THE MILCH GOAT IN CALIFORNIA 103 



their dams they should not be allowed to roam over very large areas 

 at too early an age. At the University Farm practically all the kids 

 have been successfully raised on the bottle. Taken from their dams 

 at three or four days of age they thrive very well when raised in 

 this way. 



In addition to milk the kids have had access to alfalfa hay from 

 the time the}' were about two weeks old. They have also been fed 

 some grain but never more than one-quarter to one-half pound a day. 

 The following grain mixtures have grven satisfaction : 



I. 



Parts by weight 



Boiled barley 1 



Oats 1 



II. 



Milo (ground) 1 



Oats I 



III. 



Dried beet pulp 1 



Eolled barley 1 



Wheat bran 1 



It may require some persistency at first to make the kids take milk 

 from the bottle or small pail. Pail feeding has been successful in 

 some cases, but it requires considerable persistency on the part of 

 the attendant at the start. Only kids from good stock should be 

 saved, while all grade males should be destroyed or raised for "veni- 

 son." The kids should be dehorned when a few days old by using 

 caustic soda. Goats are usually weaned at four or five months of 

 age. Up to three weeks old kids are extremely delicate, but after 

 reaching the age of one month they become hardy and vigorous. They 

 should be kept indoors in dry quarters during rainy weather as they 

 are very sensitive to dampness when young. 



CAEE OF THE FEET 



The feet should be trimmed regularly, especially where the ground 

 is soft. In its native habitat (in rocky regions) the goat keeps its 

 feet worn down. Too much stress cannot be laid on .the proper care 

 of the feet. 



GOAT HOUSES 



Goat houses of almost every style are to be found in California, 

 ranging from piano boxes to well-constructed houses. The houses 

 should be clean, well ventilated, and easily disinfected. The lots 



