GOAT RAISING.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1921, Page 4

GOAT RAISING.

AGRIGULTURAL DEPARTMENT’S NEW MOVE. MILKING HERD TO RE BUILT UP. The Agricultural Department is about to embark upon a new venture in the shape of goat-raising. There are goats al xf goats, as an officer of the Department remarked to a ‘'Dominion reporter on Wednesday, dhe goats which the Government are importing aje of a specially selected milking strain, chosen from the best herds in the Old Country. “Tile primary object of the Government is to build up a hoi,tl oi milking goats, and to this end the pioneers ol the herd a i\> already on their way out to the Dominion. The steamer which is bringing them is due in Auckland very shortly ,aiul the animals are in charge of Mr Roland Hill, a well-known V luiugarei settlor. The ultimate object of the Department is to give people living in the suburbs and in small townk the opportunity of acquiring a goat for the purpose of obtaining an assured supply oi milk for household purposes. Goats, it was explained by an officer- of the Live. Stock Division, may he kept on .mail sections-a. quarter of an acre plot would suffice. When it was considered that the goats which the Department is importing were capable of producing up to six pints of milk per day, d would readily be seen that once the herd was built up the animals would he in large demand. Ii was not intended to commercialise the goat or to build up another source of "supply lor the mi's factories. They were intended for purely domestic use. PIONEERS OK THE HHiRD. The, Governim-in first took the mutter u]) about two years ago. and Mr Hill was so impressed with the alea that he undertook to purchase some animals on its behalf. Lust year he proceeded to England on his own count, anti while liter,. assisted in buv ing a number of goats for the Department. Incidentally he purchased a small mimlMT for himself. He is bringing the latter out oil the boat oil wlii'h lie is travelling along with part of the Government purchase. The partieulnr species winch the Department are m:uporting are the “Anglo-Teggcntoirg". the “Anglo-Nubian’' and the “AngloNiiFiinn Swiss, ’’ These represent the best breed of milking strain. Of a 1! goats, the “Anglo-Nubian’’ is said mi give the richest milk, and the “AngloNubian Swiss" the greatest quantity. The Government will breed the goats for sale in small lots, doubtless individually at the start and will try the (.xpedienL of crossing them with the utiarisioeratic breed ol goats already dcmiciled in the Dominion, so that their numbers will be built up more rapidly than would otherwise be possible. Already the Department lias sum,, goats located at Vallacoville iliat it is holding back for tliat purpose. In order that

i there w ill hr an interchange of blood, -Mr Hill is imparling a different strain j of goats from l.lioso consigned to the Department. A \'A l.l'A liLK ASS KT. I |> to L I'e present no sin ions attempt lias la-on Iliad'' to doinestVa Le the paint in the Dominion. The leu members of Die species retained aliont homes are mostly regarded as pots or onriositi s h.v their owners, and as incorrigible vagrants h v tlmir neighbours. Invariaiily they have been allowed in loam at will, not ‘'o’er meadow and hill", bn! in the streets, browsing tor the most part on h.'okon glass. tin plates, eorkserews and gaila.e eem-raily. Stieii staid,, articles of diet naturally do m t tend lo |.rod!ietii eness in joint (1 f mill; supply. ( liven reaconahle (.are and supervision tethering js the host expedient goats of the right strain give mill; of the host ipialny. If tethered on sweet, clean jiastnres tlieir milk is i ree from any taint whatever. As goats are siihject to a disease called ''Mediterranean fever," the animals import- , ed by the I fejiai t nient w ere bought in Kngland, where the disease does not | exist. A i the same t ime, every goat arriving in Zealand is to lie in-

spirted for this disease. Once the Department is in a posi t ion 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 the holders of anything from a quarter ol an acre to an acre of land.

ITS CAUDIXAI. VHMI'ES. (lout's milk Inis several virtims. From tilt- most remote period (lie milk of th ( , s;o;it has been used as baa! for man. : s slunvii in the Scriptures where the milk of the <toat is mentioned more frcqu, n! - lv than any otlier. Except in certain European countries, at the present day. however, it is a scarcity, and on account ot its hyeienio, nourishing, ae digestive properties is chiefly sought

-«I toi- lor infants find invalids; not tint it is not cminontJy stiit;il»ii■ for general i (loiiicstic purposes. .A fact lias, however j hern brought to light in recent years ' the result of scientific investigation—, which still further enhance, the value of j ; goat’s milk, and that to an immeasur | able degree it is immune from tuber-j eulosis germs. 1 n pre-war days there j wer,. iu Belgium, .‘JOO.OOO goats and j 900,000 mild) cows. Amongst these •fUO,OOO goats there was, according to

sfientilic ;i uLlioritit*s, probably not one affected with tuberculosis, whilst :< moil!j;st the cows, bused on previous records, it w;is only reasonable to expect that from miyt.liino; from 50 to7b per cent, of the animals were suffering I rom or showing signs ol this disease. S’l'i’l'.HlOH TO TOW’S 31 ILK. Attain, the milk ol the goat has been held by scientists to approximate more in its composition and digestibility to human mill; than that of any other animal, .Moreover, goat’s milk is in very many eases more easily assimilated, and hits a better nutritious value than that of the cow in all low con-

(litmus of vital force and debility from chronic wating diseases. In conclusion, tire agricultural expert said to the reporter: “As in Malta, for instance, it is to be hoped that the people will realise the value of goat’s milk. Cheap and healthy, pure and nutritious, it should prove . solution of some of the problems 'which townspeople have to undergo in thendaily struggle with the high cost of living.”