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T H E S I §&

COMPARATIVE FEEDING EXPERIMENT
BETWEEN
MICHIGAN AND WESTEPN BRED LAMBS.

B Y

LEWIS F. BIRD.
——

— sep

Michigan Agricultural College.

[ ° : , D
190 8.
THESIS
As sheep feeding becomes more and more an industry of
the farmers of the State of Michizan each year, it is im-
portant, if not essential, that they should know, or at least
have an idea, as to what feeds will yield the largest net
gain, and also whether the greatest net gain can be made
by Peeding nome bred or western bred lambs, and it is in view
of a probable or partial answer that the following experiment
was made. It would be reasonable, of course, to suppose that
the heavier lambs would make the better gains if they were
in the same state of condition, or nearly the same, at the
beginning of tne experiment, and this reasoning was iound to
be true, as heavier lambs did make a greater averaze gain
than did the lighter ones.

The plan of the experiment was to secure as nearly as
possible an average lot of lambs such as a feeder would buy
for fattening purposes,

The Michigan lambs were bought of Frank Watson,
September 30, 1901, weighing at that time an average of
53.9 poinis in Lansing, and an averaze of 53.25 pounds
upon arrival at the College, at $4.35 per cwt. They were
turned on pasture, where they remained until November 14th,
when, on account of a storm, they were put in the old grade
dairy barn, where the experiment was carried on, From
November 15th to 26th they were fed a ration of lucerne hay
without any grain ration. From November 26th to 30th they
were fed lucerne hay ard a grain ration of 1 pound of bran

per head per day, mien the experiment proper began.

94072
~2-

The western lambs were bought October 7th, of Clay,
Robinson and Co., Chicago, at 4 cents per pound, together with
$18.20 freight made them cost $4.34 per cwt. They averaged
53 pounds in Chicago. They were shipped October 8th, and ar-
rived in Lansing at 9:00 A.M. October 9th. On October 10th,
at the College, they averaged 52.5 pounds, They were dipped
October llth, using 44 vackages of Cooper's Sheep Dip to make
112 gallons. October lith, they were turned on pasture in
Field 14. October 19th they were weighed and averaged 54.4
pounds. Novemher 9th, thev averaged 58.13 pounds.

They were put in the barn the same time as the Michigan
lambs and fed upon the saiie ration.

The experiment was run in three thirty—day periods,
using corn, corn meal, oats and bran as a grain ration, and
Clover hay as a roughage. Period one, the grain ration
was oats two parts to bran one part by weight. Period two,
whole corn two parts to bran one part by weight. Period three,
corn meal two parts to bran one part by weight. During periods
one and two they were fed one pound of grain per head per
day, ard period one, one and one-half pounds per day.

The lambs were at no time allowed to exercise in the
open air, and were not taken out of the pen except for the
purpose of weighing once each week. Clean, fresh water was
kept berore them at all tines. They were fed at 5:30 each
morning, and at 4:30 each night.

A record of the temperature of the barn was taken twice
-~3-

each day, and the barn was Kept at as near the sane temperature
as possible,
The prices of feed used in the exreriment was:
Oats, $.40 per bushel,
Com, $.55 "  #
Corn MealzZ0.35 * ton.
Bran, 20.00 * "
Hay, 6.00 " *
The oats were grown upon the College farm, and were of
variety.
tne American Ranner, The greater portion of the whole corn and
corn for the corn meal was alos grorvn upon the College farm,
The tran was purchased of the flouring mills of Lansing.
The nay was purchased of farmers in the near vicinity of the
College, and was of the early June clover variety except

wit was fed from Fermary 5th to 13th, which was second cut—

ting clover,
PLATE I.

wereienw ft nr 7 &@ © ff © wR C8 ww lull lll nen Ff fF ff WW Y
Date of * Weight of *Weekly Gain® Weight of " Weekly Gain
Weighing "Mich.Lambs * or Loss "Western Lambs" or Loss

fH 8 6ft ef ff 7 we tf 8 | | 7 ff ff ff " ew nf & 8 OUlUO we ©
7? . a ? a "

®"Nov. 30 * 1897, " " 1567, "

tt | Lf

"Nec. 7 “ 1922. " 256 * 1592.5 * 25.5

? ? w ? if

“ 14 * 1947, " 256 * 1618, " 25.5

7 7 ? " 9?

"" 21" 1965. " 18. " 1603, " 6-15.

" et tt .

"o" 78 © 2025, " 60, * 1745. “ 142,

t | | "

"Jan. 4 * 2083. " 58, " 1761. " 16.

bs # t? we wt

" 11 * 2121.5 " 38.5 * 1773, " 13.

* wT v? w ?

" 18 * 2221.5 * 100, * 1875.5 * 102.5

w tt " J

" f 25 " 2229, " 7.5 * 1889.5 " 14.

? ? 7? ‘ Tt

"Feb, 1 * 2227.5 " ~1.5 *" 1936.5 " 47.

? 7 * r? ot

"o" 8 * 2345.5 * 118, * 1988, " 51.5

Af " w tt v

oft 15 " 2432.5 "87, " 2026, " 38,

¢? ? of "” ”

" 8 22 * 2427.5 " —5. " 2084 " 58.

" i bd wr

son 28 * 2474.5 " 47. " 2127.5 " 43.5

ve ? i] ? " if " tf qt " Ld " tt " et tt t! ih i v" " " w i i ! " " ” " 7
Total Gain- 577 .5 560.5

33 s 283 232332223 2222ea233283822333222232322 3
PLATE Il.

t it
ennme#enrgitk www eheehkhe he leh Oe Uae Oe le la le le la Ue hla ll ol ot wo

"Date of “Weights of"Gains for "“Averere"Weights of"Gain for" Av."
Weighing ‘Mich,Lambs"Each Period*Weight "Western “Each ‘"Welgit |

” ” .

ewer ft wr h& © © ee Oh oP UhemhlUlUlUelUlUlUlUlUtlUhlU lO Lambs wv off . heyiga " we of of
” * " w " ? e "
" Kov. 30 * 1897. " 75,88" 1567, * " 62.68"
\ " tt w e 0 tt \.
* Dec, 30 * 2093, , 196, * 83.72" 1728, * 161, " 69.18"
? ” w Ls e e " My
" Jan. 29 " 2146" " 53. " 85.84" 1945, " 217, " 77, 8"
" \ " " " | bf "
®* Feb, 28 *" 2474.5 " $28.5 * 98.98" 2127.5 " 1828.5 " 85. 1"

oe 7 fF  @ " w 6 nw emnr 7 ws 8 wre if om oft wv ff fw nw #@ fF OUmhlUnhlUlU ee Wet

- 3
PLATE III,

Michigan Lambs,

" ? rt " Lif we "! e 8 " " | " et " " ee | tf Lif tt t? tt df 7
"Period" Gain “Cost of "Grain Fed " Cost of

" " "Grain Fed"for 100¥ Gain” 1 Gain

2 t tt 7 ? " w | Ti a tt tt " t ww " " "9 " " A | | tt " 7?
tt? w Li] e v?

" " 195, " $8.75 " 384.6 " § ,046

" vt ss] Li e

" II " 53. 7.41 " 1415. ® 214

w | e w a

®ITIil * 328, * " 11.35 " 6342. " 20345

” " tt " " ” af " " ef T i] " A w ? "9 " Li] tt " " wv" tt id Wwos6f

Western Lambs,

” Lu w fF " " " " tJ we ff ? | i tt ! + " ? Wt " tf " " v "
*Period" Gain "Cost of "* Grain Fed " Cost of
yo UR "Grain Fed" for 100¢ Gain® 1# Gain
tf ? | wm ft wv Off | nt w fT " w Of " " "T e? " " " " i] " " "
? sf @ | w

" fT " 461, io 83.75 t 466, " $ .0543

? ? b +f * ?

*" II *" 217. " 7.41 " 345.6 " 034

? " w ? tt

"TTY * 182.5 " 11.35 " 616.4 " .062

sf | " bs] bd bi | ee " be] tf t "! W " w | tt " " bi ] 7 bf ? vr " " " wt

zs 22s 8s 3? B32 823 8

23 33s 3 832 3 3 833 2
332 2323232828232 33 8

z22tds 2

| |
Period *
"
| A |
?

I wt
La

e

we

Ir "
et

”

IIL "
Cost

PLATE IV,

 

see eee eee eee eee
Bran * Oats "- Cost of Feed
" “Hay Fed ™ Grain ™ ray -7-rotal
yw wn fr 9 if 7 wf @ ff @ © ff ff |
w fe " e w Li
500 "1000 " 3000 "$17.30 " $9.00" $26.50
\ e " e ¢t
“Shelled * " " . "
"corn " " ” " "
500 * 1000 * 3000 "214.82 " $9.00" $23.82"
w tt tt # it it
®*Corm \ I " wt
? Meal ” . e 7 ”
750 "1500. " 2250 "$22.70 "

$6.75" $29.45"
of feed entire exnoriment- - ---+--+---=- °

 
25 lambs,
Bran,
Oats,
Corn,

Corn Meal,

Hay,

25 lambs,

Michigan Lambs,

Debit.
1897¥ at $4.35 - $80.52
875% © 20,00 - 8.75
500% * ~40 - 6.25
500% * 055 - 4.91
750% " 20.35 - 7.63
41255 " 6.00 12.37

Botal cost- $120.43

Credit.

2475.5% at $6.25 - $154.66

Profit on 1 lamb- $1.40

 
Western Lambs,

Devit.

25 lambs, 1567# at $4.34 - $68.01
Bran, 8754 * 20,00 - 8.75
Cats, 500% * ~40 - 6.25
corn, 500% * 055 - 4.91
Gorn Meal, 750% " 20,35 - 7.63
Hay , 4125% * 6.00 - 12.37

Total cost— $107.95
Credit.
25 lanbs, 2127.58 at $6.25 - $132.97

Profit on 1 lamb- $1.00
~ 10 —

Plate I shows the weekly gain or loss of both Michigan
and Western lambs, It will be seen that althovzn tine ditfer-
ence in total gain is slight that it is in favor of the Michigan
lambs,

Plate II shows tl:e zains by periods.

Plate III gives the cost of the grain fed, tic srain
fed for 100 pounds gain, and the cost of 1 pound gain. It
will be noticed that the Michigan lambs made a very small
gain during Pertod II, tt I think that this can be attributed
in part to tneir not getting a grain ration large enough to
mich more than supply the natural wants of the body. Also to
the fact that the weather during this period was warmer than
either Periods I or II, and that their ‘ool was mich longer
and their fleeces heavier than the Western lambs,

Plate IV gives a total cost of all of the feeds used
during each period, and also a sum total of the whole experi-
ment. |

Ohe remarkable thing in tl.is experiment was that only
one lamb was off feed during the wnole time. This lamb was
a Western, weighing 99 pounds, which was off feed from

January 31st to February 5th, wien he began to eat all right.
—~ ll] —

Conclusions,

The heavier lambs madte greater gains than the lighter
on the same feed,

The Michigan lambs made a greater net profit tran did
the Western lambs,

The colder the weather, the better the gain.

Small gains are not always unprofitable, nor are large
gains always profitable.

A ration of corn meal and bran gave better results,

as a whole, than either corn and bran or oats and bran,
 
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