. DEC. Prices of slaughter lambs tend to decline in the last six months of the year. These are the market prices at Chicago. (Bureau of Agricultural Economics, C. S. Department of Agriculture) ably be available during stated times. Many feeders use this information as a guide in making purchases. Occasionally someone asks about feeding on pasture during June and July. Feeding lambs during those months is likely to be unwise because few are available and prices are likely to be higher than in the fall when they are ready for market. Also, lambs often do not do wen during the hot summer months. It is better to let the pastures grow during early and midsummer and use them during the late summer or THOUSANDS JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC Numbers of sheep and lambs show marked fluctuations from one season to another during the year. The figures are for animals slaughtered under federal inspection. (Bureau of Agricultural Economics, U. S. Department of Agriculture)

12 12 CIRCULAR No. 523 fall when more feeder lambs are available and market conditions are generally more favorable to the feeder. Altho it is not often wise to feed lambs on pasture during the hot summer months, within the last few years a considerable number of yearling wethers, chiefly from Texas, have been profitably fed in Illinois during these months. Most profit has resulted when the wethers made go~d gains on pasture and grain feeding was limited to a few weeks' finishing period. Legumes or mixed legumes and grasses furnished the best pasture. A normal feeding period for fattening lambs is about 80 to 120 days, depending on the lambs and the method of feeding followed. Hence it is possible for farmers who are equipped to do so to feed at least two lots of lambs during fall and winter. Handled in this way lamb feeding offers a quick turnover on the investment and the feeder is not subject to payment of taxes on the lambs. CONTRACT FEE DING Interest in feeding lambs under contract was widespread in Illinois a few years ago, as it offered farmers a means of obtaining lambs without a cash outlay for them. Because credit facilities have improved, little contract feeding is done now. The extent to which contract feeding will prove satisfactory depends largely on the ability and trustworthiness of the parties concerned and on the fairness and clearness of the contract. Altho an equitable contract is an extremely important element, its existence does not necessarily mean that both parties will be satisfied with the outcome of the enterprise. Each party to the agreement must be able to understand the other's viewpoint and know in advance all details regarding the lambs, methods of feeding, supervision, marketing, etc. Altho a feeder must keep in mind tnat one of the most important things is to deal with reputable people, he will want to consider the different types of contracts and select the one most suitable for him. The guaranteed-spread contract assures to him a definite margin. The feed-cost contract gives him specified prices for his feeds plus an allowance for labor, use of equipment, etc. If lambs are fed on a pounds-gain contract a feeder is paid a stipulated price per pound for the increase in weight. A cooperative-share contract provides for the division of the receipts in proportion to the amount each party contributes.

13 FATTENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 13 SHIPPING FEEDER LAMBS.TO FARM Losses due to injuries and deaths of slaughter animals during shipment amount to millions of dollars each year. Losses in feeders resulting from overcrowding in trucks or cars, rough handling, excitement, exhaustion, and other causes are undoubtedly as large, if not larger. Even when deaths do not occur, the efficiency with which the lambs respond to feeding is lessened. Avoid overcrowding lambs in car. A purchaser should be careful about the way in which he permits his lambs to be shipped. Experienced men avoid overcrowding the lambs in the car. About 140 to 150 sixty-pound feeder lambs can usually be loaded in a single-deck car or about 300 head in a 36-foot double-deck car. The exact route over which the lambs are to be shipped should be carefully designated. Many lambs are trucked but, as a general rule, they stand rail shipment better. Have lambs dried off after dipping. A permit must be obtained from the state veterinarian at Springfield before feeder lambs can be brought into Illinois direct from western areas. If brought in without being dipped, regulations prescribe holding them under quarantine until release after an official inspection. These rules are designed to prevent the spread of scab, or scabies. Sanitary regulations also require that lambs purchased at public stockyards for feeding purposes be dipped before leaving the yards. This regulation is not enforced during cold weather but the lambs are inspected for scab before shipment. If lambs that are dipped are left in the yards until their fleeces have become at least partially dry before being loaded, there is not likely to be so much loss from pneumonia or similar diseases. Insist on frequent unloading and feeding. An experienced feeder insists on having his lambs unloaded every 28 hours when they are being shipped a long distance. Railroad companies are required to unload them this frequently unless the shipper signs a release giving the railroad the right to keep them on cars for 36-hour periods. Some feeders think lambs should not be deprived of feed and water for as long as 36 hours. They believe that lambs are more likely to develop digestive troubles under such conditions than if they are fed and watered at shorter intervals. Many range lambs are not weaned until just before they are shipped, and it is therefore especially important that they be well fed and handled enroute. This does not mean heavy feeding but simply

14 14 CIRCULAR No. 523 that the lambs should not be allowed to get very hungry or thirsty. The aim at all times should be to avoid doing anything that might, by unnecessarily weakening the lambs, make them more susceptible to disease. Lambs are certain to lose weight during shipment. So long as this loss is due largely to loss of "fill," it is readily regained, but hardships that cause loss of condition should be carefully avoided. The amount of shrink will depend to some extent upon the distance the lambs are shipped, their condition and weight, and the method of handling them. A normal shrink for lambs enroute to Illinois from points as far west as Denver would be about 7 pounds a head. From Chicago to most points in Illinois the shrink on lambs not heavily filled when purchased will usually be not more than 5 pounds a head. Quiet, careful handling is the best way to avoid an excessive shrink and crippled lambs. Handle lambs carefully on unloading. Range lambs shipped to Illinois feedlots may have been on the way for a week or two. During this time they have been under unnatural conditions and have been molested to a great extent. Many of them will not have been weaned from their dams until just before shipment. They are therefore bound to arrive in somewhat exhausted condition and should be so handled at the railroad yards and on the way to the farm that they will not be subjected to further discomfort. If the lambs are not hauled they should be allowed ample time to reach the farm and should be given only feeds similar to those to which they are accustomed. The grass and weeds which they eat as they travel slowly to the farm are not likely to injure them. For the first three or four days after arrival at the farm, palatable dry roughage or bluegrass pasture, water, a small amount of salt, and rest in the shade or under a shelter are the general requirements. GUARD AGAINST EXCESSIVE DEATH LOSSES Even with careful management some loss of lambs between purchase and market is likely to occur. Deaths to the extent of 3 or 4 percent of the number purchased are considered normal. Many feeders, however, have lower losses and others occasionally lose 8 to 10 percent or even more. With such high losses as the latter it is difficult, if not impossible, to make any profit on the enterprise. Each one percent of death loss may cut down returns 2 to 4 percent or even more, depending upon

15 FATTENINC L"-MBS FOR ::.r.-\rket 15 such factors as prices and the time when the deaths occur. Thus a death loss of 5 percent may lower returns as much as 10 to 25 percent. Give prompt care in case of illness. Lambs that become sick at any time during the feeding period should be immediately removed from the flock in order to prevent, so far as possible, the spread 6f disease. Close inspection is necessary to detect sickness early enough for treatment to be effective, and prompt preventive measures are necessary if infectious or other diseases develop. Quick and sure action in diagnosing and treating any illnesses is necessary if the risk of large losses is to be avoided. When the cause of the trouble is not plain, a competent veterinarian should be called. There are few diseases of lambs that cc)-nnot be correctly diagnosed by a skilful veterinarian, especially when aided by a thoro laboratory examination of some of the affected animals. 1 Until the difficulty is correctly diagnosed it is practically useless to administer treatment. Provide good sanitation, ample feeding space. To prevent conditions that tend to make lambs susceptible to disease, avoid insanitary conditions, overcrowding in feedlots, and improper housing. Keep lots in which the lambs are fed as dry and clean as possible. Clean the feed racks regularly so that waste feed will not accumulate in them, become spoiled, and if eaten cause digestive disturbances. To avoid overcrowding, give the lambs ample space at the feed rack so that none will be deprived of feed. When hand-fed, each lamb needs 10 inches, preferably 12 inches, of rack space. Various kinds of feed racks may be used. One of the simplest is a combination grain and hay rack with a flat bottom and slatted sides. Such a rack is easily made and cleaned, prevents waste of feed, and enables the lambs to get feed from both sides. One 16 feet long gives space for about 32 lambs. Separate racks for grain and for hay are often used. These may be built in various ways, but should be so made as to be easily cleaned and prevent the lambs from wasting feed. One type of rack is shown on page 16. Have shelter well ventilated. The shelter should provide good ventilation and about 6 to 8 square feet. of floor space per lamb. A building 30 by 60 feet, if properly arranged, can be used for about a double-deck carload of about 300 lambs. For feeding lambs in Illinois a building that is open on the south is especially desirable. Such a building requires no special plan for lsuch an examination may be had at the Department of Animal Pathology and Hygiene, University of Illinois, Urbana.

16 16 CIRC U LAR No. 523 ventilation and has no objectionable feature except that it does allow some rain and snow to be blown in upon the lambs. In any case it is not good management to so close the shelter that an abundant supply A combination grain and roughage rack like this is easily cleaned and is neither costly nor difficult to build. It prevents waste and enables the lambs to feed from both sides. To the right is shown one side of a self-feeder. oj fresh air is not always present. Lambs fed in closed shelters without ample ventilation do not thrive nor gain so well as those fed in open shelters. Don't overfeed concentrates. Death losses of feeder lambs are often traceable to the very heavy feeding of concentrates. To try to get lambs on a full feed of heavy concentrates in one or two weeks, or to feed them very large amounts of heavy grains with a small amount of roughage, is likely to cause severe digestive disturbances and death. In fact it is one of the most common causes of loss. Overeating cannot be entirely prevented under any method of feeding, but a plentiful supply of palatable roughage at all times is a great help in this respect. DO NOT OVERLOOK SIMPLE THINGS Have water and salt always present. To deprive lambs of water is a serious mistake. Some people still think water is not essential, but successful feeders are very careful to provide ample facilities so that

17 FATTE II TG LAMBS FOR ~1ARKET 17 lambs may always have an opportunity to drink. Lack of an abundance of water is believed by some to be one of the reasons why bladder stones ( urinary calculi) cause substantial losses in some lots of feeder lambs. Salt is as essential to fattening lambs as it is to other animals. Some feeders insist that lambs do not get enough salt if only block salt is used. Probably barrel or loose salt is better, for then each lamb, if sufficient containers are provided, is certain to have plenty. Irregular salting is dangerous. When lambs are very hungry for salt they may eat too much of it and severe scouring or even death may result. Many Illinois feeders need better facilities for feeding, watering, and salting. Sort lambs for feeding. In order to give the lighter, weaker lambs a good chance, they should be sorted out and fed apart from the heavier lambs. The larger lambs, if they are also fatter, will usually be ready for resale sooner than the smaller ones. "Topping out" and shipping the fatter lambs is regularly practiced by many feeders but this is not feasible for a man feeding only a small lot unless he can ship by truck. It is seldom advisable to feed more than 2,000 to 2,500 lambs together in one lot. Do not overexercise lambs. Forcing lambs to go long distances for feed and water is not a good practice. Lambs so treated usually gain less rapidly than lambs confined within a small area. Traveling half a mile to feed is not likely to prevent rapid gains if the lambs are allowed to walk slowly, and if there is plenty of feed for them. Confinement within a relatively small area is preferable to a wide range, however, and this is especially true during the latter half of the feeding period. FEEDING LAMBS IN FIELDS Some farmers prefer to put the lambs on pasture or waste feeds for a considerable period even tho they do not gain half so fast as they would in the drylot or if fed grain while on pasture. Very large gains should not be expected if lambs are on pasture alone in the fall, unless all conditions are especially favorable. A pound of gain in five or six days is probably the average to be expected on grass pasture alone. Lambs on mixed grass and legume pastures or legumes alone, especially lespedeza in the southern portion of Illinois,

18 18 CIRCU LAR No. 523 make gains about equal to those made in drylot. By supplementing the pasture with grain feeding, the rate of gain may be increased SO to almost 100 percent. Good Gains Possible on Cornfield Feeding Altho some Illinois farmers consider it unsafe to feed lambs in cornfields, it is a fact that many do feed them in this way year after year with good results. At least a portion of the corn crop can be harvested in this way and much of the waste feeds in cornfields and Field-feeding provides use fo r otherwise unmarketable roughage and reduces feed and labor costs. Often soybeans o r other similar crops are planted with corn to give the lambs a larger supply of feed. meadows utilized. Soybeans, rape, sweet clover, and other similar crops are frequently planted or sown with corn to provide additional feed. Pastures of early-seeded rye, wheat, and winter barley or stubble fields adjoining cornfields often provide an abundance of needed roughage. Some feeders cut off the cornstalks just above the ear, so that the tops fall to the ground and the leaves on the upper part of the plants, as well as those lower down, may be eaten by the lambs. A small area may be cut each day. The lambs will not break down so many stalks when the tops are cut off in this way. If the roughages in the fields are all eaten before the lambs are ready for market, hay- preferably legume hay- should be given. Hay

19 FATIENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 19 fed to lambs feeding in cornfields has markedly increased the rate of gain. The use of a palatable roughage also tends to prevent the lambs from eating excessive amounts of corn, and so helps to prevent death losses. It is also good management to confine the lambs to a relatively small area of the field after they have consumed the field roughages. An area that provides about 2 bushels of corn for each lamb is about right, as this is the approximate amount of corn required to fatten a feeder lamb of average weight. Under such conditions a lamb will eat Yz to ~ pound of hay a day. The amount of harvested roughage required for field feeding is thus rather small, for it usually is not necessary to supply harvested roughages except for about hal f the feeding period. Much of the roughage of the rank, "washy" kind, or roughage that is not especially palatable, may cause lambs to lose weight if they are kept on that feed alone. Lambs must have palatable and nutritious f eeds if satisfactory gains are to be made. Bluegrass and the common forage crops such as clover, alfalfa, sweet clover, or rape, are superior to many wild grasses and weeds. If the forage in the fields is very succulent or unpalatable and low grade, it is advisable to place dry roughages in racks where the lambs can eat what they want. If legume hays are not available for use in the fields, gains can be significantly increased by feeding protein concentrates- soybeans, soybean oil meal, cottonseed meal, or linseed meal- at the rate of TABLE 1.- AVERAGE DAILY GAINS MADE BY LAMBS FED IN CORNFIELDS (Reported by four state experiment stations) Cornfield and soy- Cornfield, Cornfield beans; leg- Cornfield, Cornfield, protein Station Cornfield and protein umehay legume concenreporting alone adjoining concenafter hay trate, legpasture beans were trate umehay eaten lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. Illinois Nebraska Ohio Purdue Alfalfa pasture for 49 days; alfalfa hay in the cornfield the last 31 days. 2Soybeans in cornfield for 28 days ; soybean hay in field for 67 days. 3Cornfield alone for 28 days ; alfalfa hay in field for 67 days. 4Mixed clover and timothy pasture for 55 days; alfalfa hay in cornfield for 25 days. 5Bluegrass pasture and.25 pound linseed oil meal per day. 6Bluegrass pasture.

20 20 CIRCULAR No. 523 about Ys to ;4 pound daily per lamb. If only corn and cornstalks are available the protein supplement should be fed at the rate of about YJ pound daily per lamb. If neither legume roughages nor pastures are available, it is advisable to supply about 4 ounces of finely ground limestone daily for each 10 lambs in addition to the protein supplement. So long as lambs have liberal amounts of legume roughages the use of mineral supplements is not necessary, but the exclusive use of low-protein roughages, such as grass hays, straws or silage, makes it advisable to add a very simple mineral to the ration. Experiments have shown that lambs fed in drylot with grain and a low-protein roughage, such as corn silage, and given finely ground limestone and a protein supplement make as rapid gains as lambs fed legume roughages and the same grain ration. It is possible that enough limestone will be consumed if it is mixed with the salt in equal amounts and kept before the lambs at all times. Some results of different methods of field feeding are shown in Table 1 on page 19. Keep Close Watch for Maggots During the summer and early fall, lambs feeding in fields may become infested with maggots. This is most likely to happen when the lambs scour and filth collects on the wool. Lambs infested with maggots are very uncomfortable; they are inclined to rub or try to bite infested parts and show great uneasiness. The maggots must be removed or the lambs not only will not thrive but may die. To help reduce maggot trouble a few feeders shear a small amount of wool from the sides of the dock (tail) and below it soon after they get the lambs or before they turn the lambs into the fields. The removal of this wool helps to keep the lambs clean, and clean lambs are very seldom, if ever, infested unless there is some abrasion in the skin. Under any circumstances the lambs should be closely observed from day to day and any maggots destroyed by an application of turpentine or a strong dip, or in some other manner, after the tags (bunches of dirty wool) have been clipped off. Other Precautions in Field Feeding Lambs should not be turned into fields in which there are many burs if it is at all possible to avoid doing so. Burs in the fleeces may give buyers a good excuse for lowering the price they offer. Good fences about the fields and a dog-proof corral in which the lambs can be penned at night are advisable. For late fall some shelter

21 F ATTENI G LAMBS FOR.YIARKET 21 should be provided, especially in the colder sections of Illinois. Lambs are not likely to thrive if the fields are very wet and muddy and they are compelled to stay in them at all times. Hence it is usually most satisfactory if the lambs can come to the barn lots when they are not eating in the fields. While cornfield feeding is generally considered as requiring very little labor, enough labor and attention should be expended to provide good conditions for the lambs and not expose them unduly to severe weather or other adverse conditions. DRYLOT FEEDING Get Lambs Used to Drylot Ration in Fields It is often advisable to confine lambs to a drylot before they are finished. If this is the plan, it is well to accustom them to the drylot ration while they are still in the fields. This may be done by bringing the lambs to the lots at night, or by placing grain racks or self-feeders in the fields. Oats are very palatable to lambs and hence very useful in inducing range lambs to eat either in drylot or in fields. By accustoming the lambs to eating grain from troughs while still in the fields they will continue to do well when changed from fields to drylots. Be Sure Rations Meet Requirements To be suitable for lambs a ration must have sufficient bulk to enable the lamb's digestive tract to function properly. When lambs are on full feed about half the weight of the ration should, under most conditions, consist of dry roughage or an equivalent amount of silage or of feeds that are bulky in proportion to their weight. If the roughage or bulky feeds are reduced much below this proportion, it becomes difficult to keep lambs on full feed. Besides giving attention to the physical makeup of the ration, it is well to see that the various nutrients-proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, etc.-are supplied in needed amounts. Feeds containing high percentages of protein are more expensive, as a rule, than those with a lower protein content. For most farm feeders the cheapest and most satisfactory sources of protein are the legume roughages grown on the farm. Alfalfa, clover, lespedeza, and soybean hays are liked by lambs, and may be relied on not only to supply the necessary amounts of protein and minerals for fattening lambs fed farm grains, but also to meet the requirements for bulk.

22 22 CIRCULAR No. 523 Simple Rations for Drylot Feeding The simplest satisfactory ration for fattening lambs in drylot consists of a concentrate and a legume roughage. Corn and legume hay may be expected to fatten 60-pound feeder lambs in a period of 90 to 110 days. Fed with good judgment, these two feeds make a ration TABLE 2.- GAINS MADE BY WESTERN RANGE LAMBS ON SHELLED CORN AND ALFALFA HAY (Illinois experiments) Trial No. Days fed Average amounts of feed per day Corn Alfalfa hay Average daily gain Feed per' 100'pounds gain Corn Alfalfa hay Fed Eaten lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb Average sufficiently balanced in nutrients to put about a pound a head on good feeder lambs every 3 days. This may be considered a standard ration and a standard gain with which other rations may be compared. It is not necessarily the best ration, but it utilizes two feeds that are or may be grown on practically every Illinois farm. A fair idea of what may be expected of a ration of shelled corn and alfalfa hay hand-fed to western lambs is shown by the figures given in Table 2. Experiments at other stations have given similar results. Ear corn is suitable for lamb feeding, altho it is not so readily eaten nor so easily handled as shelled corn. Chopped or broken ear corn is easier to keep uniformly distributed in feed racks than the

23 FATTENING LAM BS FOR "MARKET 23 whole ears, but it is only from this standpoint that it is preferable to whole ears. Ground corn-and-cob meal has no apparent advantage over shelled corn, as there is little if any feed value in the cob. Ground corn is less palatable than shelled corn and is no more digestible or efficient. When corn is to be mixed with cut hay or with other bulky material for self-feeding, grinding or cracking it may be advisable. A very satisfactory feeding schedule that makes use of corn and legume hay from the time the lambs arrive at the farm until they are marketed is shown below: Corn per lamb Legume hay per per day lamb per day lb. lb. First 5 to 7 days d week d week th week... " th week to close The amounts fed at any given time should be adjusted to the appetites of the lambs, which vary considerably from time to time. For a group of lambs the feeding schedule may be handled in this way: Give the lambs all the legume roughage they can eat. Start them on corn at the rate of a peck (14 pounds) for each 50 lambs. After 6 or 7 days increase the corn ration about 5 pounds every three days. At the end of a month the lambs will be getting a pound of corn per head daily. If all conditions are sui ~ able and feed is increased at the same rate for another two weeks, the lambs will then be on a full feed of 1.5 pounds a head daily. This amount can be continued to the end of the feeding period or some further small increases made. To those who wish to fatten lambs in a very short time these feed increases may appear too small. It must be remembered, however, that careful feeding, as well as good management, is essential in preventing losses from apoplexy, hyperglycemia, overeating, etc. Over a period of many years lambs fed as suggested have shown death losses of only one-half of one percent. Other Grains May Be Substituted for Corn Other grains may be substituted for a part or all of the corn without danger if done with good judgment. No hard and fast rules can be given as to amounts of other grains to use, because of the way grains vary in quality from season to season as well as between farms and localities.

24 24 CIRCULAR No. 523 Oats. Altho it is usually not advisable to substitute oats for corn thruout the entire feeding period, they are very palatable to lambs and can be used to advantage in starting them on feed and as a partial substitute for corn during the first half or three-quarters of the feeding period. When oats are used as a complete substitute for corn, gains are not likely to be so rapid nor the finish so good. Used as a complete substitute, oats usually are worth not more than 75 percent as much as corn per pound; sometimes their value is less than this; in only a few tests has it been more. Used along with corn to the extent of about 50 percent of the total grain ration during the first half of the feeding period, oats of good quality frequently prove as valuable as corn. Practical feeders usually stop feeding oats during the last half of the feeding period. Since they are bulky in comparison with corn and with most other grains, oats in the ration may reduce the amount of roughage the lambs will eat. Barley. Barley is a suitable feed for fattening lambs. It is worth about 85 to 90 percent as much per pound as shelled corn when the two grains are of similar quality. Study of practically all the controlled feeding work with barley indicates that this is a fair estimate, altho there are tests showing barley and corn of equal value. The rate of gain is usually less with barley than with corn, and somewhat more barley than corn is required to produce a given gain in weight. Lambs will attain a good finish, however, on barley, altho the finish may not be so firm as when corn is fed. When barley can be had for less than 85 percent of the cost of corn per hundredweight, it is advisable to use it. If barley is to be fed alone it need not be ground. Tests show that practically nothing is gained by grinding since lambs are capable of. grinding it themselves. An exception to this statement might be made for barley of the very hard varieties. The feeding schedule suggested for corn is a suitable guide for barley feeding also. Wheat. As a feed for fattening lambs, wheat usually has 90 to 100 percent the value of corn. Some whole wheat may pass unchewed and undigested thru the lambs. While this may be prevented by grinding the wheat, grinding seems to lessen the palatability of the grain and does not increase its consumption nor the rate of gain. According to tests (Table 3) about 7 to 10 percent more grain and alfalfa hay are required for a given amount of gain when whole wheat is used in place of corn.

25 F ATTENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 25 TABLE 3.- COMPARISONS OF WHEAT AND CORN FOR FATTENING LAMBS Station Average amounts Aver- Feed per 100 Days Kind of of feed per day age pounds gain fed grain daily Grain Alfalfa gain Grain Alfalfa lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. Illinois Whole wheat.. Shelled corn Nebraska l Whole wheat Shelled corn Nebraska Wheat Corn Oklahoma Whole wheat Shelled corn lreported in Bulletin 256, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. 2Average of two trials reported in Bulletin 257, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Apparently there is some likelihood of bloat when whole wheat is used as the only grain feed. Ground wheat or mixtures of wheat and other grains do not seem to affect lambs in this way. Rye. Rye of good quality is readily eaten by fattening lambs and may be used as part or all of the ration. Mixtures. Mixtures of two or more grains are very satisfactory for lambs. Because they add variety to the ration they sometimes cause a greater consumption of feed than the same grains fed separately, and hence more rapid gains. Molasses. While molasses may be fed to fattening lambs, it is not the magic feed that it is sometimes thought to be. It is essentially a carbohydrate feed like corn and there is little reason for Illinois feeders to use it as long as there is an abundance of corn. To be profitable it must be bought at a price per ton that is 10 to 15 percent below that of corn. Molasses is usually fed at the rate of ;.4 to Yz pound a head daily. L ittle P ractical Difference in Legumes Legumes are the best roughages for fattening lambs. Altho there is little practical difference in feeding value among some of the legumes, certain factors, such as cost of production, yield, soil, and climatic requirements are important considerations under farm conditions. Alfalfa is not excelled by any other roughage for lamb feeding, tho clover, Korean lespedeza, and soybean hays compare very favor

26 26 CIRCUL A R No. 523 TABLE 4.- SHELLED CORN AND KORE AN L E SPEDEZA HAY COMPARE D WITH SHELLED CORN AND ALFALFA HAY FOR FATTE NING LAMBS (Illinois experiments) Trial No. Days Average amounts of Average Feed per 100 pounds fed feed per day daily gain gain Lespedeza Lespedeza Corn hay Corn hay lb. lb. lb. lb. lb Corn Alfalfa hay Corn Alfalfa hay lb. lb. lb. lb. lb lin this test no corn was fed during the first 56 days. trials should of course be compared. Only corresponding ably with it. When of like quality, clover hay may be substituted in equal amount for alfalfa and similar results obtained. Tests at the Illinois Station show that Korean lespedeza, which may be grown successfully in southern and central Illinois, is not quite equal to alfalfa hay (Table 4). TABLE 5.- SHELLED CORN AND SOYBE AN HAY COMPARE D WITH SHE LLE D CORN A ND ALFALFA HAY FOR FATTE NING LAMBS (Illinois experiments) Trial Average amounts of Average No. feed per day daily gain Feed per 100 pounds gain Soybean Soybean hay Corn hay Corn Fed Eaten lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb Average Alfalfa hay Corn Alfalfa hay Corn Fed Eaten lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb Average

27 FATTENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 27 The use of soybean hay for lamb feeding is increasing. Aside from the waste due to the coarser stems it is very similar in value to alfalfa hay. Because the stems are not eaten by lambs, 15 to 20 percent more soybean hay than alfalfa hay is usually required to produce the same gain ( Table 5). Sweet clover hay or cowpea hay may be expected to produce very satisfactory gains, according to tests in which these hays were fed in comparison with alfalfa hay. Sweet clover as an exclusive feed may be dangerous, however, as it may destroy the clotting power of the blood and thus cause deaths from hemorrhages. N onlegume Roughages Must Be Supplemented Nonlegume roughages fed with farm grains only do not make satisfactory rations for lamb feeding. Corn fodder, oat straw, and timothy hay, used with corn, oats, barley, wheat, or rye, result in slow gains and a large consumption of feed in proportion to gains. Because such rations are low in protein and minerals, it is hard to maintain the lambs in good health. Such roughages and grains as the above can be used satisfactorily, however, if a protein supplement is fed and a small amount of finely ground limestone or limestone and steamed bone meal is added to the ration. The use of finely ground limestone, or a similar mineral, in addition to a protein supplement, helps to make the ration more nearly equal to a ration that includes legumes. N onlegume roughages have been used satisfactorily for a third to a half of the roughage part of the ration when legume roughages made up the remainder. Grinding or cutting low-quality roughages is often thought advisable. Such processing, however, adds no nutrients to the feed, and lambs will eat the palatable and most nutritious portions anyway. It is much more logical to grow feeds of good quality than to expend effort in processing the less palatable and less nutritious portions of low-quality feeds. Even if the addition of molasses induces the lambs to eat the ground or cut stems and woody parts, this material serves largely as "filler" and contributes little to the ration. Convenience in handling roughages and saving storage space, however, are valid reasons for processing them. Supplement With Legumes Sometimes Profitable On a ration of corn and legumes satisfactory gains and finish can be made without the use of supplements high in protein content. How

28 28 CIRCULAR No. 523 ever, such supplements do tend to increase the rate of gain and finish, and when they can be had at a price per ton that does not exceed the cost of about 40 bushels of corn and ~ ton of hay, their use with a corn and legume ration is advisable. At any higher prices the net return is not enough to justify their use unless very fast gains are desired or a premium can be had for a higher finish. From a practical standpoint there is little difference in the commonly used supplements-cottonseed meal, linseed oil meal, or soybean oil meal-so far as feed value is concerned, and one would usually select the one lowest in price. These supplements are generally fed at the rate of 1 pound to 7 pounds of corn, wheat, or barley. Little is to be gained in feeding them in larger amount, and used in much smaller proportions they are relatively ineffective. Mixtures of at least three supplements- cottonseed meal, linseed oil meal, and corn gluten meal- have given better results than anyone of them used alone or a combination of any two of them. Silage Has Favorable Place in Ration As a part of the ration for fattening lambs, good-quality silage has merit that has been amply demonstrated. Varying amounts may be fed, but on most farms dry legume roughage should not be entirely replaced by silage even tho protein supplements are used. On farms where silage is available it is doubtful if there is a better ration for drylot feeding than one composed of corn, a protein supplement, legume hay, and corn silage. The use of a protein supplement with silage is preferable to silage without such a supplement because of the greater rate of gain and higher finish that results and the saving in corn, hay, and silage. However, even without a protein supplement a ton of corn silage saves approximately half a ton of hay. Shelled corn, legume hay, corn silage, and a protein supplement fed in these proportions make a suitable ration for fattening lambs: Average daily ration lb. Shelled corn to 1.4 Protein supplement to.20 Legume hay to 1.00 Corn silage to 1.50 An average daily gain per lamb of at least a third of a pound a day (a pound every 3 days) may be expected from such a ration. A reasonable allowance of feed for a hundred pounds gain would be shelled corn 315 pounds, protein supplement 45 pounds, legume hay 275 pounds, and silage 400 pounds.

29 FATTENING LAMBS FOR MARKET 29 Other grains may be substituted for all or part of the corn in the above ration if prices justify doing so. The relative values of the other grains in this ration are probably similar to their values in the simpler ration of grain and a legume roughage, pages 24 and 25. It is possible to fatten lambs very satisfactorily with silage as the only roughage provided the deficiencies are (.orrected with proper sup- A well-drained lot like the one shown above is necessary for outdoor feeding. These lambs are being fed high-quality silage, which is an important part of the rations on many farms. plements. Many tests have shown a ration of shelled corn, corn silage, soybean oilmeal, limestone, and salt to be equal to corn and alfalfa hay and salt. The silage ration is convenient to feed, as it is not dusty or hard to handle. Lambs may be started on all the silage they will eat, about 2 pounds morning and night. After this is placed in the feed troughs or racks, the allowance of corn is placed over it and also Y4 pound a head of the supplement mixture composed of 800 pounds of soybean oilmeal or similar protein concentrate, 100 pounds of limestone, and 100 pounds of salt. The same amount of supplement is given thruout the feeding period but the corn is increased as suggested in the schedule for feeding corn and legume hay (page 23). The silage may be fed in such amounts as the lambs will eat. Most silage made of sorghums is not equal in nutritive value to the same weight of corn silage.

30 30 CIRCULAR No. 523 Moldy silage may cause serious trouble. Hence it is best to feed lambs only silage of good quality. Frozen silage has been fed without causing ill effects but of course it is safer if kept from freezing. Self-Feeders Can Be Used for Some Feeds T he self-feeding of lambs has been tried by some farm feeders with satisfactory results. Self-feeding is commonly practiced at railroad feeding yards. At such places some light, bulky feed, such as For self-feeding it is important that the rations contain considerable bulk so that the lambs will not be harmed by overeating. This self-feeder is well adapted for a grain and roughage mixture. The s ize o f the opening thru which the feed enters the troughs may b e adjusted by moving the lower boards. screenings or oat feed, is mixed with the ground grain so the ration will not be too compact. Some farm feeders have used self-feeders for shelled corn, providing hay in separate racks. Other feeders consider this practice dangerous because of the possibility of the lambs overeating on corn and becoming unthrifty or dying because of severe digestive disturbances. Experiments at several experiment stations show that this method is rather hazardous because of the possibility of excessive grain consumption. While this method of self-feeding may prove satisfactory for very careful feeders, it is not suitable for the average feeder.

31 FATTENING LAMB:-i FOR ~I ARKET 31 To self-feed lambs safely with farm feeds, the roughage should be ground or cut and the grain, preferably ground, mixed with it. If whole grains are used, the lambs may pick out and eat more grain than they should. A mixture of ground roughage and ground grain used in proper proportions is bulky enough to prevent serious digestive troubles. Lambs will eat large amounts of it, and may be expected to make rapid gains. The proportion of grain to roughage should be changed from time to time so that at the end of about a month the lambs will be getting approximately equal parts of concentrates and roughage. The following proportions have been found suitable for self-feeding fattening lambs: CORN AND HAY FOR SELF-FEEDING FATTENING LAMBS Ground corn Cut alfalfa lb. lb. 1st week d week d week th week th week to close With this schedule the lambs eat more corn at the start of the period than they do when hand-fed; hence gains are likely to be greater. The gains may be more expensive than under hand-feeding, because of the grinding costs, tho the extra expense is sometimes offset by faster gains and lower death losses, for death losses in lots of lambs self-fed in this way have been found to be less than in other lots that were hand-fed. The results of some experiments in hand-feeding and self-feeding are given in Table 6. The first three lots of hand-fed lambs are comparable to the first three self-fed groups. The self-fed lambs ate approximately 22 percent more grain and 21 percent more hay than the hand-fed lambs, made 17 percent faster daily gains, and required 4 percent more corn and 5.5 percent more hay for each 100 pounds of gain. The self-fed lambs were of course in higher condition at the close of the test. From these tests it is evident that self-fed lambs will attain in about 70 days the same degree of finish that hand-fed lambs reach in 85 days. The importance of using the right proportions of grain and hay for self-feeding is brought out by the figures for the last four lots shown in Table 6. The two lots of self-fed lambs were given, thruout the 98 days, at least a 1-to-1 proportion of corn and hay. This was too heavy for the start of the feeding and the lambs failed to respond properly.

32 32 CIRCULAR No. 523 TABLE 6.-SELF-FEEDING COMPARED WITH HAND-FEEDING FOR LAMBS (Illinois experiments) Feeding Days Average amounts of Average Feed per 100 method fed feed per day daily gain pounds gain Whole Whole Shelled alfalfa Shelled alfalfa corn hay corn hay lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. Hand-fed Ground Ground Ground or cut Ground or cut corn alfalfa corn alfalfa lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. Self-fed Shelled Shelled corn Alfalfa corn Alfalfa lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. Hand-fed Self-fed Hand-fed Self-fed ITexas finewool lambs; all other tests were with black-faced lambs. 2Includes.17 pound cottonseed meal. 3Includes 49 pounds cottonseed meal. 4Includes.19 pound cottonseed meal. 5Includes 54 pounds cottonseed meal. The amount of rack space required is reduced when self-feeders are used. A 12-foot feeder accessible from both sides is usually large enough to accommodate about 40 lambs. Self-feeders require some attention when cut or ground roughage is used in them to see that the feed is always available to the lambs. Feeds of this kind are likely to lodge in the feeders. The troughs of selffeeders should be cleaned from time to time also, so the feed will not become soiled and unpalatable. KEEP LAMBS GAINING Keep always in mind that the purpose of feeding lambs is to fatten them. Whether they are fed in the fields for some time, put in drylot as soon as purchased, or not put on a grain ration for some time after they are received (Trial 3, Table 4 ), the lambs should be kept gaining steadily in weight. Only in this way can they be fattened in 90 to 110 days, the usual period, and only in this v.ray can feed be used to the

33 FATTE! L G LAMBS FOR.YIARKET 33 best advantage. To permit a group of lambs to lose III a week what they have gained in three means just that much loss of feed and effort. Sometimes because of rising prices lambs return good profits even tho not efficiently fed. Likewise, low prices may result in loss in spite of efficient feeding. Such changes in price-levels of lambs do not affect the cost of feed fed to produce a pound of gain, and economicq) feeding is always an advantage. The most likely cause of failure to gain properly is poor feeding and mistakes in management. Very low-grade feeds are not suitable for exclusive feeding to fattening lambs in either field or drylot, as they do not produce gains that result in a thick, even finish. Feeds grown on Illinois farms are, as a rule, suitable provided they are not seriously damaged and are fed in proper amounts. MARKETING THE FATTENED LAMBS The feeding period should be concluded when the lambs have acquired a thick covering of fat on the back, ribs, and loin. To determine whether lambs are in this condition it is necessary to place the hands on these parts. A little experience will soon enable one to tell the difference between thin lambs and those that are fat. Anyone engaged in feeding lambs should develop the ability to Are the lambs fat? Handling will give the answer. Marketing lambs before they have attained a good "killer finish" means a low price; continuing to feed them after they are fat increases costs.

34 34 CIRCULAR No. 523 determine the condition of lambs by handling them, for it is practically impossible to tell their exact condition by merely looking at them. When the lambs are ready to be sent to market, they should be put into as attractive shape as possible. If tags have accumulated on any of the lambs they should be clipped off. Sorting the lambs into uniform lots is an advantage in marketing if enough lambs are fed to make this possible. These finished lambs are on the way to market. Careful, quiet handling from feedlot to loading point helps to keep shrinkage low and to insure arrival at market in good condition. Cars or trucks should be cleaned and bedded so the lambs will not become dirty in transit. Large losses in weight from feedlot to market are avoided when care is taken not to handle lambs roughly or to excite them while they are being moved to the shipping point. Many lambs are killed or crippled and many carcasses are reduced in value because of poor handling, failure to remove projections in cars and trucks, overcrowding, and lack of suitable partitions when lambs are shipped with other stock. These losses are due mostly to carelessness and thoughtlessness and are avoidable. Patience and a few precautions costing practically nothing will reduce an amazing amount of loss to lamb feeders. Very heavy feeding immediately before shipping is unwise. Also it is a poor policy to withhold salt from the lambs for several days and then salt them just before loading, with the expectation that they will increase their weight by drinking a lot of water after arriving at the market. Lambs treated in this way are likely to become sick and death may result. Illinois lamb feeders have the choice of several central markets for the disposal of their lambs. The market may be selected on the basis