them of any color. They are some smaller than the Swiss breeds and 

 carry the udder close to the ground, in fact some times the udder of a 

 "fresh" doe will nearly touch the ground, both the udder and teats are 

 very large considering the size of the animals. They usually have horns 

 but a strain that is hornless are bred the same in every respect except 

 the matter of horns. 



The American Milch Goat A few fairly good milk producing goats 

 have been bred in remote localities in this country for a great many years 

 originating as it seems from various unknown breeds of goats possessing 

 no marked milk producing qualities. It is supposed that some of these 

 goats were brought to the United States by tourists and sailors that brought 

 them more as pets, as a goat is a very intelligent animal and can be taught 

 many interesting tricks. Some of these American milch goats may have 

 been imported with the early importations of Angoras. 



In comparison to the superior qualities of the previous mentioned breeds 

 the American milch goat is far inferior in the matter of milk production, 

 yet by crossing the does with the more superior milch goat bucks we have 

 some of the very best milkers to be found in America in the one-quarter 

 and one-eighth native croses. 



It is known that among these goats there are often found some ex- 

 cellent milkers, although their origin is obscure. These are the kind of 

 goats that shauld be selected as a foundation for the American breed, and 

 if their milk characteristics were further increased by crossing with either 

 the pure-bred Toggenbury, Saanen or Nubian bucks, which are now in this 

 country, we should soon see a breed that would produce a satisfactory 

 amount of milk and at the same time have all the hardiness possessed by 

 our common goats. 



There are but few full-blood goats in this country, the greater share 

 are crosses, but some of the grades are fully as good as the pure breed 

 in their milking capacity. 



REQUIREMENTS OF A GOOD MILCH GOAT 



SO far as the anatomy of a good milk producing goat is concerned, the 

 reader could do well to sum up these points in a dairy cow and when 



compared to the milch goat will be found very close in comparison. 

 The buck should have a small head, a short thick neck, with abundance of 

 hair. The chest should be broad and massive, the back long and straight 

 and the ribs well-rounded, his family record should be the principle feature 

 as the importance of using only the best buck obtainable is well known. 



It is a hard matter to set down a given rule that would apply to all 

 milch goats as to the general anatomy of the animals. As a rule the does 

 of the Swiss and Nubian breeds have a long, lank appearance, slender necks, 

 with small pointed nose, the udder should be capacious and not fleshy with 

 plenty of milk veins leading to it. The udder of a doe not in milk is drawn 

 up so there is very little visible, a large fatty udder is not an indication 

 that the doe is a good milker. The size of the doe has very little to do 



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