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 
system 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 kids 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. 3 
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 days. When snow is available in winter 
