Purdue University-Agricultural Experiment Station Lafayette, Indiana
Mimeo A.H. 232 May 15, 1958
A COMPLETE PELLET FOR SELF-FEEDING LAMBS T. ¥• Perry, W» M» Beeson and Claude Harper Animal Husbandry Department
The past 15 to 20 years have witnessed rapid changes in feeding and management methods of the red-meat animals under farm conditions. Changes, in the main, are the result of research findings uncovered in the field of animal nutrition, Probably more changes have been brought about in the field of swine nutrition and manage-nent than for beef cattle and sheep, although very recently such discoveries as antibiotics, hormones, improved supplements and improved self-feeding methods have had a definite impact on beef cattle feeding methods. On the other hand, sheep nutrition and feeding methods have not been altered substantially for several decades, This can be attributed to the fact that research into fundamental nutritional requirements for lambs has not been as intensive as in the case for swine and beef cattle.
Research started at Purdue several years ago was designed along the lines of recent beef cattle and swine research in that some revolutionary techniques were applied* For example, we have assumed in the past that getting feeder lambs up to a full feed was a process that involved a great number of hazards and that unless extreme cautions were employed, lambs would go “off feedt; easily and thus much time in the feed lot would be lost. Furthermore, the process of self feeding is not widespread. But why must the process of bringing lambs up to a full feed be so tedious and why is the practice of self feeding something to read about, but seldom practiced. Research was initiated at Purdue to see whether lambs could be started on full feed— md at the same time self fed—the first day they were turned into the feedlot. It ras felt the key to such a feeding plan was the proper balance of nutrients.
Three years research with feeder lambs has shown the following:
1.	Self feeding of lambs is practical.
2.	Lambs can be started on a full feed from the first day.
3.	Lambs that are self fed and full fed, from the first day, gain more rapidly
than the usually accepted figure of 1/3 pound daily for hand fed fattening
lambs.
Pelleted. Balanced Ration is the Key
A complete, balanced ration mixed together and pelleted has been the key to this improved method of feeding lambs, which has removed many of the hazards of lamb feeding and which has resulted in increased rates of gain.
Research conducted in 1955 indicated the type of roughage included in the pellet was of importance. In the pellet used in the 1955 studies, the sole source of rough-age was dehydrated alfalfa meal. Lambs fed this pellet developed excessively loose droppings and it was necessary to add seme medium to poor quality hay to the ration in order to get the lambs back 5,on feed'*. Therefore, subsequent pellets were designed to contain some poorer quality roughage, such as ground corn cobs, plus a smaller percentage of dehydrated alflafa meal.