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diff --git a/33084-8.txt b/33084-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..706804e --- /dev/null +++ b/33084-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2396 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Practical Angora Goat Raising, by C. P. Bailey + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Practical Angora Goat Raising + +Author: C. P. Bailey + +Release Date: July 5, 2010 [EBook #33084] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRACTICAL ANGORA GOAT RAISING *** + + + + +Produced by Verity White and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: C. P. BAILEY, + +One of the founders of the Angora Goat Industry in America.] + + + + + Practical + Angora Goat Raising + + C. P. BAILEY & SONS COMPANY + SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA + 1905. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +For several years beginners in the Angora goat industry were without +text books, and even to-day there are very few practical treatises. From +our forty years of experience in farming Angoras, and from the personal +observations of our Dr. W. C. Bailey, while in the interior of Asia +Minor, we have tried to select the essential points in the successful +management of Angora flocks, and to present these points so that they +may be used. + +We have given a brief outline of the history of the Angora goat, but we +have devoted several pages to consideration of detail in breeding and +kidding. It has been our aim to make this a practical text book for the +beginner in the Angora industry, and if it proves of value to him, it +has fulfilled its mission. + + The Authors. + + + + +ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE ANGORA GOAT. + + +As to the origin and early history of the Angora goat little is known. +It is supposed that the Angora variety descended from one of the classes +of wild goats, and different writers have contended that different +genera were the foundation of the Angora species. They have based these +claims upon the characteristics of the horns, the covering of the body, +shape and size of the animal, and various other details. Several agree +that Capra Ęgagrus is the class of goat from which the Angora species +has developed. + + +KNOWN FACTS. + +Present history traces the Angora goat to the vilayet of Angora, in Asia +Minor, and to the country immediately surrounding this vilayet. Some +have set a date over two thousand years ago, claiming that the Angora +goat was introduced into Asia Minor at that time, but the only authentic +history is that given by Tournefort, a French naturalist, employed by +his government, who explored Asia Minor about two hundred and fifty +years ago, and who described and pictured the Angora goat about as he +appears to-day and by Evliya Effendi, a Turk, who wrote in 1550 of the +goats, and by a few other writers. That they have not changed more is +due to the fact that the Turk is quite content as he is, and he has no +ambition to breed a different goat from what he has had for at least the +past three centuries. + + +ASIA MINOR. + +Before we consider the migrations of the Angora goat, we will +investigate the physical conditions of their native province. The +interior of Asia Minor, or the Angora goat country, is from one to four +thousand feet above the sea level. Low, rolling hills and broad plains, +treeless and almost waterless; dry, hot and desolate in the summer, and +covered with more or less snow in the winter, form the habitat of the +Angora. A small fine fibered sage brush is the principal diet of the +goat, both summer and winter, but in the spring this diet is +supplemented with weeds and some grass, and in the summer some of the +goats are driven to the higher mountains, where there are some scrub +pines and other varieties of brush. There is no winter feeding. The +goats make their own living on the tops of the sage brush, which +protrude through the snow. + +The indolent Turks do make some provision for the shelter of themselves +and the goats in the winter. If a cave can be found it is divided so +that the goats share the quarters with the humans. Sometimes an adobe +house is so arranged that the goats and other livestock occupy the lower +part of the house and the natives the upper part, or if there be but one +floor, a low fence is run across to keep the livestock out of the living +quarters. Great greyish-white wolfish looking dogs, wearing formidable +collars of sharpened spikes go with the shepherds during the day and +watch the flocks during the night. They are used as a means of +protection from thieves, and not as an aid in herding. The flocks camp +around the cave or hut, and are not confined in corrals. Fences are +almost unknown in the Angora country. There are probably four or five +million Angora goats in Asia Minor. Much of the central plateau region +of the United States is very similar to the Angora region of Turkey. A +peculiar fact is that the mohair produced in the different sections of +Asia Minor varies a little, and the mohair merchants of Constantinople +readily recognize an appreciable difference in its market value. Even +the smaller merchants in the country recognize a difference in the +mohair grown within a few miles of their town. Some try to explain this +by a difference in food, others by slight climatic changes, and still +others by the soil formation. Some of the goats from the locality of +Geredeh, in the province of Kastamouni, have fleeces which are filled +with grease. They are as black and gummy as merino sheep. This mohair, +however, scours white. The most marketable mohair comes from Beibazar +and Eskischehr. That this difference in the quality of the mohair is not +entirely due to climate or food conditions is evidenced by the fact that +Angoras taken from Beibazar to California still retain the same +qualities in the mohair after four years in California. However, it has +been noticed that different parts of the United States produce different +qualities of mohair. + +[Illustration: SCENE IN ASIA-MINOR. + +Turkish owner, his herder, holding an Angora buck kid and the +grey-wolfish-looking dogs wearing collars of sharpened spikes. This +picture was taken on the range and one can see the fine fibered sage +brush on which the goats feed. + +Photo taken by Dr. Bailey, 1901.] + + +ANGORA GOATS IN THE UNITED STATES. + +The history of the Angora goat in the United States dates from 1849, +when Dr. James B. Davis, of Columbia, South Carolina, was presented with +nine choice animals by the Sultan. The Sultan had requested President +Polk to send a man to Turkey who understood the culture of cotton. Dr. +Davis was appointed, and upon his return to America the Sultan, as a +courtesy, presented him with the goats. For many years after their +arrival in the United States these goats were considered cashmeres. +Early reports about the fleeces and the goats were erroneous, and many +were led to believe that the fleeces from these goats were worth $8 per +pound, and that the goats would shear from six to eight pounds per year. + +Dr. Davis did not do very well with the goats. He crossed his Angora +buck onto some of the native common goats, and sold some of the +cross-bloods and possibly some of the original importation to various +parties, but in 1854, Col. Richard Peters, of Atlanta, Georgia, secured +most of the Davis goats. To Col. Peters really belongs the credit of +keeping the Angora breed in existence in the United States up to the +early sixties. Col. Peters was very fond of his Angoras, and he +continued to own and run them up to the time of his death. He made a +very creditable exhibit at the New Orleans World's Fair in 1885. + + +THE CHENERY IMPORTATIONS. + +W. W. Chenery of Belmont, near Boston, Massachusetts, is supposed to +have made the next two importations in 1861. No one seems to know +exactly how many goats Mr. Chenery imported or what became of these +lots. Mr. Thompson quotes the Massachusetts Ploughman as saying, "The +first of the two lots, consisting of thirty nine animals, was shipped +from Constantinople on the 26th of March, 1861, and arrived at Boston on +the 15th of May, except two animals which died on the passage. The +second lot consisting of forty one head, left Constantinople on the 6th +of October, 1861, and arrived at Boston on the 25th of November with the +loss of only one on the voyage. In the whole flock, eighty in all, there +were about a dozen males, and all the animals wintered well." + +It is generally supposed that Mr. Chenery made another importation in +1866, of about twenty head. + +[Illustration: ANGORA GOAT. + +Brown and Diehl Importation, about 1868 or 1869.] + + +THE BROWN AND DIEHL IMPORTATION. + +The next importation of practical importance, although it was claimed +that nine head were received about 1861, by one Stiles, was made by +Israel S. Diehl, a former U.S. consul and C. S. Brown, of Newark, New +Jersey, about 1868. Mr. Diehl was commissioned by the United States +government to investigate the industry in Turkey, and he secured a lot +of Angoras, variously estimated at from one hundred to one hundred and +sixty head. Mr. C. P. Bailey furnished the money for the transportation +of these goats to California. He says, "Some were fairly good and some +were only ordinary. They were of medium size, and with the exception of +the neck, tolerably well covered with fleece, which however had a +scattering of kemp throughout. They were conceded to be the best brought +to California up to that time." Some of these bucks had been tampered +with and were sterile. + + +EUTICHIDES IMPORTATION. + +This shipment followed the Brown and Diehl importation, and consisted of +between one hundred and fifty and two hundred animals. A. Eutichides, +was a native of Turkey, and claimed that he had some fine goats, but he +had an immense amount of trouble with his Angoras, and lost a good many. +They were held in Virginia for some time, and then were sent to +Sacramento, California, and were afterwards sold by the express +company, at public auction, at very low prices. This was about 1873. It +was generally believed by old California breeders that some of the goats +offered at this sale were cross-bloods of California origin. The blood +of this importation, however, has been widely scattered over the Pacific +Coast. + + +THE HALL AND HARRIS IMPORTATION. + +In 1876, John S. Harris, of Hollister, California, returned from a +perilous journey around the world in quest of new Angoras. He found the +Thibet goats in the Himalaya Mountains, and finally succeeded in getting +some goats at Angora, in Asia Minor. He secured two bucks and ten does, +and brought them safely to California. That was really the first time an +American had entered Asia Minor to study the Angora industry, as it was +understood Mr. Diehl had secured Turks to go into the interior for him. + + +THE JENKS IMPORTATION. + +This was a small importation of Angoras, supposed to have been three +animals, made by C. W. Jenks of Boston, and sold to Col. Peters of +Georgia. They were supposed to have come from Geredeh, in the interior +of Asia Minor, and they arrived in the United States in 1880. The mohair +from these goats was not considered very good, and the importation was +not regarded as very important. + + +THE SHULTS IMPORTATION. + +This was the first importation made from South Africa to the United +States and arrived in 1886. There were two bucks and two does, and they +went to Fink & Company, of Texas. There was a great deal of question +about this importation, and so far as is known it was of no value to +American flocks. + + +THE C. P. BAILEY & SONS CO. IMPORTATIONS. + +In 1893, the first importation of Angora goats from South Africa, which +was of value to American flocks, arrived. The two bucks, Pasha and Dick, +which were secured by C. P. Bailey from R. Cawood, were sired by the +great buck Sam. Mr. Schreiner says, "Sam was born in 1888, and sheared +as a three year old, at twelve month growth, 15 pounds 2 ounces. He was +exhibited for many years at all chief Agricultural shows and was never +beaten but once, a judgment reversed at a subsequent show in the same +year. Sam was the most famous goat in South Africa; with splendid weight +of fleece, he combined a fineness of fiber rarely seen in an old ram." + +Pasha developed into a great sire and his get has been distributed into +nearly every State in the Union, Canada, Mexico and Australia. Without +doubt Pasha's blood courses through the veins of more Angoras than any +sire ever imported. He was acknowledged by every one to be the best +individual ever brought to America. Mr. Landrum, who had seen most of +the Angoras brought from Turkey and who saw Pasha at San Jose, +California, in 1899, pronounced him the most perfect goat he had ever +seen and a much better goat than any which had ever come to America from +Turkey. He bought some of Pasha's get for his own flock. + +[Illustration: ANGORA BUCK PASHA. + +Bailey South Africa Importation 1893.] + +In 1899, the buck Capetown was imported by Mr. Bailey from South Africa +to secure certain points. Size and a little "yolk," together with the +covering, fineness, freeness from kemp, ringlets and evenness were +especially desired. Capetown has been a great sire and is still in fine +condition on the Bailey farms. + + +THE ASIA MINOR GOATS. + +In 1901, Dr. W. C. Bailey, armed with an honorary commission from the +United States Department of Agriculture, personally visited every +goat-raising section of Asia Minor, and after seeing hundreds of +thousands, and examining minutely hundreds, secured and succeeded in +exporting two bucks and two does. The Sultan had passed an edict in +1881, prohibiting the export of these animals, as he hoped to keep the +industry for Asia Minor. The undertaking was a hazardous one, and the +expedition was fought with many and almost insurmountable difficulties. +Asia Minor is alive with bandits, and to hold a foreigner for ransom is +a favorite pastime. Then, too, a Christian's life is not considered of +much value by a Mohamedan. The goats were transported for miles on mule +and camel back, carried across the Bosphorus under a boat load of hay, +disfigured by shearing and powdered with coal dust, transported through +the streets of Constantinople in closed carriages protected from police +molestation by the "golden wand," and finally condemned by the Italian +Government because no health certificate accompanied them from point of +shipment, but eventually landed in California in 1901. The bucks +Beibazar and Kjutiah, and the does Moholitch and Eskischehr find the +climate of California suited to their wants. These four goats cost over +$5,000 landed in California. + +[Illustration: BUCK BEIBAZAR AND DOE MOHOLITCH. + +Bailey Asia Minor Importation 1901. Photo taken by Dr. Bailey on the +plains of Asia Minor, March 7, 1901, while the goats were held by a +Turkish guide.] + +Beibazar impresses his qualities markedly on his offspring. His get won +the Sweepstake prizes at the California and Oregon State Fairs in 1904, +and the championship for two-year-old buck at the World's Fair at St. +Louis, U. S. A., in 1904. + + +THE LANDRUM IMPORTATION. + +In 1901, Wm. M. Landrum imported two bucks from South Africa. Their get +has been quite widely distributed in America, and has been of +considerable value. + + +THE HOERLE IMPORTATION. + +In 1904, G. A. Hoerle imported about one hundred and thirty head from +South Africa. A few of these goats were exhibited at the St. Louis +World's Fair, and some of them have been distributed to American +breeders. A large part of them are now in New Jersey, and just what +their effect will be on American flocks remains to be seen. + +[Illustration: BEIBAZAR. + +Bailey Asia Minor Importation, 1901.] + + +ANGORA GOATS IN SOUTH AFRICA. + +In 1838, Col. Henderson made the first importation of Angora goats into +South Africa, but while the number reaching the Cape was fourteen, yet +only two proved to be perfect animals, a doe and her kid. The twelve +bucks seem to have been tampered with, and they would not breed. Mr. +Schreiner says: "But for the fact that there were several million Boar +goats, thoroughly accustomed to the country, to furnish innumerable ewes +for grading up purposes, the industry would still have been in its +infancy." It was years before any more Angoras were imported into South +Africa. + +The second importation into Cape Colony was made by Messrs. Mosenthal in +1856, and thirty Angoras reached their destination. Mr. Schreiner +reports that some of these goats were sold at public auction and brought +about $350 to $400 each. + +The third importation was made by Sir Titus Salt, the English +manufacturer of mohair, and arrived in South Africa in 1857. Dr. White +had charge of these after they reached the colony. + +[Illustration: CAPETOWN. + +Bailey South African Importation, 1899.] + +The fourth importation consisted of about thirty-five animals, and was +made about 1858 by Mr. W. R. Thompson. These were considered very fine +animals, and were quite different from any previously imported. + +Ten years later in 1868, another importation was made by South Africa +and from then on to 1880 between twelve and fifteen more lots were +secured, some of them consisting of hundreds of animals. In the twelve +years, up to 1880, over three thousand goats were received in South +Africa from Asia Minor. Some of them brought as high as $2,200 each. + +During the next fourteen years there was a lack of importations into the +Colony. In 1894, the first lot of American Angora goats, six head, were +secured from C. P. Bailey of San Jose, California. They were sold to the +Cape farmers by the importers at satisfactory prices, and in June, 1895, +another lot of twenty bucks were secured from Mr. Bailey for $1000 cash. +These bucks had a hard trip, and shed their fleece, but they were sold +by the importer later. + +In 1895, another importation of one hundred and sixty-five head were +secured by consent of the Sultan from Asia Minor. In 1896 another +importation of sixty-three head were landed and sold to the Cape +farmers. The highest priced buck of this lot brought about $1,850, and +the highest priced doe about $1,000. These goats were not considered +extra, with the exception of a few of the tops. They were not uniform, +the breeches were bad, bellies deficiently covered, and they carried +considerable kemp. + + +ANGORAS IN OTHER COUNTRIES. + +Even before the arrival of Angora goats in South Africa they had been +tried in Holland, France and England. Australia also imported some in +1856, but the industry has not grown to any extent in any of these +countries. There have been some Angoras exported to Australia from +America since 1900. Canada, Mexico, Alaska, and some of the Pacific +Islands, have small flocks of Angora goats at the present time. The +start has been obtained largely from California. + +[Illustration] + + + + +MOHAIR. + + +That part of the fleece of the Angora goat, which at a year's growth is +composed of long, lustrous, elastic fibers, is called Mohair. It may be +more or less curled, but it is readily distinguishable from that part of +the fleece of the Angora which is composed of short, stiff fibers, known +as kemp. + +The word mohair probably has its origin in modern times, as the Turkish +word for mohair is tiftick. A theory which is advanced by Mr. George +Gatheral of Constantinople, and which is tenable, is that the early +Dutch traders who visited Angora, found the native clergy wearing a gown +made of mohair. The Turks called the cloth "mahr," and it is possible +that the traders applied this word to the raw material. If this be so, +the English have corrupted the word into the present term mohair. + +The color of mohair varies in different localities and on different +individuals. In the vilayet of Koniah, in Asia Minor, is a breed of +goats producing a brownish colored mohair. This material is sold upon +the market as Koniah mohair. The Koniah goat, however, has been rapidly +disappearing, as the herdsmen found that the foreign demand was for +white mohair, and they have been crossing the white Angora bucks on the +brown Koniah does. There are still over one hundred thousand pounds of +Koniah mohair produced each year. In the Angora flocks of Asia Minor one +always finds some colored goats. Black, blue, brown or red, usually with +an admixture of white, are the common colors. The same thing may be said +of the American flocks of Angoras. One may have been breeding white +Angoras for years when, without apparent cause, a colored kid is +dropped. Then color of the soil may give the mohair a peculiar tinge, +but this usually scours out. The kemp in Asia Minor is sometimes a +different color from the mohair. The kemp may be red or black and the +mohair white. White mohair is what the manufacturer wants. If he wishes +to make colored goods, he can dye white whatever color he wishes, but a +colored mohair can only be used for certain colored goods. + + +GRADES AND GRADING OF MOHAIR. + +In Turkey, after the fleece is shorn, the owner packs each fleece +separately in sacks. He picks out the tag locks, colored fleeces or +objectionable mohair, and after washing it, or making it more fit for +market, he packs this in a sack by itself. Every village has its buyers, +usually Greeks or Armenians, and there are a few traveling buyers. These +men gradually collect the mohair. Men who have more money than they +need put that money into mohair, as mohair is always salable, and it is +so bulky that there is not much danger of it being stolen. There are so +many robbers in Turkey that nothing is absolutely safe. One coffee house +keeper in a small village sent about six dollars down to a larger place, +as he was afraid to keep so much money in his house. When the mohair is +collected in the larger towns it is again sorted, care being taken not +to mix lots from different sections of the country. It is then forwarded +to Constantinople of Ismidt, which is on the Sea of Marmara, near +Constantinople. Here expert sorters go over the lots again. They do not +break up the fleece, but they collect fleeces which are about the same +and from the same district--for instance, Beibazar, Kjutiah, Kastamonia, +Eskischehr, etc. These fleeces are then packed in bags and marked +x - xx- xxx, or lettered a, b, AA, or numbered 1, 2, 3, etc. The +mohair is then ready for exportation. It can be readily seen that a +manufacturer who wants a particular kind of mohair can get exactly what +he wants, if he knows the kind of mohair which comes from the different +districts, and the grade of mohair which is put up under a certain mark +by a certain firm. He can order of Mr. B. one hundred bags XX Beibazar +mohair, and he knows what he is going to find when he opens the bags. +There is a large room in Constantinople where a gang of men are almost +constantly at work sorting mohair. The commission men have their store +rooms around this central room; when the sorters finish with Mr. A's lot +they commence to sort for Mr. B. Thus the same men sort all the mohair, +and this insures a uniformity of grade. + +In America the plan of handling is somewhat different. It will be easier +to tell what should be done than what is done. Until each grower becomes +something of an expert sorter, or until we have central depots, where +the mohair can be properly graded, the grower should roll the fleeces +separately; they should not be tied, and put them in a bag or bale. He +should pick out the tag locks, mohair discolored or clotted with urine +or fęces, the colored fleeces, burry mohair or very kempy fleeces, and +after preparation, put them in a separate parcel. Any kind of a bur or +seed which sticks in the mohair must be picked out by hand. If the +manufacturer has to do this, he puts a price on the mohair which will +leave him plenty of margin. That is, he pays the grower about one-half +as much as the mohair would be worth if it were free from this foreign +material. If the mohair is very burry, it has to be treated chemically, +and this spoils the luster. Sometimes the grower can make good wages by +having the burs picked out before the animals are shorn. One man can +pick the burs out of from fifteen to twenty-five animals a day, if there +are not too many burs in the mohair. If the tag locks can be cleaned +sufficiently by washing, they are of some value; but if not, they are +hardly worth the expense of shipping. + +The mohair shorn from kids should be kept in parcels by itself, as it is +usually finer and worth top prices. That of the does, if it differs from +that of the wethers, should be packed separately. When the mohair is +received by the mill it is sent to the sorting room. + + +SORTING BY THE MANUFACTURER. + +Each goat's fleece is made up of a variety of different grades of +mohair. Before a fleece can be spun it must be separated into these +different grades as nearly as possible, and this is done by expert +sorters, who select from the raw material about seven different degrees +of fineness of fiber. They also take into consideration freeness from +kemp and color. In separating the fleece much dust is liberated, and as +some mohair is liable to carry the bacillus of anthrax, or other +dangerous material, this dust, if allowed to circulate in the air, would +become a serious menace to the health of the sorters. Wool sorters' +disease is by no means uncommon, and one of the American mill owners +reported that his sorters had such a dread of a foreign mohair which +came packed in a distinctive package, that he had to stop handling this +particular lot, although it was profitable stuff to spin. + +[Illustration: MOHAIR TRANSPORTATION IN CONSTANTINOPLE, TURKEY. + +Photo taken by Dr. Bailey.] + +To obviate this danger as far as possible each man opens the fleeces on +a table covered with wire screen, under which circulates a strong +exhaust current of air which is mechanically generated. Thus small +foreign particles and dust in the fleeces are drawn downward. When the +fleece is opened the sorter selects that part of the fleece which is +known to be the coarsest, _i. e._, the breech and a strip along the +center of the back, and puts this in one lot. Next he selects a narrow +strip along the side of the fleece, which is known to be the finest part +of the fleece, and puts this in another lot. Now the neck and the belly +are separated and thrown into their classes. If the whole fleece were a +fine one, and free from kemp, it would be sorted in the same way, but +different parts of the fleece would go into proportionately higher +classes. The lots which these sorters make are known to spin +comparatively definite qualities of yarn. Thus the low breech and the +back of most fleeces will not spin over No. 20 to No. 24 yarns, and the +sides of good fleeces are fine in fiber and will spin No. 40 to No. 60 +yarn. + +The quantity of mohair which one man can sort varies considerably, +according to the class of mohair which he is given to work upon. One +mill estimated that experts can sort between two and three hundred +pounds of domestic mohair a day, and that it costs about a cent a pound +to thus separate the fleece. After the fleeces are graded, the mohair +is ready to be sent to the mill proper for scouring and spinning. + + +SCOURING. + +To-day the process of washing or scouring the fleece is done by +machinery. The mohair is fed into a machine in which revolve paddles, +which thoroughly mix the fiber with the liquid in this machine. At the +opposite end from where it was fed in, the mohair is rolled out over +warm rollers, and it is ready to be spun. It is claimed, and with some +justice, that American mohair loses or shrinks about 12% to 20% while +passing through this washing machine, and that Turkish mohair only +shrinks about 13%. This may be due to the fact that some of the Turkish +hair had been washed before it was shipped to market, and that by +previous sorting some of the dirt had fallen out of the mohair. Then, +too, some of the American growers are not very careful to keep the +fleeces clean. Straw, sticks, hats, and even stones have been found in +some domestic stuff. + + +MIXING. + +After the mohair is thoroughly cleaned it is ready for spinning or +carding. In order to spin the fibers most economically, evenly and to +the best advantage, some of the mills mix different qualities of mohair +of about the same fineness. For instance, Turkish mohair is mixed with +Texas and California stuff, or Oregon is mixed with Iowa material. The +spinning qualities of mohair from different sections varies, and this +mixing tends to give uniformity. After the fibers have been mixed to +suit, the mohair is run through straightening machines in preparation +for the combing process. + + +FIRST OR NOBLE COMB. + +This comb is so arranged that about two and a half inches of the base of +all of the mohair fibers, and any other fibers which may be mixed with +them, are held, the ends of the fibers which are longer than two and a +half inches, hang freely and are caught in a revolving machine and +dragged loose from the combs which hold the base of the fiber. Thus only +those fibers two and a half inches long, or less, are left in the first +comb. The longer fibers, or tops as they are now called, to distinguish +them from the noil, or short fibers, are collected and are again passed +through a second comb. + + +SECOND OR LISTER COMB. + +Much the same process as was gone through with in the Noble comb, is +repeated, except that now only the Noble top is combed, and as all of +the fibers, less than two and a half inches, have been removed from this +mohair, the comb is set so that any fibers shorter than four or five +inches, shall be held as noil, and only those fibers which are longer +than four or five inches shall be included in the top. This combing +completed, we have a collection of mohair fibers none of them less than +about five inches in length. This top is now ready to spin. This combing +is rendered necessary by the fact that all of the mohair contains an +admixture of kemp, and kemp cannot be spun with the finer grades of +mohair. In getting this kemp out of the mohair many of the short mohair +fibers are lost, so that combing is an expensive process. It costs in +time, labor and mohair. + + +SPINNING. + +Many strands of this Lister top are now drawn down into a single thread. +This thread, if the fibers comprising it are coarse, may have some +projecting ends, which give it a rough, uneven appearance, and if so, +these ends are burned off. The thread is passed through a gas flame at a +given rate of speed by machinery, and the projecting ends are singed. +This is called genapping. The yarn is now ready for manufacturing. In +Bradford, England, there are mills which only spin the yarn. Their trade +is with the manufacturers, both at home and abroad, and it is a known +fact that, while France and Germany manufacture much plush and braid, +they buy all of their yarn from Bradford. + + +CARDING. + +Short mohair, that is, mohair less than six inches long, is not run +through combs, as above described. It is run over a carding wheel, or a +large metal cylinder covered with small brads, which mix all the mohair +and kemp. After passing over a number of these wheels, which revolve in +different directions, the material thus carded is ready to spin. + + +NOIL. + +Some of the noil collected by the combing process is composed of a large +percentage of short mohair. This noil has a considerable value and is +sometimes carded. The lower grade noil is sold to carpet manufacturers +and various users of low grade stuff. Noil usually brings from twelve to +twenty cents a pound. + + +USES OF MOHAIR. + +As yet mohair has been used for only a limited number of things. Its +possibilities have not been developed. New uses for the fiber are being +discovered, and it seems probable that there will be many things made of +mohair in the future. The yarn has a beautiful luster and is very +durable. When ladies' lustre goods are in fashion a large amount of +mohair goes into these fabrics. Much mohair is used in dress goods and +men's goods. There is a steady demand for mohair plushes and braids. + +There is no plush made which will give the service, present the luster +and retain a standing pile as long as mohair. One may crush the nap of +a mohair plush as often or as long as he pleases, but the pile +immediately resumes its upright position upon being released. Then, too, +the dust shakes out of a mohair plush very easily. One rarely sees a +dusty railroad car seat, although the country through which the car is +passing may be very dusty. The rich effect produced by a heavily +upholstered palace car is due to the mohair plush. Nothing has been +found which will take its place. For furniture upholstering there is +nothing more elegant and durable than mohair plush. The amount of plush +thus used is governed by fashion. In countries where large military +forces are retained there is always a heavy demand for mohair braids. +There is no braid made which has the luster, combined with the +durability, which mohair braid possesses. Here it may be stated that a +coarse yarn can be used in making braids, so that when there is a heavy +demand for braids there should be a proportionately high price paid for +coarse long mohair. Mohair braids are always in demand, and will +continue to be used upon ladies' clothing, as well as for military +ornamental purposes. + +The variety of uses to which mohair is adapted is almost innumerable. In +the manufacture of hats it plays an important part, and recently the +demand for long fiber for the manufacture of wigs, ladies' hair nets and +other toilet articles has been created. + + +WORLD'S SUPPLY AND CONSUMPTION. + +At present Asia Minor and South Africa can be regarded as the two +leading producers of mohair. The Asia Minor exports vary considerably, +according to the price allowed, and as no manufactured stuff is +exported, one gets a fair idea of the amount produced. It may be broadly +stated that the Asia Minor clip amounts to about nine million pounds +annually. That of South Africa amounts to about ten million pounds, and +the United States now produces about one million pounds annually. Of +this production a very large percentage of that coming from all these +countries may be regarded as inferior stuff. We mean by this, that the +Angora goat raising industry is yet in its infancy, and that much of the +mohair produced is sheared from goats which have been bred from the +common hair variety. Many of the characteristics of the fleece of the +common goat still persist in the mohair. + +From the foregoing estimate the world's supply of mohair may be stated +as twenty million pounds annually. Australia is as yet producing only a +very small amount. + +Practically eighty-five to ninety per cent. of the world's supply of +mohair is handled in Bradford, England. Nearly all of the South African +and Turkish stuff is shipped directly to Bradford, a small amount of the +Constantinople export coming to America, but a large part of the +American import comes from Liverpool, England. At Bradford the raw +material is manufactured, some of the manufactured stuff being exported +as yarn, but the larger part is used to produce the finished article. +The remaining ten or fifteen per cent. is manufactured in the United +States. At times the demand for mohair goods stimulates the demand for +raw material, and the United States has been known to use from twenty to +twenty-five per cent. of the world's supply. To recapitulate, the United +States produces five per cent. of the world's annual supply of raw +mohair, and manufactures from ten to twenty-five per cent. of the +world's annual production. + + +MOHAIR PRICES. + +The price of mohair has fluctuated with the caprice of fashion. Supply +and demand are the essential factors in its valuation, but demand has +been so influenced by the requirements of fashion in the past that one +finds a wide range in price for the raw material. In a report issued by +the Bradford _Observer_ we find the price ranging from fifty cents a +pound in 1856, to eighty cents in 1866, ninety cents in 1876, and then +down to thirty cents in 1886 and 1896. In 1903 the average price in the +United States was about thirty-five cents a pound, and for 1904 about +thirty cents a pound. + +[Illustration: READY FOR THE SHEARERS.] + +To-day there is a demand for mohair, regardless of fashion. During the +past two years the price of raw material has been low, but there has +been a margin of profit in the industry, and considering the fact that +fashion's decree has eliminated the manufacture of luster fabrics for +the present, the mohair producer can feel assured that there will be a +steady market for his material. With the occasional good times when +luster goods are in demand, the mohair grower should do well. + + +SHEARING AND PACKING MOHAIR. + +The goat should be shorn before he commences to shed, as the mohair +loses its weight and luster after the shedding process begins. There are +a few goats, which, under certain kinds of food and climatic conditions, +will not shed their fleeces, but most goats will shed, and even goats +which have carried their fleeces over a year in one section, may shed if +they are moved a few miles and the food is changed. A class of +non-shedders would be very valuable, but so far a distinctive class of +non-shedders, under any and all conditions, and which transmit this +peculiarity, has not been identified. The Angora goat will usually +commence to shed early in the spring, or as soon as a few warm bright +days come. + +In some sections of the country it is thought advisable to shear twice a +year. Many points in favor of this method are advocated. It is claimed +that the price realized for the two medium length, or short stapled +fleeces, together with the increased number of pounds shorn in the two +clippings a year, pays much better than the one long staple fleece which +can be shorn from the same animal for a year's growth. There are many +reasons both for and against shearing twice a year. The mills prefer +long mohair, or at least fiber more than six inches in length (combing +length). They pay the best price for this class of mohair, and it must +be left to the individual to decide whether it pays him best to shear +once or twice a year. At present possibly one-third of the Angoras in +the United States are shorn twice a year, and the remaining two-thirds +only once. In Asia Minor one finds the goat shearer using a pair of long +bladed scissors to cut the mohair. The goats are shorn in the spring, +and only once during the year. The animal's feet are tied, and then by +using both hands, one at either end of the scissors, the goat is shorn. +Recently some Englishman has introduced an ordinary spring sheep shear, +but most of the natives prefer the scissors. + +To-day one finds the hand shearer and the machine shearer at work in +America. The hand shearer should use a pair of short bladed (about five +inch blade) sheep shears. This is to prevent the point of the shear from +cutting mohair, which is not intended to be clipped with that +particular stroke of the shear. If, for instance, the shearer is +clipping the mohair along the sides of the animal, and the point of the +shear cuts some of the mohair at least three inches out from the body, +this stubble is shorn again (double cut) when the shearer gets to this +place, and this three-inch mohair is too short to be of much value. It +will be combed out at the mill as noil. An expert shearer can clip about +the same number of range goats that he can range sheep--from ninety to +one hundred and twenty a day. + +The machine shear is rapidly taking the place of the hand shear. It +clips the mohair close to the skin and almost does away with double +cutting. It requires less skill to shear with a machine shear, and it +does the work more uniformly. There is also less danger of cutting the +animal. The machines do the work very rapidly. + +After the goat is shorn the fleece should be collected and rolled into a +bundle, "bump," and placed in a sack or bale. It should not be tied, as +the mill men object to the particles of string which remain in the +mohair and disfigure the manufactured product. Any colored fleeces, +discolored mohair, or mohair containing objectionable features, such as +burrs, straw, etc., can be placed in separate parcels. The kid mohair +can be kept by itself, and the wether and doe mohair can be separately +packed. The long mohair should be kept separate from short stuff. Thus +one grades the mohair to some extent on the farm, and he has a better +idea of what the clip should bring. + +If the mohair is to be shipped a long distance, it will pay to bale the +fleeces, as compact bales occupy much less space than sacks. The freight +rates are usually less upon baled mohair than they are upon the sacked +material. The cost of baling the mohair is a little less than the cost +of sacking. + +[Illustration] + + + + +BREEDING OF THE ANGORA GOAT. + + +One can learn very little about breeding the Angora goat from the Turk. +As we know from Tchikacheff's work, which was published over fifty years +ago, cold winters often killed many of the Angoras in Asia Minor, and +the Turk then imported from more favored districts common bucks or does +to breed to the Angora. This was before the great demand for mohair, +occasioned by the increase in manufacturing plants at Bradford, England, +caused the Turkish mohair raisers to resort to all manner of means to +increase the supply of raw material. + +To-day the Turk is treading in the paths of his forefathers. What was +good enough for them, certainly ought to be good enough for him, so he +reasons. He eats with his fingers, cooks on a brazier, sits on the +floor, eats, drinks, sleeps and works all in the same room, and keeps +his wives in seclusion. + +When he comes to breeding the Angora he leaves that to his servants, if +he be wealthy enough to have any. Most of the breeders cannot read or +write. They have never traveled. They have no ambition, and they know +nothing of the principles of selective breeding. As a natural +consequence the Angora goat of to-day has not improved, nor is he likely +to improve under Turkish management. One large breeder who supplied +bucks to some tributary country, said that he thought that it was a +shame to castrate a buck, no matter how bad he might be. The Turk +separates the bucks from the does at breeding season, as Asia Minor has +cold weather late in the spring, and the danger of losing kids, if they +come too early, is great. When the bucks are turned with the flock they +are allowed to run until the next breeding season, and all of the bucks, +regardless of quality or quantity, are allowed to run with the does. + +When the first few Angoras arrived in America the natural procedure was +to cross them upon the common short-haired goat of this country. It was +a new industry, and many wanted to try the Angora. Very slowly the +Angora, or the cross-bred animals were scattered over the United States. +Stories were told of the wonderful things for which the mohair was used, +and some supposedly reliable authorities quoted mohair at $8.00 a pound, +as has been stated. Companies were started, and of course the supply of +good Angoras, that is, goats which would shear about four pounds of +mohair (worth at that time about seventy-five cents or a dollar a +pound), was limited. Men bought any goat which had a trace of Angora +blood in him as a thoroughbred Angora. A few years, however, +demonstrated the fact that a common goat, with a little admixture of +Angora blood, did not produce either the quality or the quantity of +fleece wanted. Only a few of the more persistent breeders continued the +experiment and their investigations. They sent and went to the home of +the Angora, and brought more of the original animals to America. It took +the American breeders about thirty years to find out just what the +Angora goat was and how he should be handled. During that thirty years +large flocks of common goats, which had been crossed with the Angora, +and which might be properly termed "grade flocks," had been formed. Only +a few thoroughbred flocks, that is, flocks of the original Angora, as he +came from Turkey, were in existence. + + +CROSSING WITH THE COMMON SHORT HAIRED GOAT. + +By experience we have learned that the common short coarse haired goat +can be crossed with the Angora goat, and that after sufficient crosses +have been made, the cross-bred Angora so nearly resembles the +thoroughbred that for all practical purposes he is an Angora. We have +also learned that certain kinds of common goats respond rapidly to the +infusion of Angora blood, and that others retain certain peculiarities +of the common goat for generations. The Angora will not cross with +sheep. For instance, a common goat with a long mane on the back, or tuft +of long hair behind the foreleg, or on the flank or the hip, will +continue to perpetuate this long coarse hair on the offspring for +generations, even though the best of Angora blood be infused. The color +of the common goat is of some importance. A brown or reddish brown goat +retains the reddish cast at the base of the mohair much longer than one +of a bluish or bluish black color. It is equally true that a pure white +mother may drop a colored kid occasionally. In Constantinople the mohair +is graded into parcels containing red kemp, black kemp, etc. There it is +the kemp which retains the color. As has been stated, there is also a +breed of brown Angora goats, or at least mohair-producing goats, in +Koniah in Asia Minor. Presuming, then, that one has a suitable common +doe and a good Angora buck as a basis, the following may be deduced as +relative changes in the different crosses: + +[Illustration: PASHA V--A True Breeder.] + +The first cross, or half-blood Angora, will have a covering of short +coarse common hair and a thin covering of mohair, which does not grow +very long. If the animal were to be shorn, possibly a half pound of hair +of a very inferior grade might be yielded. If this hair were to be +offered to a manufacturer, he would class it as noil, and refer it to a +carpet manufacturer, who would possibly pay ten or twelve cents a pound +for it. The skin of the animal will be a little fluffy, and not suitable +for fine goat skin trade. It will not take a good polish after tanning, +and it is not desirable for shoe leather. It will be worth about half as +much as common goat skin. The meat of the animal will be a little better +than that of the common goat, but it will be inferior to Angora venison. +The animal will still be as prolific as the common goat. Twins and +triplets will be a common occurrence. The kids will also be hardy. If +one were to stop at this stage in breeding, he would have decreased the +value of the skin of his goat without increasing the value of the +animal. + +The second cross, or the three-quarter blood Angora, will have a +covering of short coarse common hair, especially noticeable on the back, +belly, neck and hips. The mohair will now be fairly thickly set upon the +sides of the animal, and of medium length, about seven inches long for a +year's growth. If the animal were to be examined by a novice, he would +be called an Angora from his general appearance. If shorn, he will yield +about one, or one and a half pounds of hair, and the mohair manufacturer +will pay about twelve or fifteen cents a pound for the material. The +skin is valueless for rug, robe or trimming purposes, because of the +coarse back and the scanty covering of mohair. It is fit for glove +leather after tanning, but its value for this purpose is less than that +of the common goat. The meat is more like Angora venison, and can be +sold on the market as mutton. The animal is still prolific. From the +second cross on, the grade goat rapidly assumes the characteristic of +the Angora goat, but if for any reason poor bucks are used (an +occasional animal without apparent reason retrogrades), the animal as +rapidly resumes the characteristic of the common goat. Quite a +percentage of colored kids will be dropped by does which are themselves +white. + +The third cross, or seven-eighths blood Angora, will still have the +coarse back, a partially bare belly, coarse hips, and the neck will be +insufficiently covered. The sides will be covered with good quality, +long staple mohair, comparatively free from the coarse, dead underhair, +or kemp. The animal will shear about two or three pounds of fair mohair, +which will be worth from twenty to thirty cents a pound. This mohair +will be fit to run through the combs, and the "top," or long mohair, +free from kemp, will be used in the manufacture of plushes, braids, etc. +The skin will have some value for rug, robe and trimming purposes. The +meat will be juicy, palatable and salable as mutton. + +The fourth cross, or fifteen-sixteenths blood Angora, will be hardly +distinguishable from the average thoroughbred Angora. The coarse back +will persist to some extent, and the hip will be plentifully covered +with kemp. A good many of this grade will be poorly covered on the +belly, and an occasional bare necked or off colored animal will be +dropped. The animal will shear from two and a half to five pounds of +mohair of good quality, which will be worth from twenty-five to +thirty-five cents a pound. It will be from eight to twelve inches long +at a year's growth, and it will be combed at the mill. It is fit for +manufacturing into any of the goods for which mohair is used. The meat +of the animal is rich, juicy, and free from the disagreeable qualities +so often noticeable in mutton. If the animal be fed upon browse, the +meat will have the flavor of venison. The tendency of the mothers to +drop twins will be lessened, and it will be rather the exception for +twins to be born. The kids will be rather delicate when dropped. + +Subsequent crosses will tend to reduce the amount of kemp upon the +animal and to improve the back. The question will now resolve itself +into one of breeding for points. Bucks must be selected which cover the +points the does need most, and by careful selection the grade flock will +soon be indistinguishable from the thoroughbreds. + + +METHODS USED IN AMERICA TO-DAY. + +By gradual steps the original Angoras imported into America have been so +improved, and the cross-bloods have been so highly graded that some of +the American flocks equal the best Turkish flocks. America has many +high-grade flocks, which, if it were not for the remaining coarse hair +of the common goat, would be upon a par with the Turkish flocks. There +are enough good goats in the country for a foundation stock, and a few +years more of the careful, painstaking, selective breeding which is in +progress throughout the United States to-day, will bring forth an Angora +superior to the Turkish stock. Sections of the country modify the +characteristics of the Angora. Probably climatic conditions, varieties +of food and water, and certainly mental vigor of the owners is largely +responsible for this. One man selects large, well formed, rapidly +maturing goats and breeds for this type. It is surprising how soon his +flocks assume this type. Another breeder works for fineness of fleece, +regardless of size or shape of the animal, and he gets his points. + +There has been much vagueness as to what points the breeder should try +to produce. Some have claimed that the most profitable animal to raise +was one producing heavy ringletty fleece, regardless of the quality of +the fleece, except of course that it should be as free from kemp as +possible. This day has passed. We know what the mohair is used for, and +know how it is prepared for manufacturing. The future may change these +uses or methods, but we know what we want now, and we know how to breed +our goats to produce the most money per head for the present at least. +Fashions vary, and the fashions vary the demand for certain grades of +mohair. Coarse fibered, long staple, fine luster mohair possessing a +great amount of tensile strength and elasticity will make good braid +yarns, but if braid yarns are not in demand, such fiber is not the best +for plush or dress yarns. Fine fibered, long staple, pliable, lustrous, +easily spun yarn can be used for braid stuff, or at least part of the +fleece will be heavy enough for this purpose, and the finer parts have +such a variety of uses that they spin yarns which are always in demand. +Looking at the question from the manufacturing standpoint, we see that +the most staple product is the fine-fibered mohair. But a producer might +have animals which would shear two and a half pounds average (the +average of the Turkish flocks) of very fine mohair, while another grower +might have animals which would shear four or five pounds average of +coarse mohair. And even though the value per pound of the coarse mohair +may be considerably less than that of the fine mohair, the grower owning +the coarse haired heavy shearing Angoras will realize more money per +head for his clip. The value also of the carcass and skin of the Angora +is of importance. A heavy carcass and a large skin are of more value +than a light carcass and a small skin. + +If the Angora breeder would produce the animal which will yield the most +money per head, he should aim to produce an animal which will shear the +heaviest fleece of the most marketable mohair, regardless of fashions, +and one which, when put upon the market, will dress the most possible +pounds of desirable meat, and yield a readily marketable skin. There are +not many such animals on the market to-day, but the time when there will +be plenty is coming. We have the fineness of fiber; we have the density +of weight of fleece; we have the covering of the animal and the size and +stamina of the individual, and we have breeders who are endeavoring to +unite combinations to produce the Angora of the future. But while we are +without the ideal, one should choose that point which is hardest to +attain, most necessary for the best paying animal, and work especially +for that. That point is fineness of fiber, always remembering freeness +from kemp. There are many large goats, many heavy shearing goats, but +there are very few fine fibered comparatively free from kemp goats. One +should not make the mistake of neglecting size and weight of fleece. +There are few animals which will respond more rapidly to careful +crossing than the Angora goat. A buck will usually stamp his +individuality upon every kid, hence the necessity of carefully selecting +breeding stock. + + +GESTATION. + +The period of gestation varies slightly with the individual, but the +average may be approximately stated as one hundred and forty-seven days, +or about five months. Both the bucks and the does have a breeding +season, but this season may be changed or varied by different elements. +As a rule the bucks commence to rut about July or August here in +America, and the does soon after the time the bucks commence. Some bucks +which have been allowed to run with the does all of the time, never +cease rutting, and the does conceive about every six months. The does +come in heat about every fourteen days, and remain in this condition for +about three days. If the bucks are allowed to run with the does, one +buck should be used for about every fifty does. If the buck is only +allowed to serve the doe once, a grown animal will serve one hundred and +fifty does in forty days without permanent injury to himself. The does +conceive at about the age of seven months, and the bucks breed at about +the same age, but the wise breeder will not sacrifice the individual by +interfering with its development. Both the buck and the doe should not +be bred until they are at least a year old. The bucks should be fed at +breeding season, and if one has a sufficient number of bucks, it is well +to turn the bucks with the does in relays. It is advisable to have the +kids start coming slowly, so that one may get new men trained to handle +them properly. One or two bucks turned with a flock of a thousand does +for a few days, and then removed and allowed to rest, and a new relay of +three or more bucks turned with the does, to be removed in a few days, +and a new relay being introduced into the flock, will do more +satisfactory work than they would if all of the bucks were turned in at +one time. The same principle can be applied to smaller flocks. The does +should be protected from cold storms or rough handling when they are +heavy with kid, else they are liable to abort. If for any unusual cause +the doe aborts one season, there is no reason why she will not carry her +kid until full term another time, and experience has proven that she +will. + +[Illustration: PASHA V AND BISMARCK. + +American bred bucks, Bismarck shearing 12 pounds, was the sire of the +grand champion buck at the St. Louis World's Fair, 1904.] + + +BREEDING OF REGISTERED STOCK. + +The breeding of registered stock, or stock of known ancestry, requires +much care and quite different handling. Both the does and the bucks must +be marked with an ear tag, brand, tattoo number, or some other permanent +individual mark, and the kids should be marked at birth. Fifty known +does may be put in a pasture or pen and a known buck put with them. He +should be allowed to run with them at least forty days. After this the +does may be collected into a flock and several bucks turned with them, +but only the kids which are dropped from a known buck are fit for +record. + +A more accurate method, and one which can be used with a large flock, is +to place the bucks in a corral adjoining the one used by the does at +night. The does should be brought into their corral early in the +evening, and all of those in heat will work along the fence next to the +bucks. The doe in heat can be caught and the number taken and recorded +in a book. She is then placed in a small pen with a buck and his number +is recorded with hers, together with the date. If the doe does not +conceive, she can be put with the same buck again at a later date, and +one has approximate knowledge of when she should drop her kid. In this +manner a buck will serve about two or three does in the evening, and one +or two in the morning. The kid is marked at birth and the number +recorded after that of the mother. The breeding of recorded stock is of +value only for special reasons, and is not advisable with large flocks, +as it is expensive. + +[Illustration] + + + + +ANGORA VENISON. + + +Angora venison is the name which should be given to the flesh of the +Angora goat. At the present time it is usually sold in the markets as +mutton. The term goat meat should be applied to meat of the common goat, +and the term mutton belongs to sheep. Because the Angora goat feeds +largely upon that material which nourishes the deer, the meat of the +Angora is flavored like venison. The fat is well distributed, and the +healthfulness of the animal renders this an especially desirable meat. +The Turk has long recognized Angora venison as an important element in +his diet. Angora kid is above comparison, and it occupies the principle +place on the menu at private as well as state affairs in the Orient. As +one passes through the market places in Asia Minor he sees the carcasses +of the Angora hanging in every shop. There is no mistaking the animal, +as the skin still remains on the goat. One takes his choice, and as a +rule more Angora venison than mutton is sold. Some of the Turks keep +their wethers until they become coarse-haired and too old to pay to keep +longer, eight or ten years old. This class of meat ranks with old +mutton, and sells at a discount. Young wethers and does are in good +demand. There has existed in America some prejudice against the flesh of +the goat. To-day thousands of goats are being consumed annually, but +most of them are sold as mutton. Packers and butchers still insist that +Angora venison must be sold as mutton. They pay about one-half a cent to +a cent a pound less for the goat than for sheep. + +The goat never fattens as well along the back as the sheep, and hence +the carcass does not look so well. The fat is more evenly distributed +throughout the animal in the goat. An expert once said that to know +whether a goat was fat one should feel the brisket, and if there was a +considerable layer of adipose tissue between the skin and the breast +bone, the animal was fat. + +Some of the American breeders do not send their wethers to market until +they get too old to produce valuable fleeces. The animals are then +slaughtered when they have grown a half year's fleece, and the skins are +reserved by the breeder. These skins are valuable, and help to bring up +the average price of the goat. + +At present some of the packers recognize no difference between shorn and +unshorn goats. The price is the same, so it pays to shear the goats +before bringing them to market. There is absolutely no strong flavor in +prime Angora venison, and this is where the meat differs from that of +the common goat. + +The goat is a slow grower, and not until the second year do the bones +ossify. Therefore, a two-year-old can be sold for lamb, as he has a +"soft joint." Grown Angora wethers do not average much more than one +hundred pounds as a rule, although there are occasional bands sold which +average one hundred and fifteen pounds. + +It is safe to say that Angora venison will never supplant mutton, but it +will have its place among the edible meats. + +[Illustration: ANGORA BUCK--Early Importation.] + + + + +ANGORA GOAT SKINS. + + +An Angora goat skin differs considerably from the skin of the common +goat. In the first place the Angora skin is covered with more or less +mohair; and in the second place, the texture of the skin itself is +different. The skin of the common goat is firm, and the different layers +are so closely united that they cannot be separated. The layers of the +Angora skin are not so closely united, and the skin is slightly fluffy. +The outer layer of this skin peels off when it is used. The Angora skin +is valuable both with the fleece on and without it. Its principle value, +however, is with the fleece on. After the skins have been properly +tanned, they are used for rugs, robes, trimmings, and imitating various +furs. When ladies' and children's Angora furs are in style, these skins +become very valuable for this purpose. One skin has cut $17.00 worth of +trimming at wholesale. Of course, the value of the skins depends upon +the quality and character of the mohair with which the skins are +covered, and their size. Large, well covered skins are always scarce and +command good prices. They are worth from $1.00 to $2.00 each. Most of +the Asia Minor skins are sent to Austria, and the prices paid for the +raw skins are about the same as in America. The skins which have had the +mohair removed are valuable for the manufacture of gloves and morocco +leather. They do not make as fine leather as the common goat skins, but +they are as extensively used. All skins should be carefully handled. + +The skin should be carefully removed from the carcass. Goats do not skin +as easily as sheep, and the careless operator is liable to cut the inner +layers of the skin if he is not careful. These cuts are called +"flesh-cuts," and skins badly "flesh-cut" are comparatively valueless, +because "flesh-cuts" can not be removed by the tanner. A sharp knife +should be used, and the operator should avoid cutting the skin. + +The skin should be well salted, care being taken to see that the salt +penetrates every portion of the raw surface. The skins can be cured in +the shade without the use of salt, but sun-dried skins are worthless. If +the edges of the skin are allowed to roll, so that raw surfaces come +together, the part so affected will heat and the hair pull out. It is +not necessary to stretch the skins while curing them. + +Goats should be killed when their fleece is suitable for robe and rug +purposes. Those carrying a six month's fleece, if it is six inches long, +have about the right kind of skins. There are some Angora skins imported +from Turkey and South Africa. + +[Illustration: Prize winners at the Columbian Exposition, Chicago, +1893.] + + + + +BY-PRODUCTS OF ANGORA GOATS. + + +The Angora goat should not be classed with milch animals. As a rule the +does give a sufficient amount of milk to nourish the kid or kids. The +more common blood there is in the goat the better milch animal she is. +However, some Angoras have been milked, and the milk is as rich as that +of the common goat. A quart of milk a day may be considered a fair +average for a fresh milch Angora doe. It has been suggested that because +the milk of the goat contains a heavy percentage of fat, it is a proper +substitute for mothers' milk for babies. This is probably a mistake, as +that part of the milk which is the hardest for the baby to digest is the +protein, and it will be observed that in the following table of analysis +submitted, the percentage of protein in goat's milk and in cow's milk is +about the same, and that it is considerably larger than in mother's +milk. A very desirable feature in goat's milk is that the fat is +distributed throughout the milk, and that it does not readily separate +from the milk. This would assist in the assimilation of the fat by an +infant. Some experiments made with coffee demonstrate that it requires +half the quantity of goat's milk to produce the same effect upon this +beverage which cow's milk produces. This may be partially explained by +the quantity of fat in goat's milk, and partially by the fact that the +fat does not readily separate from the milk. The bottom of the can is as +good as the top. + + +ANALYSIS OF MILK. + + MOTHER'S COW'S GOAT'S + AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE + + Fat 4.00 3.50 7.30 + Sugar 7.00 4.30 4.10 + Proteid 1.50 4.00 4.18 + Salts .20 .70 1.21 + Water 87.30 87.50 83.21 + ------ ------ ------ + 100.00 100.00 100.00 + +Persons in poor health have been greatly benefitted by the use of goat's +milk. This is probably due to the fact that the fat in the milk is so +distributed that a large percentage of it is taken up by the digestive +apparatus. Angora goats are docile, and it is possible that some of them +could be developed into good milch animals. + + +FERTILIZER. + +It is a known fact that packers of the present day utilize all of the +carcass of most food animals, but it is not the fertilizer which the +packer makes from the blood and offal of the goat which we shall +consider here. + +Sheep's manure has been used for years on orchards and vegetable +gardens, and in the last few years goats' manure has been in demand, +selling at from $6 to $7.50 a ton, depending upon the purity of the +fertilizer. It must be remembered that only a small portion of this +manure is dropped at the night bed-ground, the balance is evenly +distributed over the land upon which the goats are feeding. The goats +not only rid the farm of objectionable weeds and brush, but they help to +furnish a rich soil in which grass will grow. This fact has been so +thoroughly demonstrated that western farmers, who have large tracts of +wheat or barley stubble to rent during the summer, are always anxious to +get goats upon this land. + + +OTHER PRODUCTS. + +The horns of the goats are used to make handles for pocket knives, etc. +The hoofs are used in the manufacture of glue. + +[Illustration] + + + + +FOOD, CLIMATE AND PROTECTION. + + +On the mountains and in the valleys of the United States the Angora has +had a variety of food. He is a natural browser, and will live almost +entirely on brush, if this kind of food is to be found, but he readily +adapts himself to circumstances, and will live and do well upon an +exclusively grass diet. The fact that the goat is a browser has been +made use of in clearing farms of brush and objectional weeds. If a +sufficient number of goats are confined upon a limited area for a period +of time, they will kill most of the brush upon this land. They will eat +almost every kind of brush, but they have their preferences and enjoy +especially blackberry vines and those kinds of brush which contain +tannic acid, such as scrub oak. They do not poison easily, and if there +is a variety of food they rarely eat enough of any kind of poisonous +plant to prove fatal. If, however, they are hungry, and have access to +places where there are poisonous plants, they will eat enough to kill +themselves. + + +KILLING BRUSH. + +If one wishes to clear brush land, he should confine the goats to a +comparatively small tract. The goats kill the shrubs by eating the +leaves and by peeling the bark from the branches and trunks of the +trees. The brush thus deprived of lungs, soon dies and the roots rot. As +fast as the leaves grow they must be consumed, so it is well to allow +the goats to eat most of the leaves off of a limited tract, and then in +order to give the goats plenty of feed, they should be moved to another +field. As soon as the leaves on the first tract have regrown the goats +should be again confined to this land. In this way the leaves are +continually destroyed. This process can be continued as fast as the +leaves regrow. By this method it is estimated that a bunch of one +hundred to one hundred and fifty goats will clear forty acres of thick +brush in about two years. In countries where the grass grows as the +brush dies, goats will eat some of this grass, but they prefer the +browse. + +On some of the older goat ranches, where the Angora has been raised +exclusively for the mohair and mutton, it has become quite a problem to +prevent the goats from killing out the brush. The goats have done well +where other kinds of livestock would have starved, but as soon as the +brush is killed the land produces almost nothing, and even the goats +cannot make a living. To prevent as far as possible their killing the +brush the flocks are moved frequently from one range to another, so that +the shrubs have a chance to recuperate between visits. In this way +brush can be kept almost indefinitely for the goats. On some of the +western ranges, where cattle and sheep have, by continual cropping, +killed much of the grass, good browse remains. These ranges would have +to be abandoned if it were not for the goat. Goats do not in any way +interfere with the pasturage of cattle or other livestock. Cattle feed +contentedly on the same range with the goats, and this fact has led many +southern cattle men to invest in goats. The goats are herded on the +brushy lands, and the cattle range over the same territory and eat the +grass. Horses have a great fondness for goats. + + +SALT. + +Goats, like other livestock, should have a small amount of salt. The +salt should be kept where they can get it at liberty, or else it should +be fed at regular intervals. If ground salt is given, care should be +taken to see that individuals do not eat an oversupply of the salt. + + +WATER. + +While Angoras do not require as much water as sheep, yet they should be +given a quantity sufficient at least once a day. In winter goats will +live upon snow. Men have reported that their goats have gone for a week +at a time, and all summer long, without any more moisture than they +could get from browse and weeds, but even if Angoras should stand this +treatment, they will thrive better with water once daily. It is +estimated that under normal conditions a goat will consume about +one-ninetieth of its body weight (about a pint of water for a grown +animal) in a day. On hot days, when the animals are on dry feed, they +will frequently drink two quarts of water. + + +SHEDS. + +To raise Angora goats most profitably one should really be provided with +sheds. These sheds should be about the same as those which are provided +for sheep in the same locality. For years southern and western breeders +have made a success of the Angora industry, and very few of them have +had any artificial protection for their goats. But even these breeders +find that they can raise a larger percentage of increase, and get +through the year with a smaller percentage of loss if they have sheds. +Grown goats rarely need much shelter, even in the winter, if the weather +is dry, but during cold, damp storms the fleece wets through and the +animal chills. Just after shearing, or just before kidding season, one +is liable to lose some grown animals, or to have many kids slunk, if the +goats are not protected from cold storms. Young kids also require +attention, and proper sheds more than pay for themselves by preventing +excessive mortality. Whether the shed should be closed on all sides, or +whether it may be left open, depends upon the locality. Do as one would +for sheep, under the same conditions, will be a fairly safe rule to +follow. Allow at least four or five square feet of shed room to each +mature animal, and the danger of the goats crowding together in the +corners and smothering the animals on the underside of the pile, should +never be forgotten. On very cold nights large numbers, especially of the +kids, may be killed by smothering, if they are not carefully watched. + + +FENCES. + +The question of fencing for the Angora goat is not such a serious matter +as the beginner would imagine. If the goats have not been raised as pets +and taught to jump, there will be little trouble with the animals going +over a perpendicular fence of ordinary height. They will, however, go +through or under the fence, if it is possible. They are natural +climbers, and if the fence offers projecting steps, upon which they can +climb, they will soon find their way to the outside of the enclosure. +Some of the old stone and rail fences will not hold goats. Any +perpendicular fence, three feet high, with transverse spaces not wider +than three or four inches for the lower two feet, and not wider than six +inches for the upper foot, will hold goats. If the spaces in the fence +are perpendicular, they will necessarily have to be narrower, as small +kids will crawl through the spaces. A woven-wire fence, two feet high, +with a perpendicular stay, at least twelve inches apart, so that the +goats will not get their heads caught in the fence, surmounted by a +couple of plain or barbed wires, six inches apart, will hold goats, and +if barbed wire is used, will prevent cattle from breaking the fence. If +plain or barbed wire is used, the first three wires nearest the ground +should be placed not more than three inches apart, and close enough to +the ground to prevent kids from crawling under the lowest wire. The +space between the next wires may be increased to four, five and six +inches, and so on to the desired height of the fence. A board fence +composed of three boards four inches wide, with a space between the +ground and the first board of about three inches, and a three or four +inch space between the boards, the whole being surmounted by a barbed or +plain wire or two makes a very satisfactory goat fence. If pickets or +posts are used, they should be set closely enough together, say about +two inches apart, to prevent small kids from crawling between them. An +objection has been raised to barbed wire, on account of the mohair which +the barbs pull out. The amount of mohair lost in this way is +inconsiderable. As has been stated, it hurts the goat to pull the +mohair, and the goat soon learns to avoid the barbs. Many breeders use +barbed wire corrals and find them satisfactory. Probably woven wire is +the best fence under ordinary conditions. + + +HERDING. + +In mountainous countries, where it is not practical to fence the range, +the flocks should be watched by herders. The Angora has a natural +tendency to return home, or to a known camping ground at night, and in +some places this tendency is relied upon to bring the flock home, and +they are not herded. Of course, in countries where there is no danger +from loss by depredations of wild animals, and where food is so +plentiful that the goats must find a sufficient amount, the flock may be +turned loose. + +One shepherd should tend from one to two thousand head, as goats flock +together well. Of course, during kidding season the flocks will have to +be more closely watched. Goats travel rapidly and cover a considerable +amount of territory in a day. A flock may travel from ten to twelve +miles from the time they leave camp in the morning until they return to +camp in the evening. The herder should walk ahead of the leaders of the +flock, so that they will not travel too fast, or he may walk upon a +nearby elevation, so that he can see that the flock does not separate. A +flock will sometimes string out over a mile. The goats should be given +freedom. Too often a zealous herder overworks himself and keeps his +flock poor by crowding them together. A good sheep herder soon learns +the nature of the goat, and when he understands the animal he would +rather herd goats than sheep. + +[Illustration: Prize winners at the St. Louis World's Fair, 1904.] + + +DOGS. + +In some sections of the country sheep-killing dogs have proven a great +nuisance to sheep-breeders. To say that the Angora goat will prevent +dogs from killing sheep, and that they will drive the dogs away, would +be a misstatement. Bucks and grown goats will protect themselves to some +extent. If a strange dog attacks a flock in a field, the goats will +usually huddle together and the bucks and grown animals will keep the +dog at bay. A mother will fight bravely to protect her kid. + +[Illustration] + + + + +KIDDING ANGORAS. + + +An experience of years has taught the Turk that if he wishes to save +many kids, he must have them come late in the season. The changeable +weather of the Turkish spring, the frequent cold rains and the lack of +proper shed accommodations, have more than once not only destroyed the +increase, but also killed the grown goats. The Turkish methods of +handling kids are of little practical value. They know how delicate the +kids are when they are born, and they usually bring the kid and its +mother to the house as soon as it is dropped. + +The Turkish Angora goat men usually range small flocks, and they also +have a surplus of help, so that this is a comparatively easy method. The +kids are allowed to go with the flocks as soon as they are old enough to +travel. The principal objection to letting young kids go with the flock +is that the kids go to sleep, and sleep so soundly that the flock feed +away from them. When the youngsters awake they are lost. If there be +wild animals about, the kids may be killed, or they may starve before +they are found. The Turk, however, has so many herders with one flock +that they usually discover the kids before the flock has strayed. + +In America the kidding season is the most important time of the year for +the Angora breeder. If he would raise a large increase, he must be +properly prepared, and he must be constantly alert. If the weather be +fair, with bright sunshiny days and temperate nights, the kids will do +well without much care, but if it be cold, stormy and muddy, some of the +kids will be lost in spite of all care. After the kids are born the +mothers should have such food as will produce the greatest amount of +milk. Well-fed mothers make strong healthy kids. Green feed is +desirable. + +The proper season, then, for the kids to come will depend upon the +climate and range conditions. Allowing for the period of gestation, +which is about five months, the bucks can run with the does as early or +as late as one wishes. One can be guided somewhat by the time sheep men +allow ewes to lamb. When the first warm weather comes the goats usually +commence to shed their mohair, and as it is too early in the season for +the kids to be dropped, the does must be shorn before kidding or the +mohair lost. Care should be exercised in handling the does heavy with +kid. For the first few days after shearing the doe should not be allowed +to chill, as she may abort. In some countries it is possible to kid +before shearing, but there is no practical objection to shearing before +kidding, provided proper care be exercised. + + +HANDLING OF KIDS. + +There are various methods in use of handling the young kids, and all of +them are intended to save as large a percentage of increase as possible +with the least possible expense. Almost every man who has handled goats +has some individual idea which experience has taught him. The locality +and surroundings of the flock make a vast difference in the way they +should be kidded. The method which works best with fifty or one hundred +does in a fenced brush pasture in Oregon or Iowa, would be useless with +a flock of a thousand or fifteen hundred in the mountains of Nevada or +New Mexico, where there is often no corral to hold the goats. + +With a bunch of from fifty, to two hundred and fifty, and a shed big +enough to hold the entire lot, it is not difficult to raise a very large +percentage of kids. If the does are kept in a ten or twenty-acre +pasture, they should be allowed to run out and take care of themselves +as much as possible. The doe may drop her kid wherever she may happen to +be, and she will almost invariably take care of it and coax it to the +shed at night. The refusal of a young doe to own her kid must be +overcome, especially if the weather is unfavorable. The mother must be +caught and the milk forced into the kid's mouth until he learns to +suckle. After he has been sufficiently fed, place them together in a box +stall and leave them for a day or two. Then, in all probability, the +mother will take care of her kid. + +The box stall is about three feet square and three feet high, with a +little door on hinges to save lifting the animal. A row along the inside +of the shed next to the wall is a great convenience. A doe with her kid +should be disturbed as little as possible, because, as a rule, she knows +how to care for her kid better than a herder. + +When goats are handled on a larger scale, with no pasture available, +entirely different methods should be adopted--for the mother must go out +to feed every day and the kid cannot go. + +Probably the most extensively used methods are the "corral method" and +the "staking method," either used individually or combined. + + +THE CORRAL METHOD. + +In the corral method, two or three large corrals and numerous smaller +ones are necessary. First, the does should be separated from the +wethers, if they have been running together, and a "wether band" made. +Then every morning the "doe band" must be looked over carefully for does +that will kid during the day. Such does must be put in a corral by +themselves and allowed to kid in this corral. They should be fed some +hay, or if that is not possible, they should be herded near by for a few +hours. It has been our experience that most of the kids will come +between the hours of ten in the morning and four in the afternoon. The +more does which one can pick out in the morning the better it is, for +the doe, after dropping her kid, is allowed to stay with it the rest of +the day and all night. In this way she learns to know it. If one has hay +to feed the doe, so that she may be left with her kid for one or two +days, it is a great advantage. + +After all the does have been selected which can be found, still some +will be overlooked, and they will go out on the range with the rest. The +best way to handle these is to have the herder make a straight drive to +a certain point where the feed is good, and then stay around this one +place, allowing the kids to come within as small a radius as possible +without starving the goats. If it is necessary, quite a distance can be +covered in this way, and yet the kids will not be scattered over a large +section of the country. + +As a kid is dropped, the doe should be allowed to remain with her kid +and take care of it until evening. The herd will gradually feed from +them, but it should be kept as near as possible to protect the kids from +wild animals. Towards evening one must go out and gather up the kids and +drive the mothers to the corral. The large herd should be driven home +in advance, keeping a little apart from the does with kids so as not to +coax the "wet does" away with the "dry herd." + +When the wagon with the kids reaches the ranch, the kids should be put +in a small corral. They should be placed a few feet apart, and the +mothers should be allowed to select their own kids. They also should be +allowed to remain in the corral for the night at least. In case a doe +will not take her kid she should be placed in one of the box stalls and +a kid which has no mother placed with her and fed. + +When plenty of small corrals and good hay are available, each day's kids +should be left in a separate corral until the mothers have been with the +kids one or two days. It will be found that the kids are always given a +very good start in this way. When it is deemed advisable, the kids are +put together in a large corral, and as soon as the mothers in the +smaller corrals are thought to know their kids sufficiently well, they +are added to this wet band in the large corral. Thus the round is +completed from the dry band to the wet band, the small corral being +simply an intermediate step to insure familiarity between the doe and +her kid. The dry band rapidly diminishes while the wet band increases. + +The mothers are now ready to go on the range during the day to feed, but +the kids should be kept in the corral until they are at least six weeks +old. The does may be turned out over a "jump board" placed across the +gate. A jump board is a two-inch plank, eighteen inches high, with a +four-inch strip nailed on the top for the does to put their feet on as +they jump over. The kids come to the board but cannot get over. If some +of the larger kids bother by trying to get over, some one can stand at +the gate to scare them back by pounding on the board with a stick. The +does will soon learn to pay no attention to the noise. + +[Illustration: THOROUGHBRED ANGORA DOE.] + +Even now there will be a few kids which will not be mothered. Every +morning, before the wet band is allowed to go over the jump board, one +should walk through the herd, pick out the kids that have not been +nourished during the night, and select does that are not suckling kids. +These does should be held until the kids have been fed. A row of small +stantions is a convenient thing for holding them. After a kid gets a +good start he will steal a living from different does if necessary. + +To kid a band of from one thousand to fifteen hundred does by the corral +method, will require at least three men--one man to herd the dry band, +one the wet band, and a man to look after the kids and assist where +needed. Often the wet band is divided, or when one wet band has reached +the number of from five hundred to seven hundred animals, another is +started. + + +THE STAKING METHOD. + +The staking method is quite commonly used, and in certain localities it +is probably the best way to handle kids. The apparatus necessary is a +smooth piece of half-inch board, two inches wide and four inches long, +with a hole bored in each end. Through the hole in one end a piece of +rope eight inches long is passed, and knotted so that it cannot pull +out. The loose end of this rope is then made fast to a stout stake which +is to be driven into the ground. Through the hole in the other end a +piece of rope eighteen inches long is passed and knotted as in the first +end, in such a way that the loose end of the rope, which is to be +fastened to the kid's leg, draws away from the stake. When the apparatus +is in use the small stick with the holes in the ends acts as a swivel to +keep the rope from tangling. + +It is important to select a proper place to tie the kid. He is to stay +in this place for about six weeks, and he needs protection from winds +and wild animals, and should have some sunshine and some shade. Usually +a small tree, a bush, a fence, or a post will offer a good place to +stake. The does which are expected to kid during the day are separated +from the flock as in the corral method. The balance of the band are +herded, so that the kids dropped on the range can be more easily +handled. Just as soon as a kid is dropped, it is taken to a convenient +place to stake, and the mother coaxed to follow. One of the kid's legs +is securely fastened to the loose end of the rope, and the kid and its +mother are left together. The mother is thus free to go and feed, and on +returning will know exactly where to find her kid. + +Many owners allow the does which have kidded to herd themselves, as they +usually return to their kids, often coming in several times during the +day. Of course this necessitates having plenty of food and water within +access of the staking ground. The wet band could be herded as in the +corral method. + +In this staking method if a mother refuses to own her kid, or if she +dies, the kid has no chance to steal milk from some other wet doe, and +unless closely watched, quite a number of kids will starve. The rope +should be changed from one leg to the other occasionally to allow +symmetry of development. The preparation of ropes and stakes for a +thousand kids is quite a task, and it keeps the energetic herder busy +during his spare moments getting ready for kidding time. + +For the first few days the Angora kid is full of life and vigor as any +animal of like age. If he be well nourished, he will frisk and play at +all kinds of antics, until he is so tired that he must forget +everything. The sleep which comes is so sound that any usual amount of +noise does not disturb him. It is this characteristic which makes it +unsafe to take kids on to the range with a flock. The kids are liable to +hide behind some bush, go to sleep and be lost. + + +CASTRATING. + +Before the kids are allowed to go out with the flock the males should be +castrated. The Turk does not alter the males until they have developed +sexuality and the male horn, _i. e._, the heavy characteristic buck +horn. He then castrates by either removing the testicles, or by twisting +or destroying the spermatic cord. When the latter method is used the +testicles and cord undergo an inflammatory process which destroys the +regenerative power of the animal. The testicles remain in the scrotum +apparently unchanged. The animal thus treated presents to the casual +observer the physical characteristics of a buck. The Turk claims that an +animal treated in this manner is less liable to die than one whose +testicles are removed. This is probably true, as the initial lesion +produced by the operation is very small, and there is less liability of +infection. + +The usual method employed in this country is to remove the testicles +before the regenerative power of the animal is developed. This gives the +wether a feminine appearance, and there is comparatively little danger +of death if the operation is properly performed. It will be easiest to +castrate the kids between the age of two and four weeks. The kids +should be driven into a small clean corral, and after undergoing the +operation they should be turned into a large clean enclosure. + +The operator stands on the outside of the small corral, and the +assistant catches the kids and turns them belly up before the operator, +onto a board which has been fastened to the fence. A pair of clean +scissors, or a sharp knife, which may be kept in a five per cent. +carbolic acid solution when not in use, serve to cut off the distal end +of the scrotum. The testicles are then seized with the fingers and drawn +out. The operator drops the castrated kid into the large enclosure and +the assistant presents another kid. Two men can operate on sixty kids an +hour. The testicles are slippery and some herders prefer to use the +teeth instead of the fingers to extract the testicles. Under no +circumstances should any unclean thing be put into the scrotum. Death +usually results from infection, and infection from uncleanliness. A +little boracic acid might be sprinkled over the cut surface as an +additional precaution, but this is unnecessary if ordinary cleanliness +is observed. If after a few days the kid's scrotum swells, and does not +discharge, the scrotum should be opened with a clean instrument. Less +than one-half of one per cent. of the kids will die from this +operation. + + +RIDGLINGS. + +While castrating the kids the operator will discover that some of the +kids have but one descended testicle. When these animals are found the +descended testicle should be removed, and they should be recognized by +some distinctive ear mark or brand. These animals will develop like +bucks. It is a disputed question as to whether they are able to exercise +regenerative power, but they will cover the does, and in some cases they +probably get kids. The undescended testicle can be removed, but as the +testicle usually lies close to the kidney, and is hard to distinguish +from that organ in the young animal, it is best to delay the operation +until the ridgling is at least six months old. The instruments necessary +for this operation are a stout rope to suspend the animal, a clean sharp +knife, scissors to remove the mohair from the place to be incised, and +sharp needles threaded with silk. The knife, scissors and silk should be +immersed in a hot 5% carbolic acid solution, and they should be kept in +this solution except when actually in use. + +The rope is fastened to the hind legs of the animal and he is suspended +in midair. An assistant steadies the body of the goat. The operator +selects a place on the loin of the goat, about two or three inches away +from the backbone, below the ribs and above the hip bone, on the side +opposite to that which the descended testicle occupied. He then shears +the mohair from this part of the goat. The mohair should be removed +from a space at least eight inches square. A lengthwise incision is then +made through the skin and muscles, or after the skin is cut, the muscles +can be separated with the fingers and the testicle is found. It usually +lies close to the backbone, to the lower and inner side of the kidney. +It is usually undeveloped and much smaller than the kidney. Its surface +is smooth and not indented like the kidney. When it is discovered it can +be withdrawn through the opening, and adherent tissue clipped with the +scissors. The muscles and skin should be brought together with the silk +thread. The needles should pierce the muscles as well as the skin, and +the edges of the skin should approximate. No hair should be allowed to +remain between the cut surfaces, as the wound will not heal rapidly. +After the wound is closed some boracic acid powder may be dusted over +the wound, and the goat allowed his freedom. After ten days or two weeks +the silk threads should be cut and drawn out, as they will not absorb, +and they will irritate the wound. If this operation is carefully +performed, and strict cleanliness adhered to, less than 2% of the +animals operated upon will die. + + +GROWTH. + +A kid at birth is usually small and weak, possibly weighing from four to +six pounds. For the first few days of life he grows slowly, but as the +organs adapt themselves to the new life, the kid becomes strong and +grows rapidly. When the kid is born he is covered with a coarse hair, +and it is not until he is from three to five weeks old that the fine +mohair fibers appear growing between the coarser hairs. The kid +continues to grow gradually, and at three or four months he weighs from +twenty to forty pounds. The mohair may now be from two to four inches +long. At a year old the Angora goat will weigh from fifty to eighty +pounds, and the mohair may be as long as twelve inches, or sometimes +longer. + + +WEANING. + +When does are bred once a year the kid should be weaned before the doe +is rebred. This allows the doe time to recuperate before her maternal +powers are again brought into active service. Then, too, a doe nursing a +kid through the winter, enters the spring with a depleted system and +produces a poor quality and small quantity of mohair. The kids should be +weaned when they are about five months old, as this allows the mother at +least two months rest before she is rebred. + + +MARKING. + +There are various reasons for marking goats, and the methods employed +vary as widely as the reasons therefor. The object in view is to put +some mark of identification either permanent or temporary upon the +animal. The ears may be cropped in certain ways, a brand may be placed +upon the nose, or tags or buttons placed in the ears, or characters +tattooed into the ears. Probably the most permanent mark is the tattoo, +and if it be placed on the inner hairless surface of the ear, it is as +lasting as the tattoo so often seen in a man's arm. + +[Illustration] + + + + +DISEASES. + + +Some of the older breeders supposed that the Angora was not subject to +any disease, but as goats have been introduced into new territory, they +have become affected by some of the same troubles which bother sheep, +but usually to a less degree. Some of the worst sheep diseases, such as +scab, do not bother goats, but the goat has some special complaints +which do not affect sheep. Very few carcasses are condemned by the +government meat inspectors at the large packing centers. Tuberculosis is +almost unknown. + + +LICE. + +Nearly all goats are infested with lice, a small reddish louse, a goat +louse. Lice rarely kills the animal infested, but they do annoy the goat +greatly. Goats will not fatten readily, and the mohair is usually dead +(lusterless), if the animals are badly infested. It is an easy matter to +discover the lice. The goats scratch their bodies with their horns and +make the fleece appear a little ragged. On separating the mohair the +lice can easily be seen with the naked eye. The best means of ridding +the goats of this annoyance is with almost any of the sheep dips. A dip +which does not stain the mohair should be selected. The goats should be +dipped after shearing, as it does not take much dip then to penetrate to +the skin. One dipping will usually kill the lice, but the albuminous +coat covering the nits (eggs of the louse), are not easily penetrated, +and it is usually necessary to dip again within ten days, so that the +nits, which have hatched since the first dipping, will not have a chance +to mature and deposit more eggs. Goats can be dipped at almost any time, +but if in full fleece they will require a larger quantity of liquid, and +if the weather is very cold, there is some danger. + + +STOMACH WORMS. + +Stomach worms affect goats, and in some instances their ravages prove +fatal. There are a variety of these worms, but the general effect on the +animal is about the same. They are usually worse in wet years. The goats +affected become thin and weak. They usually scour. Sometimes the worm, +or part of the worm, can be found in the feces. These same symptoms are +caused by starvation, so the two should not be confounded. There are +many drenches in use for the treatment of this trouble, and some of the +proprietary remedies have given some relief. Goats running on dry, high +land are rarely affected. + +Verminous pneumonia of sheep may also occur in goats. + + +FOOT ROT. + +Foot rot is a disease which affects both goats and sheep, if they are +kept on low wet land. It rarely proves fatal, and can be cured if the +cause is removed, but it sometimes causes a good deal of trouble. The +goats' feet swell between the toes and become so sore that the animals +are compelled to walk on their knees. It can be cured by carefully +trimming the feet and using solutions of blue stone. Goats should not be +put on wet land. + +Sometimes the glands of the neck enlarge, a condition known as goitre. +This is sometimes fatal with kids, but usually cures itself. There is no +known remedy for it, but it is comparatively rare. + +Anthrax, tuberculosis, pleuro-pneumonia and meningitis, will affect +goats, but these diseases are very rare. Some of the southern goats have +swollen ears, but what the cause of this trouble is no one has yet +determined. + + +POISONS. + +There are several plants which will poison goats, but very little is +known about them. Some of the laurel family are responsible for the +death of a good many goats yearly, and some milk-weeds will kill if +taken in sufficient amount at certain times of the year. These plants +should be avoided as much as possible. Treatment has been rather +unsatisfactory. If the poisoned animal is treated at once, an active +purgative may rid the system of the irritant. Epsom salts and crotin oil +have given relief. + +Mr. Schreiner describes an epidemic of pleuro-pneumonia which destroyed +many flocks of Angora goats in South Africa. The disease was effectually +stamped out in that country, and it has never appeared in American +flocks. Mr. Thompson has described a disease called Takosis, which was +supposed to have caused the death of many goats in the Eastern States, +and along the Missouri River Valley. Some claimed that this trouble was +caused by change of climate, others thought that it was starvation or +lack of proper care. There is very little evidence of it now in the +United States. All in all, the Angora goat is the healthiest of domestic +animals. + +[Illustration] + + + + +Our Own Flocks. + + +In 1865, Mr. C. P. Bailey started in the Angora goat industry. There +were then very few Angora goats in the United States, and those in +California had originated from two thoroughbred bucks secured from Col. +Peters of Atlanta, Georgia. + +In 1866, Mr. Bailey secured a pair of Angoras from W. W. Chenery of +Boston, Mass. There were two other pairs secured at this time for other +parties, and these three does were the _first thoroughbred does_ brought +to California. The first two goats cost Mr. Bailey $1000. _The first +thoroughbred Angora kid_ dropped in California was by Mr. Bailey's doe. + +In 1869, Mr. Bailey furnished money to bring the Brown & Diehl +importation to California, with the understanding that he was to have +first choice. The Angoras secured from this lot were _the best goats_ +which had been brought to California up to that time. + +In 1876, Mr. Bailey selected the best buck of the Hall & Harris +importation, and paid seventy-five dollars service fee for three of his +Brown & Diehl does. Later he purchased forty-one head from Hall & +Harris. Some of these were the Brown & Diehl goats, and some from the +Hall & Harris importation of 1876. + +Twelve years after Mr. Bailey commenced breeding Angoras, he moved his +entire grade-flock, consisting of about 1000 animals, to Nevada, and +maintained his thoroughbred flocks in California. By careful selection, +rigid culling, and strict attention given his flocks, Mr. Bailey had +brought them by 1892, to an excellence beyond any of the imported stock. + +In 1893, Mr. Bailey imported two fine bucks from South Africa. An +account of the buck Pasha will be found in this book. + +In 1899, another direct importation from South Africa was made, and the +great sire Capetown was secured. + +In 1901, Dr. W. C. Bailey secured four of the best Angoras obtainable in +Asia Minor, by personal selection, and added them to the Bailey flocks. +This was the first importation made in America from Asia Minor for +twenty-five years. + +During all these years, since 1865, Mr. Bailey had been constantly at +work with his Angora flocks. There were many hardships to overcome, and +most of the original Angora breeders gave up the struggle. We honestly +believe that if it had not been for his perseverance the Angora industry +would not be in its present prosperous condition. + + +Register. + +We have been keeping a register of our stock, and this register is the +oldest in the United States, or the world. Animals registered in the +Bailey Angora Goat Record have a universal standing. + + +Manufacturers of Gloves, Robes and Trimmings. + +The Angora Robe and Glove Company was established in 1875, with C. P. +Bailey as president. Later Mr. Bailey secured sole control of this +company. We have been using goat skins and mohair in large quantities +for the last thirty years, and to-day + +WE PAY THE HIGHEST CASH PRICES FOR GOAT SKINS AND MOHAIR. + + +Buck Selections. + +From the above history it will be seen that we have several different +strains of bucks to offer, and the fact that we have taken the Grand +Prizes and highest awards at the New Orleans World's Fair, 1885, Chicago +World's Fair, 1893, St. Louis World's Fair, 1904, and sweep stakes at +State Fairs and National Meetings for the last thirty years, should put +these bucks on the top. We have sold thousands in United States, and +they have given almost universal satisfaction. + + +Does. + +Our thoroughbred does trace their ancestry to the best stock obtainable. +We always have a good many grade Angora does on the range, and we are +prepared to quote prices on carloads, or small lots. We gladly furnish +information. + + C. P. BAILEY & SONS CO., + San Jose, California. + +[Illustration: PERSIAN FAT TAIL SHEEP + +In 1892, we received the first importation of Persian Fat-Tailed Sheep. +They are very hardy, rapid growers (the lambs often gaining a pound a +day for the first one hundred days,) good rangers almost free from +disease, and to cross onto fine wooled sheep for mutton and wool, we +consider them of much value.] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Practical Angora Goat Raising, by C. P. 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