16 BULLETIN 749, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



either graze the less palatable species or travel farther to obtain more 

 palatable feed, they will lose flesh and the growth of mohair will 

 be impaired. It is highly desirable, therefore, to use many bed 

 grounds and each one only so long as the goats can be grazed quietly 

 near it throughout the day. 



Bedding-out system. — The bedding-out system, which is followed 

 successfully with sheep on western ranges, is the ideal bedding 

 method toward which growers of goats should work. Under this 

 s3 T stem the goats would be bedded wherever night overtakes them. 

 Open, quiet herding would be practiced, and the goats would be 

 allowed several hours of quiet grazing in the cool of the morning 

 and the afternoon and a rest in the middle of the day. 



The bedding-out system can not be strictly adhered to during kid- 

 ding, nor during periods of stormy winter weather, nor just after 

 shearing, but its use at other times of the year is practicable and 

 reserves the feed on the kidding range and near the shed for critical 

 periods. 



If the bedding-out system is used and the range properly man- 

 aged, the maximum of forage is produced, forage is utilized to its 

 best advantage, overgrazing is eliminated, and the goats have fresh 

 feed at all times. This makes possible the grazing of a greater num- 

 ber of goats and secures greater production of meat and mohair. 

 The mohair is cleaner and of a more even staple, which materially 

 increases its value. The percentage of kicls raised also is greater 

 because the does are maintained in good condition, which is of espe- 

 cial value at breeding and kidding time and during the winter while 

 the fetus is developing. 



National Forest Regulation G-26 requires that on National For- 

 ests " sheep and goats must not be bedded more than three nights in 

 succession in the same place, except when bedding bands of ewes 

 during the lambing season ; and must not be bedded within 300 yards 

 of any running stream or living spring, except in rare cases where 

 this restriction is clearly impracticable." The object of this regula- 

 tion is largely to reduce damage to the range and danger of pollution 

 of water supply resulting from prolonged use of the same bed ground. 

 When the advantage to range and goats from the use of each bed 

 ground for only three successive nights or less is realized many 

 growers will adopt this method on the range. 



WATERING. 



How often goats are watered depends largely on the availability 

 of stock water, the weather, and the nature of the forage. If the dew 

 is heavy, the forage succulent, and the weather cool, goats can go 

 without water for several clays. When snow is available in winter 



