Feeding shorn and unshorn lambs in winter ; And, Feeding lambs on different rations [microform]

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ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE

■*' '

EXPERIMENT STATION

BULLBTIN LX XIII.

FEEDING SHORN AND UNSHORN LAMBS IN WINTER

AND

FEEDING LAMBS ON DIFFERENT RATIONS.

iii

3Y THOMAS SHAW, PUOKKSSOU OK AGUICL'LTUUK, AN1>
0. A. ZAVITZ, U.S.A., KXl'KRIMENTALIST.

Ji:i

PUBLISHED BT TUB BEPARTMElfT OF AORICULTUBE

November fil, ISit'J.

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TORONTO

PRINTED BY WARWICK & SONS

MINISTER OF AORICULTURB

Hon, John Dryden, Toronto.

Ontario Agricultural College and Experimental Farm, Guelph,
under control of the Minister of Agriculture/

James Mills, M.A.

Thomas Shaw

A. E. Shuttlbworth, B.A

J. HoYKS Panton, M.A., F,

F. C. GuENaiDE, V.S. . .

H. H. Dean, B.S.A.

E. Law HENCE Hunt, B.A.

Captain V/alter Clarke

C. A. Zavitz, B.S.A.

H. B. Shabhan, B.S.A. . .

A. McCallcm . .

President.

Professor of Agriculture and Farm Superintendent.

, Sc Professor of Chemistry.

G.S. Professor of Natural History and Geology.

Professor of Veterinary Science.

Professor of Dairy Husbandry.

Assistant Resident and Mathematical Master.
Instructor in Drill and Gymnastics,

Experimentalist.

Assistant Chemist.

Bur«ar.

ADVISORY BOARD.

C. C. James, M.A., Secretary
John J. Hobsok, Chairman

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Toronto.
Mosborough, County of Wellington.

^11

BULLE]TIN LXXXIII.

PART I.

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FEEDING SHORN AND UNSHORN LAMBS IN WINTER.

This experiment began on December 3rd, 1891, and closed on April
12th following, thus covering a period of 131 days. It is the second
of a series of experiments having the same objects in view. The
results of the first experiment are given in Bulletin lxviii, issued in
1891,

The objects of the experiment include the following, viz. : 1. To
ascertain whether shorn or unshorn lambs will give the best returns
for the food consumed iu winter. 2. To ascertain the relative gains
that will result from liberal feeding at such a time. 3. To ascertain
the cost of feeding lambs for fattening purposes in the winter season
on the ration used in this experiment. 4. To ascertain the adapta-
bility of the work to the conditions of Ontario.

The Animals Selected. Twenty lambs were chosen from those
obtained in Eastern Ontario, and which reached the farm August
29th, 1891. These lambs are more fully described in Bulletin lxxvii
issued earlier in the year. As will be apparent from the weights,
these lambs were above the average of the lot from Eastern Ontario,
although they were not above the average of the grade lambs of the
whole country speaking in a general way. They were of mixed
breeding, the blood of the long wools probably being in the ascendant.

Conditions Governing the Experiment. On November 30 ch, the
lambs were divided into two groups of ten each. The fleeces were
then removed from those of one group. On December 3rd they were
all weighed separately and the experiment commenced. The pens in
which they were fed and the yards attached were the same as those
used in the corresponding experiment of the previous year, and which
are described in Bulletin lxviii, page 4. The lambs in both groups
were given the same kinds and the same qu intities of food, except
in the item of hay, of which they were given all they would take.
They were weighed every month.

Food and Feeding. The* food fed to the lambs throughout the
experiment consisted of hay, grain, bran and roots. The hay was
principally clover, and it was fed uncut. The grain and bran ration

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was made up of 3 parts oats, 2 parts peas, and I part >vhoat bran by
weight. The oats and peas were fed whole. The roots consisted of
turnips and man^elH fed at different seasons, and they were sliced
before being fed. The whole was given in two fi;eds per day, morning
and evening. They had access to water and salt at will.

Estimated Value oj the Food. The hay, grain and roots were
estimated at the current market values in Guelph, less the cost of
marketing from an Ontario farm under average conditions. (See
Bulletin lxviii, p. 5.) The home value put upon the hay there-
fore was $9 per ton, the oats 26 cts. per bush., the peas '0 cts. per
bush , the roots sliced G cts. per bush , and the bran was put at $14
per ton. It will also be observed as stated in previous bulletins
that in all probability a profit his already been made on the
marketable food used, providing it has been grown upon the farm, as
in this experiment the food was charged at the full market values
less the cost of marketing. This profit will be represented by the
difierence between the cost of growing the food and the value put
upon it.

Food Eaten. The total amount of food eaten by the lambs of each
group was the same, except in the case of hay. In each they con-
sumed 1,665 lb. grain and bran, and 6,550 lb. roots. The unshorn
Iambs consumed 1,832 lb. hay and the shorn lambs 1,885 lb. The
amount of food eaten therefore per day by the average lamb was :

Oats 635 1b.)

Peas 424 lb. ; 1.271 lb. grain and bran.

Bran 212 1b.)

Roots 5.000 lb.

Hay 1.418 lb.

Total 7.689 lb.

The ration was uniform and constant throughout with the exception
of the grain portion of it, which was increased at the end of 60
da.TS. All the hay was given to the lambs that they would eat.
• In the corresponding experiment of the previous year the average
daily consumption of food was 8.81 lb., and with the 100 lambs fed
for the British market in the winter of 1891-92, it was but 4.87 lb.
The marked difference in the amounts eaten is caused in part by a
difference in the size of the lambs, and in part by aiming to finish
them quickly in the one case and more leisurely in the other. It
will be interesting to compare the results when we get sufficient data
from which to draw conclusions safely. ^

TFet^A<«.'" The. unshorn lambs averaged 104.25 lb. at the com-
mencement Jof the experiment, and 141.6 lb. at its close. The shorn

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lambs weighed 101.15 lb. and 132.3 lb. respectively at the corres-
ponding dates. The increase in weight was therefore a little more
than 6 lb. in the aggregate in favor of the unshorn lambs. Had they
been shorn earlier in the season the results might have been different.
In the corresponding experiment which is to follow, the lambs will
be shorn at a period considerably earlier.

The average daily gain of each lamb was .262 lb. or a little more
than \ lb. per day. While these lambs consumed daily 2.82 lb. more
of a ration very similar in kiml to that fed to the lambs in prepara-
tion for the British market, they gained but little more per day.
This would seem to intimate that we can easily go too fast in fattening
lambs, but there are various considerations to be taken into the
reckoning before we draw any hard and fast conclusions.

Table i gives a summary and an analysis of weights.

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Weight at commencenient

Weight at closo

Increase per group

Average daily increase per group

Average individual increaHe

Average individual daily increase

Unshorn.

1042.5001b.
1416.000 "

373.500 "

2.851 "

37.350 ••
.285"

Shorn.

1011.5001b.
1323.000 "

311.500"

2.378 "

31.150"

.238"

Values. Table ii gives the financial results of the experiment.

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Unshorn
lambs.

Shorn
lambs.

Cost of animals at commencement of the test ....
'* shearing

$ c.
52 10

8 c.

50 65

50

27 97

1 36

80 38

92 61

5 85

16 53

114 99

34 61

43 06

" food

27 73
1 36

81 19

99 12

" attendance

Total cost

Value of animals at close -^f test

" wool

" manure

16 63

115 65

34 46

42 44

Total vahie

Total gain

Gain per cent, on the whole transaction.

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I'lio lamba were valued at 5 ots. per pouud live weight at the com-
m mcoment of the experiment. We received an offer of 4| cts. per
pound for all the lamba at that time, but they were put at the price
namod as they were somewhat superior in quality to the average of
the lambs then on hand. The cost of shearing was put at 5 cts. per
head. The attendance was reckoned on the basis that one man
would care for 800^ lambs when the food is all prepared. (See
Bulletin lxxvii). At the close of the test the lamba were sold to Mr.
L O. Barber, live stock dealer, Guelph, for 7 cts per pound live
weight. They wore sent to the Halifax market. The wool from
the 10 shorn lambs weighed 45 lb. and was sold ut 13 cts. per pound.

The quantity of the manure was estimated from that made by the
lambs sent to Britain, and the major portion of which had been
weighed. (See Bulletin lxxviii, p. 14). The estimate was further
based on the respective quantities of food consumed daily by the two
lot<j respectively , that is to say, the lambs sent to England and all
larulis in this experiment. This gives the output of the manure
fioia the 20 lambs as 12.025 tons, or 9.17 lb. per lamb per day.

Professor A. E. Shuttleworth, the chemist of the station, made a
careful analysis of the manure, and handed to us the following report
ftv to the analysis and the commercial value of the ingredients which
are chiefly useful in the same : Organic nitrogen, 9.8 lb. per ton,
worth 17 cents per pound; total phosphoric acid, 12.6 lb. per ton,
worth 3 cents per pound ; muriate of potash, 15.0 lb. per ton, worth
4J cents per pound.

Tho commercial value of the manure therefore is $2.75 per ton,
which would give the value of the amount made per day per lamb as
1^ cents. A due allowance for bedding however would somewhat
lessen the value of the manure. As we have given an approximate
estimate of the amount of the manure made, the reader can put that
value upon it which may seem best to him.

It will also be observed that there was a net cash gain of $38.73
on the 20 lambs fed, or a gain of $1.94 per head, without including
cost of attendance or value of manure.

Conclusions. The following are the chief of the conclusions to be
drawn from this experiment :

1. That good grade lambs, when being fattened in winter, may be
made to increase .263 lb., or a little more than \ lb. per day on a
daily ration of 1.271 lb. grain and bran, 5 lb. roots and 1.418 lb.
hay, or a total of 7.69 lb.

2. That when the prices of food are as charged in the experiment
such lambs can be fattened at a cost for food per day of 2.12 cents.

3. That in this experiment the autumn shearing of the lambs was
virlually of no practical material advantage.

4. That where there are facilities for the vrock, good grade lamb^
can be fattened in the winter at a substantial cash pro^b,

PART II.

FEEDING LAMBS ON DIFFERENT RATIONS.

This experiment relates to feeding lambs on three different rations
during the winter season. It may be fitly designated an expcrini'^nt
within an experiment, as the lambs used in conducting it were at thu
same time being fattened for the British market. (See Bulletin
Lxxviii.) The lOO^lambs used in the experiment were divided into
four different groups, with 25 animals in each group. But for
reasons to'be*given below the experiment was confined to three Iwis.

On December Slst, 1891, they were all weighed and the test com-
menced the following day. It closed April 30th, thus covering a
period of 120:]day8. The leading object of this sub-experiment was
to ascertain" the' respective values of the various rations used for
fattening lambs.

Conditions governing the Experiment. The 100 Iambs wcro so
divided that those in each of the ^four groups were nearly equal ii
quality. They were then put in the* four equal-sized compartmont&
of the same closed shed, the internal divisions of which were nmde by
feeding racks running across the building. The racks were a :
arranged that the lambs in each compartment could feed on thu
opposite sides thereof, thus affording them plenty of room for taking
their food. The shed is 76 feet long and 28 feet broad outside moa-
sure ; hence each compartment was virtually 19 feet by 28 feet,
from which the rooD) occupied by the feeding racks is to be deducted.
The ceiling is 9 feet high, and the food was kept on the loft overhead.
Each compartment has a low wide door which was kept open all the
time, except in the stormiest weather. The yards in front of the
compartments, one for each, extended out about 16 feet from ilio
shed. All the food given them was accurately weighed, and it was
given in two feeds daily. They were plentifully supplied with water
and salt.

Food and Feeding. The Iambs in No. 1 group received a ration
consisting of grain, bran, roots'and hay. The grain ration consi&tcd
of oats, peas and bran fed in the proportions of 2.2 and 1 parts.
The roots consisted of turnips and mangels sliced. ^The^ hay ^w as
principally clover, and it was fed whole. Those in No. 2 group
received the same quantity of whole oats by weight as were given in
grain and bran to the Iambs in group 1, and roots and hay the Bamo
in character. The lambs in group 3 were fed mixed grains similar
in quantity and quality to those in group 1. In addition they re-
ceived virtually all the corn ensilage they would eat, and also liay.
Ihose in group 4 were fed grain, bran and roots, the same as tho
lambs in group 1, and in addition all the pea straw they would take,

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but as tho \)ea, straw proved of much poorer quality than was at first
anticipated, tho'oxperinient with this lot was abandoned. The same
quantity of roots was given to tho lambs in groups 1 and 2, and the
hay was given without limit in each inntanco ; that is to say they
were given all the hay they would eat cleon. The experiment there-
fore was a test of the comparative value of a mixed grain ration in
the one case, as against oats in making mutton, and of the value of
ensilage aa against roots for the same purpose in the other.

The table gives the comparative cost of the food consumed by tho
animals of each group, and also of the increase in live weight :

Total cost of food por group

Averafre cost of food per day per

lamb

Total live weight increaHe per group.
Average weight of increase per lamb

per day ....

Cost of food to produce one pound

live weight increase

(iroup I.

(Jronp II.

Croup III.

!»0«.5O

■'?(;r..94

.«60.17

2.22 CtH.
31.46 lb.

2.20 ct.8.
33.74 lb.

2.01 cts.
30.80 lb.

.262 lb.

.281 lb.

.257 lb.

8.47 eta.

7.93 cts.

7.82 Ota.

The good results relatively from feeding the grain ration of cats in
the one case, and the ration of corn ensilage in tho other, are clearly
brought out in the experiment. This is so far satisfactory, as there
is no grain so universally grown in Ontario, and corn ensilage can bo
grown by many who cannot grow roots.

Conchmons.

1. That in this experiment the rations with oats simply made
mutton more quickly and more cheaply than the [ration with oats,
peas and bran.

2. That in this experiment while the ration with ensilage did not
make mutton quite so quickly as the corresponding ration with roots,
it made it more cheaply.

3. That in this experiment the ration given to the Iambs in groups
II and III, viz., the oat ration with adjuncts and the ensilage ration
with adjuncts proved about equally valuable for fattening lambs,
cost considered.

4. That in this experiment an average daily increase per lamb
per group of .267 lb. was secured, at a cost for food of 2.14 cents per
day ; in other words every pound of mutton added to the live weight
cost 8.07 cents, food only considered.

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