Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-04-11
cow OF The POOR PEOPLE.
THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO
POPULARIZE THE MICH GOAT.
Department CT Agriculture Has Been
Making a Special Study of the Sub
ject-Maltese and Nubian Breeds
Process of Milking.

Uncle Sam wants to popularize the
mich goat, the COW of the Iour peo-
pie Every poor family in this cou,-
try ought to have a least two goats.
but it is of utmost importance that
the animals shall be of Tho propc"
breed. Therefore the Department of
Agriculture. which has beer making
special study of the subject recently,
is taking steps to procure the m
portation of certain desirable milk
giving stock, such as the Maltese and
the Nubian.
The goat is the greatest milk-pro''u,
er of all domestic animals. giving
much more of the product than The COW
in proportion 10 size and feel con
sumed. Many goats yield ten times
their weight in milk annually. ana eN-
csptioral ones as much as eighteen
times. y good milch goat yields at
least TWO quarts of milk n day. III
Europe goats that produce from three
10 five quarts day are plentiful.
In European countrie; the goat is
considered almost Indispensable. That
the ar NAL should lie utilized TO so
small an extent in this country seems
astonishing. But the Department of
Agriculture belle IS it practicable 10
build up great mich goat industry
in the United States. beginning with
the poorer people, who arc unable 10
own and feed a COW. Later on per-
haps there will be goat diaries. which
would be likely TO be successful near
large cities. the milk commanding
much higher price than cows milk.
owing 10 its superior richness and
absolute freedom from germs of tuber-
culosis.
There is no good reason why goats
milk cheese should not be manufac-
tured on a large scale in this country.
the product being very choice and
commanding high prices. Many of
the most highly esteemed of our i'm
ported cheeses are made from goats
milk for example. Roquefort.
Schweitzer and Ricotto. Others are
called st. Marcellin. ST. Claude and
Chevertin. the first of these three,
however, being partly of Sleeps milk.
On one estate near Lyons, France, H..
900 goats are kept for cheesemaking.
In no country has the raising OF fine
mich goats been brought to such a de-
gree of perfection as on the Island of
Malta, where a population of 100000
relies almost wholly upon these ami
mails for milk and cheese. The Maltese
goats are very large and handsome,
with long glossy hair. ard it is no I'M
common thing for one of them to yield
five or six quarts day. They could
not be introduced successfully in the
United States. because the climate
would be too cold for them. but crosses
of them with harder varieties would
be valuable
Another valuable variety. which
crosses TO advantage with the ordin-
airy goat. is the Nubian, an animal
larger By half than the common spe-
cies and of very striking appearance.
Its lower jaw projects beyond the up
per. the lower teeth often extending
above the nostrils. The ears are flat,
long and pendant This goat. which
sometimes gives over six quarts of
milk a day. being the most productive
variety known, has no beard and is eX.
tremely sensitive TO cold; hence the
necessity of utilizing it by a cross for
cooler climates
|; is estimated that eight goats can
subsist and will yield a good flow of
l. a. - =
for one COW. They are satisfied with
provender of any sort. and by keeping
couple of them instead of COW
the family of workingman may be
provided during the entire year with
milk. The goat gives more whc!e-
some milk than the COW. of higher
nutritive value and richer in fats. So
far as known, the animal IS not sub
iect TO tuberculosis. and its milk is
invariably free from the germs of that
dreaded disease.
Goats milk is much nearer to moth
er's milk in composition than cows
milk. In Germany the children fire.
quently take their food direct from the
udder of the family goat. as the kid
does. IN Italy, which is a goat coun-
try. the feeding bottle is scarcely
heard of, ami babies who are not so
fortunate as TO be nursed by their
mothers find in the little Italian nan
ny their next best friend. and it is
not an uncommon sight to see an in
FAINT or small child drawing its dinner
from the goat. which has been brought
to the steps or into the house for the
purpose.
The Department of Agriculture's
special expert in goats is George Fay.
cite Thompson. from advance proof
sheets of whose Manual of Goat Rails.
ing" the information here given
has been obtained. IL seems that
mich goat should be kornles:.
shorthaired and of solid color II
is worth while to buy only we'll
bred animals. and both buck and
doe should be of milk-giving
strain. Kindness and gentleness are
required. and feeding must be liberal
if good results in the way of milk are
expected. A goat must have hay. about
800 pounds year. or equivalent fod-
der. and will exc out its subsistence
on kitchen Stops. 1t must be MIXED
three times a day. and there should
be bench outside the goat-house for
the animal to stand upon II soons
learns what the bench is fo:, and will
get upon ii when milking time comes.