CHAPTER XII 



THE HOPE OF THE HERD— THE KIDS 



The New Born Kid. — Is tlie new born kid to be 

 raised by liand, or is it to be left to tlie care of the mother? 

 The arguments for each of tlicse alternatives are pre- 

 sented in Chai)te]' XIII. The important matter is that 

 the decision be made before the doe kids, so that prepara- 

 tions for the one metliod or tlie other may be in readiness. 



Left to the Mother.— If the kid is to remain with the 

 mother tlie 2)en should be bedded deej) with clean, fresli 

 straw. It is convenient to have small, rather shallow 

 boxes at hand, partly filled with clean, crumpled news- 

 jjaper. It will facilitate the doe's task of cleaning and 

 di-ying the kids if each at l)irth is placed in one of these 

 boxes. As soon as they are dry and on tlieir feet they 

 will tumble out and make for the doe's ])ag. If there are 

 three, sometimes assistance may be needed to make sure 

 that each kid gets its fair share of the colostrum milk, so 

 essential to its proper start in life. If the kids are of 

 any value at all. they should not be left to the care of the 

 dam unless one is assured that her milk yield is ample to 

 take care of the numlter she is to raise. 



It is safe to say that tlie great majority of goats are 



1-24. 



