BULLETIN No. -167

NOVEMBER, 1912

ALABAMA

Agricutural Experiment Station
OF THE

Alabama Polytechnic Institute
AUBURN

WINTERING PREGNANT EWES

DAN T.

GRAY

and L. W. SHOOK

Opelika, Ala. Post Publishing Company 1912

COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION.
HON.

R.

F.

KOLB

HON.

--------

----------

Montgomery
-O

H. L. MARTIN _______ HON. A. W. BELL ________

zark

-- - - - - - - -A -nniston.

STATION STAFF. C. C. THACH, President of the College.

J. F.
AGRICULTURE:

DUGGAR, Director of Station

DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION.
BOTANY:

F. Duggar, Agriculturist. E. F. Cauthen, Associate. M. J. Funchess, Asst. Professor. J. T. Williamson, Field Agent. T. J. Hawley, Field Agent. J. F. Duggar, Jr., Assistant.
VETERINARY:

J.

J.

S. Caldwell, Botanist. C. S. Ridgway, Assistant.
PLANT PATHOLOGY:

F. A. Wolf, Pathologist.
HORTICULTURE:

C. A. Cary, Veterinarian.
1.

P. F. Williams, Horticulturist. J. C. C. Price, Assistant. H. M. Conolly, Field Agent.
ENTOMOLOGY:

S.

McAdory,

Assistant.

CHEMISTRY:

B. B. Ross, Chemist, State Chemist J. T. Anderson, Chemist, Soil&Crops C. L. Hare, Physiological Chemist T. Bragg, First Assistant.
EXTENSION:
L. N. Duncan,

W. E. Hinds, Entomologist. W. F. Turner, Assistant. J. A. Dew, Field Agent.
ANIMAL INDUSTRY:

Dan T. Gray, Animal Husbandman.
L. W.

Summers. Assistant
Assistant.*

Professor-

Superintendent.*

L. W. Shook, Assistant.
S. S. Jerdan,

J.

B. Hodby,

A. R. Gissendanner, Assistant. J. M. Johnson,. Assistant. J. M. Moore, Assistant.* C. D. Allis, Assistant. Mrs. Bertie Robinson, Assistant. * *In cooperation with United States Department of Agriculture.
S. I. Bechdel,

Assistant.* Assistant.*

Wintering Pregnant Ewes in Alabama
BY

DAN T. GRAY and L. W. SHOOK

INTRODUCTION.

A few farmers of the state are so fortunately situated that this bulletin will contain little of interest to them, as a favored few have an abundance of winter feed in the shape of winter range. The man who has a good winter range or cane brake probably needs no additional feed for the breeding ewe; this ewe requires only care, attention, and shelter at lambing time. Sheep will, in time, be more generally introduced into the State, and when this is accomplished it will be done by the small farmers and these small land owners will not be supplied with large and almost limitless ranges; they will be compelled to feed the ewes during the cold months, therefore, the small farmer, as well as many extensive land owners, will be interested in knowing about some of the best and most satisfactory winter feeds for pregnant ewes.
OBJECTS OF EXPERIMENT.

Realizing the importance of the sheep industry to the State, this Station began, six years ago, some experimental work with the following objects in view: 4. To study early lamb production in Alabama. 2. To study feeds and methods of carrying the pregnant ewe through the winter months. 3. To test cottonseed meal as a feed for pregnant
ewes.

The results of the first and third objects were partially reported in bulletin 148 which was issued from this Station in October, 1909. The results set forth in this report have to do with the second object.

208 THE EWES AND SHELTER.

Common native Alabama ewes were employed in all of the tests. They were purchased during the summer of 1907 of a neighboring farmer at $2.00 apiece. While they were infested to a certain extent with stomach worms, still they were in fairly good health and condition. The data show that their average normal summer weight was approximately 85 pounds; in some parts of the state scrub ewes average as much as 100 pounds in weight. During the test each lot of sheep was confined in a pen : 20x80 feet -with a shed extending acrogs the east enid.: The shed had an open west front bit afforded ample protection from the cold winds and rains. Water arid salt were kept before the animals all the time.
FEEDS.

In 1907-08 the 32 ewes were .divided into four equal lots and fed the following rations: Lot 1-Sorghum hay. Lot 2.--Mixed Hay.* Lot 3--Cottonseed.* Lot 4--Cottonseed Meal and Cottonseed Hulls. In 1908-09 and 1909-10 the sheep were divided into only two lots. The feeds were all of good quality. The sorghum hay was fresh, bright and had been properly cured. The mixed hay was made up of sorghum, cowpeas, and crab grass in about equal proportions. The corn silage -- as w made on the Station farm. The prices of feed vary very much from time to time, consequently the reader should bear this in min.d when referring to the financia] statements. The following values have been used in all financial estimates:
*Although the ewes in lots 1, 2, and 3 were given all of thd sorghum hay, mixed hay, and cottonseed they would eat, it was soon seen that they would not be able to get through the. winter on these feeds alone, so a small amount of cottonseed meal and wheat shorts was added to the first two lots, and cottonseed meal to the third one.

209 Sorghum hay ................. Mixed hay .................... Cottonseed ..................... Cottonseed meal ............... Cottonseed hulls ............... Corn silage ................... per per per per per per ton..$10.00 ton.. 12.00 ton.. 20.00 ton.. 26.00 ton.. 8.00 ton.. 3.00

DETAILS OF THE TEST OF 1907-08.

The ewes grazed on the summer and fall pastures until November 13 when they were divided, as above indicated, and the experiment inaugrated. Eight ewes were placed in each lot at the beginning of the test; some of these, however, were taken out during the progress of the test on account of lambing. When this was done they were placed in a fifth lot and fed as milk-giving animals; that is, the amount of feed was practically doubled. The first part of the test continued until January 14. On this date the four lots of ewes were thrown together as one lot and continued as lot 5 on a ration of cottonseed meal and hulls. Because the rations in the first three lots were not satisfactory it was found necessary to change them to more palatable and nutritive feeds so they were all placed together. The following data show the rations in lots 1, 2, and 3, to have been exceedingly unsatisfactory. In fact, it was found impossible to keep the ewes alive and healthy on sorghum, mixed hays, or cottonseed. Some sheep, however, seem to thrive in a satisfactory manner on cottonseed.

Details:
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215

Experiment II.
A heavy against a light ration of cottonseed meal for wintering pregnant ewes. (October 27, 1908-April 10, 1909.)

During the winter of 1908-09 the scrub ewes which were used the previous winter were again employed, being divided into two lots this year. Both lots were fed rations of cottonseed meal and hulls, but one lot was fed a very much heavier ration of cottonseed meal than the other. The two lots of sheep were given practically equal amounts of hulls. The test continued from October 27 to April 10. Some of the ewes lambed during the course of the test; when this occured both the mother and lamb were removed from the experiment and the amount of feed reduced proportionally. The following results were secured: Lot 1. (Light ration of cottonseed meal.) 1. Seventeen ewes in the lot at the beginning of the test, October 27. 2. Each ewe ate an average of .24 of a pound of cottonseed meal and 1.98 pounds of hulls each day, 3. The seventeen ewes weighed a total of 1592 pounds at the beginning of the test. 4. The ewes averaged 93 11-17 pounds in weight at the beginning of the experiment. 5. The seventeen ewes suffered a total loss of 62 pounds in weight from October 27 to April 10. 6. When cottonseed meal was valued at $26.00 a ton and hulls at $8.00 a ton it cost 33 cents to feed each ewe one month. 7. The above daily amounts of feed did not, however, maintain the initial weight of the sheep. They suffered a small loss in weight, when, as a matter of fact, pregnant ewes should be made to gain from six to eight pounds during the period of gestation.

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217

Experiment Ill.
Wintering Pregnant Ewes on Cottonseed Meal and Corn Silage. (November 10, 1909-March

1, 1910)

During the winter of 1909-10 the ewes which were used. in the two previous winters' work were again divided into two lots and additional information collected along the: line of economical feeding during the cold months. A ration of cottonseed meal and corn silage was compared with one made up of cottonseed meal and cottonseed hulls. As the ewes were breeding animals no attempt wvas made to secure large gains; the object was to get them through the winter in a strong and healthy breeding condition. The experiment was inaugurated November 10 and closed March 1. None of the ewes had lambs at the beginning of the test, but some lambs were born during its progress; when this occurred the mother was taken.out of the experiment and the amount of feed reduced in the proper proportion. The following statements give the important details of the test: Lot 1. Cottonseed meal and Hulls: 1. Seventeen ewes in the lot at the beginning of the test. 2. Each ewe ate an average .6 of a pound of cottonseed meal and 2.1 pounds of hulls daily. 3. The seventeen ewes weighed a total of 1382 pounds at the beginning of the test. 4. The ewes averaged 81 5-17 pounds in weight at the beginning of the test. 5. The seventeen ewes gained a total of 185 pounds in weight from November 10 to March 1. 6. When cottonseed meal was valued at $26.00 a ton and hulls at $8.00 a ton it cost 49 cents to feed each ewe a month.

218

7. These ewes were given a sufficient amount of feed. They all came through to spring in excellent health and condition. In fact, the ration could have been made cheaper by reducing the daily allowance of cottonseed meal. Lot 2. Cottonseed Meal and Corn Silage: 1. Eighteen ewes in the lot at the beginning of the test. 2. Each ewe ate an average of .6 of a pound of cottonseed meal and 3.4 pounds corn silage daily. 3. The eighteen ewes weighed a total of 1433 pounds at the beginning of the experiment. 4. The ewes averaged 79 1-18 pounds in weight at the beginning of the test. 5. The eighteen ewes gained a total of 65 pounds in weight from November 10 to March 1. 6. When cottonseed meal was valued at $26.00 a ton and corn silage at $3.00 a ton it cost 39 cents to feed each ewe a month. 7. These ewes were given a sufficient amount of feed. They all came through to spring in excellent health and condition.

219
SUMMARY TABLE.

November 13, 1907-January 14, 1908
Cost to feed each month Cents

Lot

No. of Ewes

RATION

eaten by each ewe daily, Lbs.

Total gain of each ewe,

Lbs.

1 2
3

8 8
8

Sorghum hay Mixed hay_____________
Cottonseed _
_ _

2.4

_

-12
-

Y36
%
-

2.13

-.- %38 5
16

Cottonseed meal-------4 8 Cottonseed meal
_

_ ___ _

__ _

.64 seed ._

.11 mealf}
_.27 -_

31

Cottonseed hulls -

_ _

meal
1.44 hulls

43/

October 27, 1908-April 10, 1909. Lbs. 1 17 2 18 Cottonseed meal
light Cottonseed hullsS ration .24 meal1.98 hulls }5-

Lbs.

Cents

--

33

Cottonseed meal heavy1 Cottonseed hulls } ration

meal 1.87 hulls

.54

~+i

43

November 10, 1909-March 1, 1910. Lbs.
1

Lbs.

Cents

17
18

Cottonseed meal

Cottonseed hulls 2 Cottonseed meal
Corn Silage
-

.6-eal 2.1 hulls .6 meal ----3.4 silage

-

10----4 3

---

3is

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