2 BULLETIN 748, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
the land; third, increasing the production of mohair and meat by 
decreasing loss and by better selection, care, and management of the 
goats. Investigations have been made of all these phases of the 
preblem and the results are ogee: in this bulletin im the fol- 
lowing order: (1) the character of range requir red by goats; (2) 
methods of management of range which will insure profitable goat 
production ment eifects detrimental to the other uses of the area 
grazed; and (3) the selection, care, and management of goats so as 
to increase the production of mohair and meat. 
RANGE SUITABLE FOR GCATS. 
The suitability of range for goats depends to some extent upon 
climate and water, but chiefly upon forage. 
The ideal goat range should possess forage suitable for goats at 
all times of the year, be well drained and Shee from continued heavy 
rains, and be adequately supplied with watering places and suitable 
bed grounds. Since browse furnishes the bulk of range feed for goats 
hconshe: ut the year, there should be an abundance of this available. 
Grass and weeds are necessary for does and kids during the spring 
and summer, but not durmg the winter. They are not essential 
for wethers at any time. They are of considerable value at ail times. 
however, to give variety to the forage. On extensive brush areas. 
the stand of brush should be sufficiently open to allow herding of the 
goats. On small areas the brush may be dense. Extensive areas 
where brush grows too dense fer immediate use ean eventually be 
made wholly usable by allowing the herds to graze into them grad- 
ually from adjacent more open areas. 
The value of the different kinds of range forage plants varies 
greatly with variation in the associated plant species, the stage of 
growth, the region, and the tastes of individual goats. However, 
it is the general opinion that the relative importance of browse, 
orasses, and weeds is in the order named. 
BROWSE. 
Browse furnishes most of the forage for goats on the ranges. 
During the summer browse and grass are often grazed in approxi- 
mately equal quantity, provided about equal amounts of palatable 
species of both make up the forage. In the winter, however, browse 
is the principal goat feed, and it is absolutely necessary on any winter 
goat range which is subject to continued snow. Evergreen browse 
species are of value throughout the year, but are ordinarily grazed 
most during the winter. Deciduous species are of greatest value 
during the summer, but twigs and buds of such species often furnish 
much winter forage. 
