two front teeth as being much larger and higher; the third year adds two 

 more large teeth; the fourth year, two others; and the fifth year, two 

 others yet, which completes the set. After this time the only way to 

 know a goats age is from records that may have been kept; but one may 

 form some judgment of its age by its general appearance. 



There are some breeds of goats that will develop a full mouth in the 

 fourth year instead of the fifth. 



F/FTH YX& 



REGARDING THE HORNS. 



THAT the presence or absence of horns has no influence upon the 

 .value of the milch goat as a milk producer is vouched for by all goat 

 men. But opinions differ in regarcl to their usefulness, generally 

 speaking, the horns are a nusiance and of no value to the animal, except as 

 a weapon to be used against dogs, which might be considered an advant- 

 age when the goats are allowed a large range in which they would be 

 likely to be bothered by dogs or other animals. As a rule goats can look 

 out for themselves, horns or no horns, except when very young then care 

 should be exercised by the breeder that vicious dogs be excluded from the 

 goat pasture. Some times horns add to the general apparance of the ani- 

 mal, but that will depend upon the likes and dislikes of different people, 

 it being generally conceded that the hornless is most in favor among milch 

 goat breeders, when all things being equal, and no valuable milking char- 

 acteristics are sacrificed. 



It is a very easy matter to dehorn goats, but if horns are not want- 

 ed the easiest and simplest way to abolish them is to stop their growth on 

 the kids when only a few days old. This can be accomplished by the use 

 of costic potash. This can be procured at any drug store in stick form 

 which resembles a piece of crayon. By dipping one end of the stick in 

 water and rubbing the moistened end on the horn knobs that are form- 

 ing the root of the horn can be destroyed. As the costic potash will take 

 the skin off the hands unless protected it is necessary that the part being 

 handled be wrapped with paper. Care should be exercised not to get any 



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