GOATS FOR THE PEOPLE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17103, 26 March 1921, Page 3

GOATS FOR THE PEOPLE.

AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT'S*

NEW MOVE

MILKING HEED TO BE BUILT UP.

The Agricultural Department is abcn to embark upon a new venture in the shape of goat-raising. There are goats —and goats, as an officer of rhe Department remarked to a "Dominion" reporter on Wednesday. Tho goats which the Government are importing are ol a specially selected milking. 6traui, chosen from the best herds in tho Old Country. "The primary object of ike Government is to build up a 'herd of milking goats, and to this end the pioneers of the herd are already on their wav out to the Dominion. the steamer which is bringing them is due in Auckland very shortly, and tho animals are in charge of -Mr Roland Hid, a well-known AVhangaroi settler. Tho ultimate object of the Drpai'tjnent is to give people living in tno suburbs and m small towns the opportunity of acquiring a goat for the purpose of obtaining an assured supply or milk for household purposes. Gouts, it \v."s cxohiniod by an o.lw nf tho Ln*' Stock Division, may bo kept on small sections —a quarter of an acre nloi would suffice. AVhen it i\as considered that the goats which the department is importing were capable of producing up.to six pints ot milk per day, it would rondily be seen that once the hc.d was built up tho animals would be in large demand. It was not intended to commerc.alUe the goat.or to build up another source of supply for the milk factories. They wore intended for i purely domestic use.

PIONEERS OF THE HERD.

The Government first took tho matter up aboul two years a?o. and Mr Hill was so impressed witfli tho idea that ho undertook to purchase 60iiin animals on its behalf. Last year heproceeded te England on his own account, and while there assisted in buying a number of goats for the Department. Incidentally ho. purchased a small number for himself He is bringing t)ho latter out on the boat on which he is travelling, along with part of tho Government purchase.' The particular species which the Department are importing are the "Anglo-Toggenburg," tho "Anglo-Nubian," and the "AngloNubian Swiss." These represent the best breed of milking _ strain. Of all goats, tho "Anglo-Nubian"' is said to give tho richest milk, and the "AngloNubian Swiss" the greatest quantity The Government will breed the goat* for sale in small lots, doubtless individually at the start, and ••■ill try the expedient of crossing them with fho uuaristocratic breed of goats already domiciled in tho Dominion, so. that their numbers will be built up m<]fro rapidly than '"would otherwise be possible. Already tho Department has some goats located at Wallaceville that it is holding back for that purpose. Tn order fhat there will be an intorchango of blood, Mr Hill is importing a different strain •f goats from those consigned to the Department.

A VALUABLE ASSET.

' Up to tho present no serious attempt has been made to domesticate the goat in tho Dominion! The few members of tho species retained about jiomea are mostly regarded as pets or curiosities by their awnen, and as incorrigible vagrants by their neighbours. Invariably they havo been allowed to roam at will, not "o'er meadow and hill," but in tho streets, browsing for the most part on broken glass, tin plates, corkscrews and garbage generally. Such stable articles of diet naturally do not tend to productiveness in point of milk supply. Given reasonable caro and supervision—tethering is the best expedient—goats of the right strain give milk-of,the best, quality. If tethered on" sweet, clean pastures tfheir milk is freo from any taint whatever. As o:oat< are subject to a disease called "Mediterranean fever,'' the animals imported by tho Department were bought in England, where tho disease does not exist. At the same time, every goatarriving in, New Zealand is'to be inspected for this disease. _ Once the De-' partment is- in a position to supply households with milking goats it Will mean, stated our informant, that .in suburban districts around about cities the milk problem will be largely solved •by tho, holders of anything from a quarter of a.n acre to an acre of land.

ITS CARDINAL VIRTUES,

Goat's milk has several firtueß. From the most remote period the milk of the goat has been used as food for manj as Jrawn iti the Scriptures, where tho milk of the goat is mentioned moro > frequently than'any other. -Except in certain European countries, at the present day, however, it is a 'scarcity, and on account of its hygienic, nourishing, and digestive properties is chiefly sought after for infants and invalids; not thai it is not eminently suitable for general domestic purposes. A fact'has, however. been brought to light in recent yearsthe result of scientific investigation—which still further enhance? flho value of goat's milk, and that to an immeasurable degree-—it is immune from tuberculosis germs. In pre-war days there wore in Belgium 300,000 goats and 900.000 milch cows. Amongst _ these 300,000 goats there was, according to scientific authorities, probably not one affected with • tuberculosis, whilst amongst the cows, based on pevious records, it was only reasonable to expect that from anything from 50 to_7s •jov CL'iit. of the animals were suffering ii'pm or showing signs of this di'seas3 SUPERIOR TO COW'S MILK.

Again, the milk of the goat has been iiekf'by scientists to approximate mor.> hi its composition and digestibility to human milk than that of any other animal.- Moreover, goat's millc is in very many cases more easily assimilated, ."lid "n better nutritious value than that of tho cow m aii low conditions of vital lorco and debility from chronic diseases. In conclusion, the i> ;ricultural expert said to the reporter': "As in Malta, for instance, it is to be hoped that the people will realiso the value of goat's milk.-Cheap and healthy, pure and nutritious, it should prove a solution of some of tho problems which townspeople uavc to, undergo in their daily strugglo with the cost of living."