14 BULLETIN W% U. S. ■ DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



condition (lining- the remainder of the winter. Young animals quit 

 growing and may even lose weight. The hardship, however, falls 

 most heavily upon the does, whose physical condition in turn often 

 prevents proper development of the unborn offspring. 



In the spring at kidding time the weak and half -starved roots of 

 the palatable grasses and weeds are unable to furnish fresh, green 

 feed in sufficient quantity for the does. The amount of milk pro- 

 duced is lessened, and as a result many kids are either lost or become 

 stunted. Occasionally some does die. Furthermore, weak does have 

 considerable difficulty in mothering their kids properly. 



The reasons advanced m favor of a single bed ground are its Ioav 

 cost, the advantage of having the goats at the shed each night, the 

 proximity to water, the supposedly smaller loss from straying, and 

 the difficulty of obtaining herders who will herd under any other 

 method. Such reasons appear trivial in comparison with the detri- 

 ment to the range and the goats and the possible injury to the general 

 welfare of the community. The slightly increased cost of maintain- 

 ing the goats as a result of changing their bed grounds is more than 

 offset by the increased production of mohair and meat and the reduc- 

 tion in losses from death. 



By having the goats at a shed every night throughout the year the 

 principal value of the shed is lost. Goats prefer open bed grounds 

 and seldom enter a shed unless the weather is very cold or very wet. 

 \Tarm summer rains seldom cause any trouble, but cold rains may 

 result in serious losses in the herd. Accordingly, it is best to graze 

 the goats near the shed for several weeks after shearing and during 

 stormy periods of winter, so that, if necessary, they may obtain shelter 

 immediately. After the choice forage has been consumed for some 

 distance from the shed as a result of yearlong grazing, it becomes 

 necessary at critical winter periods to graze the goats far away from 

 the shed so as to get fresh feed. As a result heavy losses often occur. 



For protection in the winter and after shearing a single shed is 

 all that is usually needed, but if the winter range is some distance 

 from the range used at shearing time it is best to have a shed on each 

 of these ranges. The shed should not be expensive, but it should be 

 substantial and of sufficient size to prevent crowding. Where it is 

 used only for shelter, 3 square feet of floor space per goat will suffice, 

 but 5 square feet or more per goat is better. As dryness under foot 

 is essential, the shed should be built on well-drained ground and the 

 roof should be waterproof. 



The loss from straying is thought to be greater when the goats 

 are grazed from more than one bed ground. Small bunches of 

 strays will often find their way back to a central bed ground, but 

 without a central bed ground it is said that they do not know where 

 to go. Experience with the use of many bed grounds has shown, 



