DEMAND FOR GOATS' MILK 



THE American people are beginning to comprehend the usefulness, 

 economy and necessity of keeping milch goats for supplying their 

 households with rich, delicious, healthful milk. It is not only the 

 medicinal qualities of goats' milk that is creating such a demand for it, 

 it possesses all the qualities that could be desired of a milk for culinary 

 uses. The number of uses are so many that there can not help being a 

 good demand for it in nearly every part of the United States. Of course 

 in localities where the country is thickly settled, and especially near large 

 cities, the demand for milk of any kind is very good, and here is where 

 goats' milk is particularly in demand at good prices. Generally speaking 

 goats' milk in such localities brings 20 to 25 cents a quart, while in more 

 sparsely settled districts of our country it sells for less. Where milk is 

 sold a better price can always be gotten for goats' milk if the purchasers 

 understand that they are getting more "quality" for their money. Near 

 some of the sanitariums where good sized flocks are kept it is often sold for 

 from 60 to 75 cents a gallon, and where milk from certified herds is sold, in 

 large cities it brings as high as 15 cents for a half pint bottle, and 25 cents 

 for a pint bottle. These prices are obtained usually where the milk is pre- 

 scribed by physicians. 



The demand for this milk will increase as the people become better 

 acquainted with its superior quality over that of cows' milk. 



PERIOD OF LACTATION AND YIELD 



A VERY important requisite in selecting a good milch goat, is to choose 

 one having a long period of lactation. This necessary quality in a 

 milch goat is very often overlooked by buyers who are not fa- 

 miliar with the important merits of the milch goat, take it for granted that 

 one yielding a large quantity of milk daily is the best milker, without con- 

 sidering the length of time this generous yield will continue. Well-bred 

 goats yield a larger quantity and also continue the flow of milk for a much 

 longer time than the more common, ill-kept goats. This is owing to the 

 fact that they have been bred with a large yield and a long period of lacta- 

 tion as one of the leading objects in view. Among all breeds there are 

 individuals that will excel in this particular, a fact that is not uncommon 

 among dairy cows. The proper kinds of feeds supplied with regularity 

 will do much toward lengthening the period of lactation, and those accus- 

 tomed to handling the dairy cow know how necessary it is that the milking 

 be done with regularity if a full and constant flow is to be maintained. As 

 a rule the Swiss and Nubian breeds of goats have the longest period of 

 lactation of any breeds of goats now in our country, which will vary from 

 seven to eight months, and if not bred the period will often extend to ten 

 months and sometimes longer. Usually the second month after a doe has 

 become pregnant her flow of milk begins to diminish and will gradually 

 grow less until the fourth month, or with some does to within one month 

 from kidding time, when she should be completely dryed off, but it is far 



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