MILK GOATS. 



29 



being gradually increased until it makes up the entire milk ration. 

 After this has been done the kids will usually consume from 2 to 3 

 pounds a day. They should.be given just as much as they will 

 readily drink, and until they are at least six weeks old they should 

 be fed three times a day. During this time the milk should be 

 warmed and fed at a temperature of 90 F. They can be weaned 

 from milk when they are from 3 to 4 months old. At this age they 

 will consume sufficient hay, grain, or pasture to make a good growth. 

 Some of the leading goat breeders do not wean the kids until they 

 are about 5 months of age. The age for weaning, however, depends 



FIG. 16. Feeding kid with milk from pan; method followed in the Bureau's herd. 



upon the system of raising the kids. If raised by nursing the does, 

 they can be allowed to go for the 5 months, but if raised on skim 

 milk and the supply is limited they can be weaned much earlier. 



Kids will eat a little hay and grain at an early age, and they should 

 be provided with them. Alfalfa or clover hay should be given in a 

 rack and the grain mixture in a trough. Arrangements should be 

 made so as to keep the kids out of both the rack and the trough. A 

 good grain ration for the kids consists of cracked corn, crushed or 

 rolled oats, and bran mixed in the proportion of one part cracked 



