Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-06-15
The Goat Industry.

Oli tno unused Iafm lQnQS or the
United States contains some interest
ing and unfamiliar facts. Goat rails
ing in tho United States is carried
on chiefly in the Southern and West
orn States, and, thus far, has been
confined to only two species Of the
animal, the common goat and the
Angora. The industry derives it's
economic Importance chiefly from
tho sale of the skins of the common
kind and from the mohair of the
Angora and, secondarily, from the
milk and meal of both species.
Although there is large and
steadily increasing demand for goat
skins in our manufactures, we raise
few goats to meet the demand, but
rely principally upon imports for our
supply. The present stock of goats
of all kinds in this country amounts
to about 100000, whereas we use
annually over 1G,000,0OO skins,
worth at market price over &2U, U,O0O,-
600. About one-half Of the goats
kept here are of Angora stock and
arc raised for their fleece Of mohair,
the demand for which is increasing
both at home and abroad. Our
principal goat-raising States are
Texas, Oregon, California and New
Mexico, the first three raising An
goras to a much greater extent than
the last. The common goats are
reared in these States mostly for
milk for family use. 1t is notable
that cheese from goats milk is not
manufactured herr, but imported at
a high cost from France and Switzcr
land.
The number of domcsticated goats
in the entire world probably exceeds
S0,OOO,0OO. Il is known that the
total of all countries where estimates
have been made amounts to over
42,O0O,OOO, but in India where goats
have been reared from the earliest
times, and in several other countries,
no data as to their number arc avail
able. The conditions surrounding
animal life in these countries, how
ever, indicate that the total goat
population is equal to or greater
than that of the countries where an
enumeration has been attempted.
At any rate, the number of goats
kept as rcmuncrative property in
the world is exceeded only by the
number of cattle, sheep and swine,
al economic situation of no slight
Importance. To Indicate their i'm
portance to several countries, it may
be noted that the number of goats
in Greece is greater than the number
of inhabitants, or 100000 that
the island Of Cyprus, with a popula-
ton of 100000, has over 325, 900
goats Spain, over 100000 ; Ger
many, over 100000 France, over
100000; Italy, nearly 100000 :;
Roumania, about 3,500,000 popula
ton and 100000 goats Algeria,
nearly 100000 goats with a popula-
ton of only 556,000; while Cape
Colony, Africa, has over 5,50O,000
goats, mostly Angoras and grades.
Most of the Latin American coun-
tries also have considerable numbers
Of goats, those Of Venezuela nearly
cqualing her population.
1t appears from The last census
that there is vast amount of I'M
used farm land in the United States
OF little present value, much of " hich
ls peculiarly adapted to such an in
dustry as goat farming. The total
of such land is 265,G00,000 acres, or
~ per cent Of all farm lands outside
of Alaska. This presents an i'm
mensc field for selection of favored
localities in all parts of the country
outside of the valuable woodlands.
Maine has 100000 acres of unim-
proved farm land, much Of which
is suitable for goat pasturagc, and
some Of which is thus utilized.
Georgia has over 15,500,00O acres
unimprovcd her former State Com
missioner of Agriculture recorded
that much of it is especially fit for
goat hcrding, even the choice An
goras.
But the enormous area Of the
States and Territories forming the
South Atlantic, the South Central,
and part of the Western Division
CT the census groupings, 20 political
divisions together, contains lG2,0O0,-
600 acres of unimprovcd land in
farms, so favored by climate and
much Of it by location and vcgcta-
ton, as to be particularly favorable
to such an industry. An abundance
&C ILL.,