FLAX HAY AND STRAW AS FEEDS FOR SHEEP
Feeding and digestion experiments were carried out with range sheep on flax hay, timothy-alfalfa hay, flax straw, and oat straw. The flax hay and the timothy-alfalfa hay were similar in chemical composition, digestibility, and feeding value. Both hays contained approximately 6.4 per cent D.C.P. and 53 per cent T.D.N.The flax straw and the oat straw were unpalatable to sheep. Flax straw was lower in digestible protein and energy than the oat straw. The D.C.P. and T.D.N. contents were 0.1 and 39, and 1.8 and 51 per cent for flax and oat straws, respectively.It is concluded that flax cut when the plants are immature makes a hay similar in feed value to a hay composed of equal parts of timothy and alfalfa, providing the Prussic acid content is not above toxic levels. Mature flax straw is inferior in feed value to oat straw of the same maturity.