288 FARM ANIMALS 



The common goat is rather more hardy than 

 the Angora, but even the Angora is capable of 

 maintaining itself under most conditions where 

 sheep thrive. Thus, they are raised under all cli- 

 matic conditions from Alaska to the tropics. Goats 

 are more active grazers than sheep and travel 

 over greater distances. If they are to be con- 

 fined they require a good quality of fence. On 

 the western ranges the herders sometimes find 

 that a horse is required, since herding on foot be- 

 comes a more difficult business than herding 

 sheep in the same way. Under eastern conditions 

 and where the rainfall is heavy some protection is 

 necessary for the goats to prevent them from be- 

 coming too badly soaked with water and a little 

 pretection from the sun during the hot season is 

 desirable. While, as already indicated, goats are 

 capable of picking up a living on what would 

 otherwise be called waste material they do not 

 always thrive under such treatment and they 

 naturally respond like other farm animals to suit- 

 able feeding. It is not necessary, however, to go 

 into the subject of the feeding of goats much 

 further than to say that goats can be fed the same 

 feeds and in the same proportion as recommended 

 for sheep. 



The young kids for two or three days are ex- 

 ceedingly delicate and must be cared for atten- 

 tively. The best time for the kids to come is in 

 the early spring when the leaves are just starting 

 on the bushes. For some time after the kidding 

 season the young must be left in the corral every 

 day while the does go out to graze. Kids are not 

 hardy enough to stand travel. They may be kept 

 in ordinary corrals or may be kept tied in open 

 sheds. Goats are weaned at the age of five months 



