Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-04-01
GOAT MEN FIGHT SHY OF AN
NUAL COMBINATION AND
WILL SELL THEIR OWN
FLEECES PRIVATELY.
DEATH OF GOATS CUTS YIELD
Fatality Among Animals May Result
in Lighter Clip Than Usual; I'm
pure Water in Pastures Thought to
Be Cause of Death Rate; Price In
dications Encouraging.

For the first time in many seasons
there will be no mohair pool in Dal-
las this year, according to the state
ment of a number of goat breeders.
Although nobody appears willing to
advance a reason for this innovation,
it is admitted that the refusal of
some of the larger producers to enter
pool is the real cause. Last year
the pool was advertised for sale on
April 27, but the bid of U. S. Grant
at 3612 cents was rejected and
committee authorized to enter into
negotiations for the sale of the pool
at higher figure was appointed.
Some of the growers who did not en-
ter the pool last year subsequently
disposed of their clip at much high
er price than the pool brought, and it
is thought that their experience has
had its effect on others and been in
strumental in causing them to remain
out of the combination. Hence for
the first time in years, the mohair
men Of Dallas and vicinity will ego
it alone" and sell their clip whenever
it pleases them and for whatever
price they may elect.
Good Fleeces at Disadvantage.
Some of the larger growers, or those
who take pains with their clip, de-
clare that they are at disadvantage
when they enter pool, for the rea-
son that the appearance of even
small number of undesirable feeces
results in cutting down the prices Of
fered by the buyers for the entire
lot, and that they can always do bet
ter on their own hook This, it ap-
pears has been the result so often
that many of the growers are refus-
ing to combine.
Although, by the natural order Of
.hings the clip this year should be
larger than ever before, it is not be-
ieved that this is true owing to the
arge number of goats that have died |
Turing the past winter. Some of the
breeders have lost large numbers, in
Fact there are but few herds in the
country which have not suffered The
,ause of this wholesale death rate in
yoatdom is hard to determine, but U.
5. Grant gives it as his opinion that
he animals have died from a disease
loosely resembling typhoid fever.
Impure Water is Cause.
He believes that impure water in
he pastures frequented by the goats
las been the cause of the trouble. He
ays that in practically every herd
where the fatality has been greatest,
he goats have had access to stagnant
nd impure water. Goats, in common
With other animals, will drink warm
Vater in preference to cold, it is said,
nd even if the pasture contained
prings or cold running water, they
'ill invariably be found drinking the
tagnant water. Mr. Grant says that
here are pools of stagnant water in
is pasture, but last summer he took
he precaution TO deposit a quantity
I lime in every pool and this had
he effect of killing all germs and he
assed through the winter without the
,ss of a single animal. Although the
nimals generally showed no effect of
lness during the early fall, when
he more severe weather came, they
eemed to have no hardihood and
radually succumbed to the disease.
Present indications in the mohair
Iarket are encouraging and informa-
on from London is to the effect that
lohair generally is ruling higher in
uotations than a year ago; It being
redieted that prices will advance ma
.rially later in the season.