FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



it tends to weaken the constitution of 

 the stock. It is practiced, however, by- 

 some Angora goat breeders with success. 

 It is a matter which requires great skill 

 and judgment, and in the hands of the 

 ordinary breeder is likely to be a failure. 



ig. 390 — PLAN OF GOAT HOUSE FOR Mil CH 

 GOATS 



The bucks should not be put with the 

 does until October or November. The 

 period of gestation with the ewes is the 

 same as that for sheep, being practically 

 21 weeks. The does will breed twice a 

 year if given an opportunity, but usu- 

 ally this is not desirable. One buck is 

 allowed to 50 does, and if placed with 

 only part of the flock at a time, may be 

 satisfactorily used for 100 does. 



The pure bred Angora goats seldom 

 ever drop more than one kid. The pro- 

 duction of twins is looked upon as an 

 indication of common blood. Goats are 

 sheared once or twice a year, depending 

 upon the climate and locality. In Texas, 

 New Mexico, Arizona, and sometimes 

 in California, shearing takes place in 

 March or April and again in September 

 or October, the reason being that owing 

 to the warm climate the fleece will often 

 be shed in the fall if not clipped. In 



other parts of the country they are usu- 

 ally sheared in the months of April or 

 May. The summer fleeces in the South- 

 west are rather short and much less de- 

 sirable for manufacturing purposes. The 

 price of these fleeces is not as high as 

 for the yearling fleeces and the com- 

 bined weight of the two fleeces is but a 

 little more than the weight from annual 

 shearing. 



Shearing goats_Goats are sheared 

 with sheep shears or with machinery in 

 the same manner as sheep and the argu- 

 ments there presented as to the merits 

 of these two methods apply also to 

 goats. They are seldom washed before 

 shearing. After shearing the fleece 

 should be packed and sacked without 

 being tied. The practice of some shear- 

 ers in tying with coarse twine is objec- 

 tionable, as the fiber gets mixed with 

 the mohair, making considerable extra 

 work to remove it, thus reducing the 

 price. If the fleeces are tied, only a 

 small, hard, smooth twine should be 

 used. 



The amount of mohair annually im- 

 ported is about 1,200,000 pounds, while 

 the amount produced in the country is 

 a little over 1,000,000 pounds. The 



Fig. 391 — MILCH GOAT STALLS 



tariff of 1897 puts a duty of 12 cents a 

 pound upon mohair, and a duty on 

 dressed and finished goat skins of 20 

 per cent. 



There are two registration associa- 

 tions in the United States for Angora 

 goats, the American Angora Goat Asso- 

 ciation, with headquarters at Kansas 



