'Breeding 171 



portion of mucus in its composition, is not well adapted 

 for domestic use. Upon the kids, however, it acts as an 

 aperient, and is very beneficial. The milk assumes its 

 ordinary character in three or four days, and this may be 

 known to be the case when it froths up on being drawn. 



During cold weather it is better to keep the kids shut 

 up with their dam in the goat-house ; but should the days 

 be fine and dry, especially in spring and summer, they 

 may be all put out the third day. With good milkers 

 it often happens that the kids, if only two in number, 

 do not take all the milk that the mother yields ; in which 

 case it is advisable to draw off a portion daily while this 

 lasts. It is a mistake, however, to draw more than a 

 small quantity of milk at a time, and preferable to take 

 none at all if the kids can consume it. The goat requires 

 careful watching the first day or two to see that both 

 teats are properly drawn. When there is only one 

 kid, and the goat is a heavy milker with unusually large 

 teats, the kid will often suck one teat only, leaving the 

 other untouched. The result is that the neglected teat 

 gets very distended, and, if allowed to continue in such 

 a state, becomes corded by the milk clotting inside, and 

 is rendered useless ever after. Even when this does not 

 happen one teat will become larger than the other, 

 which is objectionable and would tell against a goat 

 competing for a prize. The simple prevention in such 

 cases is to milk the untouched teat regularly night and 

 morning until the kid takes to it, which it will generally 

 do after a few weeks when it can consume more milk. 



