58 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY, 



HERDING AND FENCING. 



Goats require a g-reat amount of exercise, much more than sheep. 

 The one is by nature a browser and the other a grazer, and" the brows- 

 ing habit naturally requires more activity on the part of the goats. 

 They are sensitive to restraint and do better if not herded, but of 

 course this is often a necessity, and therefore should be done under as 

 favorable circumstances as possible. So far as possible they should not 

 be allowed to feel their restraint. If constant attendance is necessary, 

 the herder should be of quiet disposition. The next best thing to the 

 freedom of a range is a large pasture, where the goats may have over- 

 sight, but not constant attendance. Such pastures are considered the 

 cheapest method of keeping these goats. They can easil}' be trained 

 to come home by feeding a little and salting regularly at home. 



The fencing for pastures is a matter which early concerns one who 

 contemplates going into the business, for it is the curi-enfc belief that 

 goats will climb onto any shed of ordinary height or jump any fence 

 that will stop other animals. While they will climb anything that is 

 built in such a manner that it may l)e climbed easily, the}^ will not jump 

 an}^ ordinary fence. They will, however, creep through if there is an 

 opening large enough. The old-fashioned "worm" fence, especially 

 if it leans outward, will not stop goats. The angles in such a fence 

 are an incentive and a delight to them. Indeed, there are many hogs 

 that will go over a fence of this kind. 



In building a goat fence -there are other matters to be taken into 

 account than simply that the goats shall be kept in: the animals them- 

 selves (especially the young ones) must be protected from dogs and 

 wolves from the outside. In the Southwest it is much more important 

 to fence to keep varmints out than it is to fence to keep the goats in. 

 So the double object must be kept in view in building a goat fence. 

 Such a fence nuist be dogproof , hogproof , and wolfproof . A hog at 

 liberty which has once had the taste of chicken, or lamb, or kid is a 

 greater nuisance than any wolf or dog, and should be dispatched as 

 being- an enemy to other j^oung live stock as well as kids. 



One correspondent of the Bureau constructs a fence of ten-barbed 

 hog wires, with posts set 20 feet apart, having three stays between the 

 posts. The lowest wire is only 1 inch from the ground; the next four 

 wires 3i inches apart, and one-half inch added to every space above. 

 It is necessarv that all the wires should be kept very tight. This 

 correspondent adds the interesting note that many wolves are killed 

 by screw worms in wounds received while attempting to crawl 

 through such a fence. A good fence maj^ be made of woven wire 3 

 feet high, drawn on the inside of the posts, and a closely barbed 

 strand of wir(^ 8 or 4 inches above fastened to the outside of the posts 

 to prevent animals from jumping in. A straight rail fence, if the 

 rails are laid close enough, as well as an ordinary board fence, will 

 turn aoats. 



