The Fort Stockton Pioneer (Fort Stockton, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 19, Ed. 1 Friday, August 13, 1915 Page: 3 of 8
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FORT STOCKTON SHEEP
FEEDING EXPERIMENT
By S. A. MINEAR, B. S., Farm*Adviser
Fort Stockton. T«»xas
The primary object of this experiment was to test the
value of the sheep on alfalfa farms in Pecos County. Due to high
prices paid for early Ihmhs and Pecos County, environments being
very favorable for the production of such lambs, the experiment
wa» pi aimed and operated accordingly, ending June 12,1015.
Cost of Production Herein Given Includes Everything but Interest:
Investment— Six hundred aged grade Rambouillet ewes bred
to Rambouillet rams were received during November 1014. The
initial weight per ewe was 98} pound. The cash consideration was
$3.25 per head, making a total investment for the sheep of $1950.00.
Sheds— A shed was placed on the east and west sides of
the pens. The ends and one side of each shed were left open.
Such simple economical protection proved sufficient for this
climate.
Period Prior Lambing - For several days the ewes were
grazed on Native and Johnson grass. Later they were given access
to alfalfa range. During the latter part of December the ewes were
fed approximately one pound of silage per head, supplementary
to the range.
Lambing Period— Lambs arrived rapidly during the second
week in January, and by the last week in the month the lambing
period was over.
Pens lacked capacity and the sheep became crowded Re-
sults of this congestion were that many lambs became stunted and
did not get the start they should have had.
The number of lambs saved from the 600 ewes and regis-
tered in the experiment was 441.
Feed— The primary range was alfalfa. The sheep were al-
ternated on 50 acres. Other feeds used were alfalfa hay, ground
milo maize, and silage. These feeds were given the following val-
uation. according to cost of producing those used, that were pro-
duced on the farm, and buying price for feed bought: Range, per
month, 84 cents an acre; alfalfa hay. $3.00 and $7.00 per ton; milo
maize, $16.00 and $29.00 per ton.
Thirty-seven Days Comparative Test— To compare the feed-
ing of alfalfa hay. ground milo maize, and silage with alfalfa hay
and ground milo maize. 420 of the ewes and 441 lambs were di-
vided into two lots and the initial weights concluded Feb. 8. 1915.
Two hundred and nineteen ewes, averaging 85.6 pounds, and 231
lambs, averaging 17.6 pounds, were put in Lot 1 and fed alfalfa
hay. silage and ground milo maize. Two hundred and one ewes,
averaging 83.4 pounds, and 210 lambs, averaging 17.9 pounds,
were placed in Lot 2. and fed alfalfa hay and ground milo maize.
When this test was begun, all ewes were receiving some
milo-kafir silage. Deeming it unwise to remove all silage at once
from the ration of Lot 2. it was worked out gradually. One herder
was used. The sheep were fed night and morning. Each lot was
allowed the range one-half day at a time, and both lots were con-
fined to the pens throughout the nights.
The ewes and lambs ate together until February 27th. from
which date the lambs were given access to grain separate from
the ewes, until end of the comparative test. Hay fed to the ewes
was off grade and damaged. Lambs received choicer grade. Lot 1
was started in on a total of 55 pounds of ground milo. 710 pounds
silage and 420 pounds alfalfa hay per day. The milo was increas-
ed gradually to 200 pounds per day. silage continued as in begin-
ning with slight variations in accordance with extent the sheep
cleaned it up. and racks kept filled with hay.
Lot 2 was started in on a total of 54 pounds of ground milo,
420 pounds alfalfa hay and 710 pounds silage per day. The silage
was gradually worked out of the ration, ground milo increased to
200 pounds per day. and racks kept filled with alfalfa hay. .
During the thirty-seven days, Lot 1 was fed 2.3 tons of
ground milo maize, 13.1 tons silage and 12.8 tons alfalfa hay. Lot 2
was fed 22 tons of ground milo maize, 32 tons silage and 12.9
tons alfalfa hay.
Due to the alfalfa hay being poor in quality, the sheep did
not eat it ravishly. Perhaps one pound out of each four was wast-
ed.
The average gains per head, secured in the thirty-seven
days were: Lot 1, ewes 6.5 pounds; lambs 20.5 pounds. Lot 2, ewes
6.1 pounds; lambs 16.1 pounds.
It cost 2.6 cents to produce a pound of gain in Lot 1. and
3.6 cents to produce a pound of gain in Lot 2.
Consolidation of Lois— Original plans were to continue the
comparative test throughout the feeding period, but unforeseen
developments made this impractical. Hence the two lots were
consolidated Mar^i 17th, and the experiment continued as one lot.
Increase in death rate from bloat was the leading factor necessitat-
ing this cotsolidation. Confinrnent of the sheep to pens at nights
and allowing them alfalfa range only one-half day at a time gave
unsatisfactory results in the above respect. This was overcome to
a satisfactory extent, as shown further on, by a change in system
of management.
Feeding— During 25 days, following consolidation, the sheep
were fed ground milo maize, silage, and alfalfa hay; lambs eating
grain separate from ewea Silage and hay were then discontinued.
During the following 28 days the ewes were fed no grain, but the
lambs received ground milo as usual. From May 9th, to does of
the experiment, the lambs and ewes were fed grain together.
Death Rate— From the beginning of the comparative test
on February 8th to does of the experiment June 12th, 20 ewes
and 9 lambs were lost Nineteen of the ewes died from bloat and
one from unknown cause. During the comparative test, the death
rate was greater in Lot 2 than is Lot 1. Most of the lambs that
(Had were born weak, however, one woe tramped to death and one
was drowned. In addition to the 9 lambs given above, one was
removed from the herd during April and donated to a public gath-
ering for slaughter.
Bloat- As observed under deeth rate, the greatest loee was
due to bloat This, however, was among the ewes. At no time was
a suckling lamb lost Jfrom bloat As the comparative test pro-
gressed and the growth of alfalfa became more vigorous, the death
rafts from bloat increased. The loss demanded a in system
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death rate from bloat. They put this theory into successful opera-
tion. To prevent loss in making the transfer to alfalfa range they
successfully practiced grazing the sheep on wheat and oats for a
few hours and turning them on the alfalfa range. This system of
management was employed with the experiment, shortly follow-
ing consolidation and continued throughout the test. Results were
gratifying and only 6 sheep were lost.
Gain of Lambs per Head— Lambs were shipped as follows:
May 8th, 132; May 22nd, 115; May^30th, 101; June 12th, 80. The
average gain'in pounds per head given below, were made with those
on hand from shipment to shipment.
In 89 days. 36.8 pounds; following 14 days, 3.7 pounds; next
8 days, 3.0 pounds; last 13 days. 1.7 pounds.
In making a study of the above gains, bear in mind that
each time a shipment was made, the best lambs in the herd were
removed. Also that environments efTect the gain. For example,
during the last 13 days it was hot, the sheep would group together
on the range and not eat readily. Hence the gain was slow.
Cost of Production— Considering the entire herd of ewes and
lambs, the approximate cost of producing one pound gain of live
weight was 4.4 cents. Cost of producing the lambs by way of feed
they actually ate. and labor devoted to them, was much less than
4.4 cents.
STATEMENT OF TRANSACTIONS
Expenditures
600 ewes at $3.25 per head..........................$1950.00
Feed ................ ......................... 758.40
Labor .. ....................................... 126.00
$2834.40
Receipts
255 lhmbs,
14,930 lbs. at $9.50 per cwt..
$1418.35
115 "
6,840
ii ii
9.00
w
H
615.60
28 "
1,540
M .,
7.00
H
ft
.... 107.80
30 H
1,520
” "
6.25
H
ft
95.00
18 ewes,
1.790
t, ..
6.25
If
ft
111.87
74 "
6.890
II II
5.00
*•
ft
344.50
5 "
480
tf II
4.50
"
ft
21.60
125 "
10,430
M H
4.00
••
"
. .. 417.20
10 ”
940
” ”
3.75
**
”
.... 35.25
85 "
.....
- ■ -
259.49
$3,426.66
Freight............ $222.56
Feed on Market ............ 15.20
Commission 42.40
Yardage ................. 38.60
Insurance _____ .. 48 319.24
Received from Davis-Nored-Spears Commission Co. $3,107.42
2,140 pounds wool at 15 cents a pound 321.00
202 ewes. 18,270 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. 913.50
3 lambs, 150 ” " 6.25 " " 9.37
Total receipts .. .....$4,351.29
Total profits ...........1,516.89
Acknowledgements This experiment was made possible by
Mr. James Rooney, owner of the sheep, to whom much credit is due
for his co-operation and far reaching generosity toward furthering
the development of agricultural interest of Pecos County. His at-
tention was called to the excellent opportunity for early lamb pro-
duction by Mr. C. C. French of the Fort Worth Stock Yards Co.t
and?upon suggestion of Mr. French the bred ewes were purchased.
The experiment was conducted in co-operation with the
Texas Experiment Station, and we are indebted to Prof. J. C.
Burns and Prof. J. M. Jones of the Station for valuable assistance.
The author takes pleasure in acknowledging financial assist-
ance from The Farmers and Fruit Growers Association, The First
State Bank of Fort Stockton, Texas, and Mr. Willard H. Denis of
Buenavista, Texas, which has made it possible to print this experi-
ment.
DIRECT ALFALFA-SHEEP PROPOSITION
In the foregoing experiment, we have results with sheep on
alfalfa in which grain was used. The following demonstration in-
dicates that under judicious management excellent profits may be
secured with early lamb production on alfalfa alone.
From the same herd, out of which ewes in the foregoing
experiment were secured, G. W. Colvert bought 100 Rambouillet
bred ewes, paying $3.25 per head for them. These ewes were re-
ceived December 15, 1914.
One ewe died before lambing time. From the remaining 99
ewes 91 lambs were secured. Following the lambing period 21
ewes were shipped and sold, bringing $88.00 net.
The ewes and lambs were grazed on oats and alfalfa, and
fed some damaged hay. No other feed was used. Up to February
15,1915 the total death rate among the ewes was three. Only one
died from bloat. Four lambs died from various causes, but none
from bloat. On February 15,1915, the ewes and lambs were sold
to J. M. Livingston. Seventy-six ewes were delivered at $3.50 per
head and 87 lambs at $2.00 per head. Thus the herd was sold for
a total of $440.00, leaving $203.00 outside from the original invest-
ment as returns from 15 acres of oat and alfalfa range during
winter time, some damaged hay and a small amount of labor.
Mr. Livingston put the herd on 10 acres of alfalfa range
and used no hay or other feed what-so-ever. One ewe died from
unknown cause, and one lamb was donated to a public gath-
ering for slaughter. On April 17th, 35 of the ewes and the 86
lambs were shipped to the Fort Worth market. On the market the
ewes averaged 98 pounds and sold for $6.50 per cwt., 71 of the
lambs averaging 57 pounds sold at $9.00 per cwt, and 15 of the
lambs averaging 47 pounds sold at $7.00 per cwt When sold these
lambs were approximately 100 days old.
Hence, from the 10 acres of alfalfa, Mr. Livingston paid his
investment of $440.00 in about 41 days, and allowing $80.00 for
yardage, feed on the market, freight etc^ he had $13643 and 42
ewes left Valuing these 42 ewes at $4.00 per head, the herd pro-
duced $507.53 over the original investment on December 15,1914.
There being 100 heed in the orriginal investment we have in this
case, each ewe giving a return In about four monthe of over $5.00
from leee than 15 acree range, small amount of damaged hay and
labor.
SUMMARY
A profit of $141689 wae eecured from an investment of
$146050.
With the entire herd of ewes and lambs It cost about 4.4
oents to produce on
the lambs was less.
The comparative test indicates that when alfalfa range is
short during winter months, it may be supplemented to an advan-
tage with silage.
From the experiment it appears that suckling lambs do not
suffer from bloat like older sheep.
Keeping the sheep on alfalfa range day and night gave less
death rate from bloat than when allowed to graze only one-half day
at a time.
The lambing period was during January. Indications are
that a November lambing period would be more satisfactory.
Black faced lambs sold on the Fort Worth market for $10.75
along with white faced lambs from this experiment selling at
$9 50 per cwt Thus it appear*5 that blark fared lambs would he
more profitable.
From the direct alfalfa-sheep illustration given in this publi-
cation following the experiment, indications are that excellent
profits may be made with early lamb production on alfalfa alone.
It appears that early lamb production on alfalfa farms in
Pecos county is fa 'practical profitable industry with or without
grain.
THE TRAVELING PUBLIC’S ATTENTION
IS CALLED TO THE FACT THAT
THE “ORIENT
Now operates Standard Pullman Sleepers between
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connection with F. W. & D. C. Ry. at Chilli-
cothe, Tex., for Colorado Springs, Den-
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— Also—
Pacific Coast Expositions through Cool Colorado,
Royal Gorge and Feather River Canyons.
ri?
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Worth via Sweetwater and Texas & Racific Ry.
FAST FREIGHT SERVICE
between Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago and points
East, West, North and South.
E. J. NAYLOR, G. F. & P. A., San Angelo, Texas
E. O. Rigsbee, Local Agent
■' ■;:
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*****
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Rose, G. W. The Fort Stockton Pioneer (Fort Stockton, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 19, Ed. 1 Friday, August 13, 1915, newspaper, August 13, 1915; Fort Stockton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth822267/m1/3/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .