34 BULLETIN 740;, U. S. DEPARTMENT .OF AGRICULTURE. 



bed ground, poor condition of the goats throughout the year, slow 

 growth of goats and mohair, and much suffering and even deaths at 

 critical periods. In addition, the use of a single bed ground may 

 cause injury to timber reproduction, erosion, and possibly a pollu- 

 tion of the water supply. 



The use of many bed grounds makes possible a more even utiliza- 

 tion of the forage, the elimination of overgrazing, the recuperation of 

 the overgrazed areas, the use of the forage at the most advantageous 

 time, the reserving of an ample supply of suitable feed for critical 

 periods of the year, and in short the successful application of proper 

 range management. The benefits to the range of proper manage- 

 ment, the elimination of driving and trailing of the goats, and the 

 possibility of having the goats on fresh choice feed at all times not 

 only permit the grazing of a greater number of goats but also re- 

 sult in raising a greater percentage of kids and in greater growth 

 of goats and mohair. The mohair is of greater value because it is 

 cleaner and of a more even staple. 



The success attained by the use of many bed grounds leads to 

 the conclusion that the bedding-out system, whereby the goats are 

 quietly and openly grazed for short distances during the day and 

 bedded where night overtakes them, would give even better results 

 to range and goats and allow for the grazing of even a greater num- 

 ber than where each bed ground is used for only several consecutive 

 nights. 



The kidding range should be so located, and the time of kidding 

 so adjusted, as to avoid severe storms and to insure ample green feed. 

 The use of individual kidding pens, good management in either the 

 toggle or pen system, care in seeing that each doe properly mothers 

 her kid, and that motherless kids are given to does which have lost 

 their kids will result in a larger and more thrifty kid crop. 



The range goat should be the large, well-built, early-maturing 

 Angora, producing a large quantity of fine mohair. The does should 

 be uniform, of good size, have good constitutions, be good producers 

 of mohair, and should produce sufficient milk to insure proper 

 growth of kids. The bucks should more nearly approximate the 

 ideal than the does; they should be large, vigorous, and producers 

 of a large quantity of high-quality mohair. Only those wethers 

 which produce a very large quantity of fine mohair should be re- 

 tained in the herd after they are two years old. 



For breeding purposes both the bucks and does should be in a 

 thrifty condition and over 18 months of age. When bucks are placed 

 with the does at night and are fed grain in addition to good pas- 

 turage they may serve 50 or more does with success. 



