112 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION 



of butter-fat at a cost of 1.7c lower, a difference of 7 per cent. It 

 should be noted that the goats in this experiment were animals with 

 excellent milk-producing capacity and doubtless considerably above 

 the average for the breed. It is possible that with a large herd the 

 cost of production would be more nearly equal to the cost of pro- 

 duction by dairy cows. 



It is probable that the interest in milch goats will continue to grow. 

 One of the chief drawbacks to the industry in the near future is likely 

 to be the many poor individuals on the market. The general public 

 should understand that there is a vast difference between the good 

 and the poor producers among milch goats. The main characteristics 

 of a good producer are an angular form, a large barrel (abdomen), 

 which with a strong, muscular jaw indicates good feeding capacity, 

 a large udder of good texture, with good-sized teats. A certain refine- 

 ment and "quality" are further indications of a good milch goat. 



The future of the goat industry in this state would seem to lie 

 in several directions : ( 1 ) The use of milk for direct consumption of 

 the family; (2) as food for infants and invalids; (3) the making of 

 cheese from the milk; (4) the breeding of high-producing animals. 



Unlike conditions in European countries, milch goats are not kept 

 in this country to any great extent by laboring people who depend 

 on the goat for their entire milk supply. On the contrary, they are 

 kept by many well-to-do people, especially in southern California. 



A single milch goat can be fed at a very low cost on kitchen waste, 

 lawn clippings, grass growing on vacant city lots and along roadways, 

 etc., and the only expense will be for a little grain while in milk and 

 for hay when no green feed is available. By depending on the milch 

 goat for its milk supply, a family may reduce the milk bill very 

 materially, and secure for feeding its members a food article of fully 

 equal nutritive value to that of cows' milk, and in the opinion of 

 eminent physicians, superior to the same so far as the feeding of 

 infants and invalids is concerned. The latter point offers another 

 opportunity for profit. Owners of goats can often rent their goats 

 in milk, especially in cases where goats' milk has been prescribed for 

 infants and invalids by physicians. 



Attention has already been called to the fact that milch goats vary 

 greatly in regard to milk production- and care must therefore be taken 

 to secure good individuals, which must, moreover, be in perfect health. 

 A standard of three or four quarts of milk per day shortly after 

 kidding is none too high. 



Goats may be kept to advantage on small fruit ranches, and on 

 high-priced land where there is not sufficient feed to support a cow. 



