Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-02-11
ssisipo Goats as a Business.

/
:. The raising of Angora goats is now
a well established industry in this
country, it being estimated that there
are fully 100000 in the states. The
Question is frequently asked why the
common goat is not more in evidence
in view of the fact that we import
each year some s25,00O,0O0 in goat and
Kid skins for the use of our tanners.
This seems a large sum to send abroad
each year in the purchase of product
which could be produced at home so
far as conditions are concerned, and
| farm papers are inclined to criticise
the American farmer as neglecting an
opportunity of profit.
AS a matter of fact the census of
1900 showed 1,949,065 goats in the
country of which about 1,250,000 are
common" goats, as distinguished
from Angoras, the only definite
recognized breed we have These
goats are found mainly upon farms in
the south tenanted either by colored
people or the poorer class Of whites,
and the flesh of these animals is large
ly the fresh meat supply of such fami-
lies.
The explanation of the lack of inter-
est in goats as farm asset lies in the
fact that up to this time the skin is
the only certain value of the animal.
the common kinds producing no wool
or hair of value, and there being no
market for the meat. This Icing so
the present possibility of a goat in
dustry hinges upon the possibility of
profit in raising an animal for it's hide
alone. Not enough goat skins are
produced in this country to establish
price for domestic skins, so we must
figure upon the basis of imported
skins. The average value of imported
skins in 1902, including both goat
and kid. was 2S9 cents, dry weight.
and as it takes a good skin to weigh
four pounds when dry it follows that
the value per hide would not be more
than 81. This would hardly make its
production paying industry and may
be taken as an ample explanation of
the failure of the American farmer to
capture the $25,OOO,000 a year which
we pay for goat skins.
II does not necessarily follow.
however. because conditions as out
lined are now existent, the common
goat should continue to be a neglected
asset on the farm. They already
have value aside from direct
money return and there is no reason
why they should not have greater
direct financial value Those who
speak from experience will agree that
the flesh of kids is a delicacy, and an
honest city butcher will tell you that
they constantly pass over his block
as lamb" and that customers do not
complain of the quality of such lamb"
The large packing houses purchase
every year considerable numbers CT
mature goats which are sold in the
carcass or canned as mutton. The
meat is not as palatable as good NUT
ton. but it may easily be better than
poor mutton. The general reputation
of the goat as an animal unusually free
from serious diseases should be
further evidence of its food value. The
prejudice against goat meat is based
upon the name and not the quality Of
the flesh, and if packers would put
the meat upon the market for what
1t is it would gradually gain in favor.
The flesh of the Angora is lacking the
strong flavor of the common goat, so
that a cross between the two would
produce better animal for flesh, but
the skin of an Angora. or any long
haired goat, has little value for the
tanner. Such a skin could only be