The Republican journal., 1912-06-13
Possibilities of the Goat In
dustry.

WASHINGTON. D. c., June 10, 1912.
Hundreds of inquiries regarding the pos
sibilities in the United States Of great
goat industry are now reaching the De-
partment of Commerce ana LABOR:
These inquiries are the result OF recent
statement by the Bureau OF 1Iatls!lcs OF
that Department, that 25o mlllloh DOLLARS
had been sent out of the country IN the
last decade to purchase goat SKINS 1or
use in this country, and that !ne com
mercial value of the 5Oo miiloh goats
which these skins Represented would,
had they been grown IN the Onl5ed
States, have appropriated a pliiion ooi-
lars. These suggestions coupled with
the further fact that goats OF tne class
supplying the skins in question could be
grown upon semi arid and semi-moun-
famous lands in the United States now
practically uputilized, have added to the
interest indicated by the inquiries now
being made.
The statement of the Bureau of Sta
tistics as to the number and value of
goat skins now being imported, was
coupled with extracts from statement
by the United States Consul Canada at
Vera Cruz, Mexico, originally published
by the Bureau of Manufactures of the
Department of Commerce and Labor. In
this report Consul Canada says: Goats
are raised in every State of the Republic
of Mexico. The industry is
largely confined to the central table
lands though the animals thrive
everywhere and can be raised at good
profit over a wider range of territory
than that on which cattle may be sue
cessfully raised. Inc dry plans
of Nuevo Leon, with scant growth of
brush, are able to support large fiocks
of goats, though these same plains
will not produce corn, cane or grass,
unless water is supplied for irrigation.
The extent of territory which could be
given to the raising of goats, without in
any way interfering with agriculture, is
very large. Vera Cruz has tens of thou
sands of acres of land so steep and rug
ged that it cannot be farmed proftably,
but these rugged mountain sides furnish
ideal feeding grounds for goats. The
value of the goat depends upon three
things, meat, tallow, and the skin. The
matter of fresh meat in the farming dis
tricts of the hot country is greatly SIM
plifed by the breeding of goats, In
small, isolated communities it is risky to
slaughter an OK or cow, as the flesh is
liable to spoil before it is consumed. The
small carcass of goat makes it entirely
practicable to kill frequently without
risk or loss. In the State of Tobasco
the inhabitants are never at loss for
fresh meat on plantations where goats
are raised, and where formerly meat was
almost unknown. The flesh alone would
make it a profitable industry. for the
carcass of each animal will bring from
81 to $3.50. Fats of all kinds are high
priced in all parts of the country. At
two years fat goat will yield to 10
pounds of clear tallow, which will be
worth from Is cents to $3.50. The most
valuable part of the goat is the skin,
worth SIPS to $3.50, and the constant
trend of prices is upward (These
figures of values are presumably in Mex
can currency, in which the dollar is
equivalent to about 1-2 dollar in United
States currency.
The Consul adds that the increase in
the number of goats is very rapid, since
they begin breeding at from to months
of age, and breed twice lyear, bringing
forth 2 and not infrequently kids at
each breeding season. A single shepherd
/ it is said will look after at least 1,0OC
goats. He adds, IA careful investment
Of 81, 900 well looked after can certainly
be counted upon to double itself inside of
IL years, and to give at least so pei
cent profit per annum from the end Of
the second year." The report of Consul
Canada closes by presenting the result
of three years experiment in goat rails
ing on farm in the State of Guerrero
Mexico, as follows:
''In 1904 the manager of the farm re-
ceived $4,000 goats, including large ane
small, at valuation of $3.50 each, equa
to $99, OOO From the produce of these
he sold, during months of 1904 and the
years 1905 and 1906, $4,000 head at ST
each, equal to $3.50, 900. and had, at the
close of 1906, $4,000 head on the farm