Popularity of Goats

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20509, 29 August 1936, Page 15

Popularity of Goats

One of the most remarkable aspect* about Queensland country life is thj growing popularity of goat’s milk ire districts where there should be, and often are, plenty of milking cows, states the Sydney Mail. Large sizedi. towns have their goat herds rurmintf into many hundreds and the shtrd councils in most of these are intro* ducing better milking strains by bring* ing male goats of the Saanen breed into the district. These animals are rated highly for their great yield of milk and their fertility. They are being bred in both New South Wales and Queensland and are very much sought after. It has been claimed that children reared on goat’s milk are of a more sturdy type than those in the same districts reared on cows’ milk, but perhaps the real reason why goats are popular in the country is because they are so cheap as regards both cost and upkeep. Unthrifty Calves The dairyfarmer is always well advised to keep a very watchful eye on the young calves which are being kept on the farm, either with a view to replacing some of the older members of the herd or for sale at a later period. Too often there is seen a calf which is off its food or is showing an unthrifty appearance. It is not sufficient that such an animal should simply be regarded as “backward.” No animal exhibits signs of unthriftiness without some good reason, and all such calves should be carefully examined for traces of disease and in most cases it is advisable to isolate the suspect until one can definitely determine whether or not disease is present. It frequently happens that a calf will contract tuberculosis at an early age and if it is allowed to continue feeding from the same trough it is almost certain to pass the disease on to a number of its mates, and eventually the whole herd may be infected.