ROOTS FOR SHEEP

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1717, 25 January 1905, Page 62

ROOTS FOR SHEEP

In the “Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society,” England, there is a report of an experiment at Woburn, to test the economy of roots in sheep-feed-ing. Forty sheep were divided into four lots in the winter of 1901-2, and fed respectively as follows:—Ben 1: Full supply of roots, with linseed cake and clover hay; pen 2: Limited supply of roots, with linseed cake and clover hay; pen 3: Limited supply of roots and gorse; pen 4: No roots, but linseed cake, hay, treacle and water. Details of the results are given in the journal of the Society, and here we can only state the general conclusions, and the profit ox loss in each case, as follows 1. That feeding sheep on a limited supply of roots will not fatten them as well as giving them a more liberal supply of roots. 2. That feeding sheep on the land without any roots, and making up for* the deficiency by giving them, extra hay, with treacle and water, will result in considerable financial loss. 3. That feeding with gorse in partial replacement of hay will give good mutton, but no economical advantage over hay.