14 



FARMERS BULLETIN 020. 



The Toggenburg is the most numerous as well as the most popular 

 of the breeds of milk goats in this country. For this reason more 

 has been heard about it and more data are available concerning it. 

 The breed is especially noted for milk production. It is claimed 

 that in Switzerland Toggenburg does produce from 4 to 5 quarts a 

 day, and some of the best even more. Reliable breeders in the 

 United States report does producing from 3 to 5 quarts a day during 

 the best period of lactation, while a few does have averaged from 2J 

 to 3 quarts for a period of from 8 to 10 months. A pure-bred doe 

 in California, weighing 160 pounds, is credited with the production 

 of 2,096 pounds of milk in 10 months. Another doe owned by the 



FIG. 7. Half-blood Toggenburg doe No. 114; out of common American doe No. 66 (see fig. 11). Produced 

 1,429.3 pounds of milk, testing 5.5 per cent fat, in 365 days. 



same person is credited with producing 2,680 pounds in a lactation 

 period. This doe weighed only 136 pounds. 



At the United States Experiment Farm, Beltsville, Md., the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry has used Toggenburg bucks in crossing 

 on the common American type of does with excellent results. The 

 Toggenburg is an especially prepotent breed, and the cross-bred or 

 grade offspring not only take of the Toggenburg color and markings 

 but show great improvement in conformation and mammary develop- 

 ment. Records kept of the Bureau's herd show that the cross-bred 

 or half-blood Toggenburg does have milked from 6 to 10 months 

 after kidding and produced an average of 3.2 pounds of milk a day. 



