GOATS OX FAR WESTERN RANGES. 29 



mohair of sufficient amount and value to cover approximately the 

 cost of maintenance, so that the offspring is nearly clear profit. All 

 does should produce sufficient milk to insure proper growth of the 

 kids, and any range does that refuse to claim their kids or fail to 

 give birth to kids after two years' trial should be disposed of. 



Range does should be sold for meat at approximately 6 years of 

 age at the latest, because at that age the mohair has become so light 

 in weight and so coarse, and the milk supply so uncertain that they 

 are apt to be unprofitable. The practice of retaining unprofitable 

 does just as long as they are capable of producing offspring has been 

 responsible for much of the low profit from goats. 



Selection of bucks. — The bucks are the most important animals in 

 the herd, and should be of as high breeding as is economically pos- 

 sible. Every buck should more nearly approximate the ideal than 

 any of the does. Bucks of superior breeding usually stamp their 

 characteristics on the offspring. If the bucks are of high quality, 

 the herd can be improved through the retention of the high-class 

 offspring. The bucks should not only show quality and quantity of 

 mohair, but also should be of good size and symmetrical build, and 

 should have a good constitution and two well-developed testicles. 



Disposing of wethers. — Every wether retained in the herd takes 

 the place of a doe on the range. The greater the proportion of does 

 in the herd the greater the number of kids raised, and the greater 

 the proportion of kid mohair in the clip from the entire herd. As 

 before stated, the kid mohair brings the highest price and is the most 

 readily sold. Therefore, if the wethers are to be retained in the herd 

 they should be able, other factors being equal, to produce a net 

 revenue over running expenses equal to tire net revenue from the 

 same number of does, and in determining this the possibility of sell- 

 ing the wether mohair should be carefully considered. The net reve- 

 nue from does is considered, as the total revenue from the does' 

 mohair, the value of the kids and of the kids' mohair at 1 year of 

 age, less the total cost of maintaining the does and kids during the 

 year. 



Both wether kids and doe kids which produce a poor quality of 

 mohair should be disposed of either as fall kids or when 1 year old. 

 It will be found most economical to sell the bulk of the other wethers 

 as fall yearlings or when 2 years old. Up to this age there is the 

 greatest production of fine mohair and the greatest gain in weight. 

 Few wethers after 2 years of age can produce a net revenue from 

 mohair and increase in value as a result of gain in weight equal to 

 the does' net revenue, and therefore should be sold. Only wethers 

 producing a very large quantity of fine mohair should be retained 

 after they are 2 years old. 



