INFORMATION CONCERNING COMMON GOATS." By GEORGE FAYETTE THOMPSON, M. S., THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE. For several years numerous inquiries have been coming to the Bureau of Animal Industry as to the possibilities of raising goats for their skins. These inquiries are principally from those who have capital for investment or who have large tracts of unproductive land. When these people become aware of the fact that we send abroad $25,000,000 annually for goatskins, and that the natural conditions here are favorable for raising the goats which produce such skins as we import, they become interested. The press has encouraged the development of a domestic industry in the production of goatskins, oftentimes in ignorance of the conditions that obtain here and of those conditions requisite for success. It is in order to reply to these inquiries fully and accurately that this article is prepared. 66 It is not intended by the use of the term "common goats" to convey the impression that they are a distinctive breed. On the contrary, it is generally accepted as including all sorts of mongrel goats, whatever their size, conformation, color, or character of hair. They are usually referred to as "common" in order to distinguish them from the Angora goats, which are a specific breed. NUMBER AND VALUE OF GOATS. The table given herewith is compiled from the census returns and shows the number of goats, of all kinds, for the year 1900. Besides the exhibit in the table there were 78,353 goats reported for cities and villages, making the grand total of 1,949,605 for the whole country. It is a matter to be regretted that the census returns made no distinction between common goats and Angoras. A free estimate is that about 700,000 of the total are of the Angora breed. The rest are all sorts of animals except recognized breeds of milch goats, of which there are so few as not to affect the total materially. a Published also as Circular No. 42, Bureau of Animal Industry. Number and value of goats, all breeds, on farms in the United States, by States and Territories, in 1900. So little is generally known about the common goat in this country, and it has heretofore been so little in evidence in public print, that no little surprise was expressed when the census returns showed an enumeration of about 2,000,000. Indeed, there are some who are inclined to doubt the accuracy of the census count. The writer, however, knows of no other way to form an estimate. CONCERNING THE SUPPLY OF GOATS. One of the principal inquiries made of the Bureau of Animal Industry is "Where can common goats be purchased?" This is a question we have been unable to answer except in a general and somewhat unsatisfactory way. It is known that in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona there are considerable numbers of the long-haired variety, but it has been pointed out elsewhere that these are not suitable for the production of skins, and there are several good reasons why they are not suitable in any degree as foundation stock for a flock of Angoras. While the census returns show a considerable number of goats of all breeds in most of the Southern States, they are extensively dispersed upon the farms. For instance, the 117,413 goats shown for Alabama were reported from 8,633 farms, the 84,624 in Georgia were on 6,716 farms, and so on at a similar ratio for the other States. In considering these figures we must not overlook the fact that in some of the States there are large numbers of the Angora breed. This is especially true of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Oregon. The common goats are found principally on the farms of the South which are tenanted by colored people and the poorer classes of whites, and for some of these the goats furnish about the only meat supply. The prices demanded are very low, but a few only could be found on one farm, and there would therefore be some difficulty in bringing any considerable number together at small cost. KIND OF SKINS IN DEMAND. Not all kinds of goatskins are in demand for leather. The skin of the Angora, for instance, is not at all suitable for shoe leather or for kid gloves, although tanners make of it morocco leather, and it is used to a considerable extent in the manufacture of workingmen's gloves. A prominent Philadelphia dealer in goatskins says: "The pelt of the Angora, whether it be from Turkey or elsewhere, is, as a rule, too thin and poor for leather, as it is a fact that the longer the hair of the goat the thinner and poorer the pelt." This being true, not only are Angoras put out of consideration, but also all goats having long hair. This eliminates a very large number of the goats of the United States, as no doubt our common goats are principally of the long-haired Mexican variety. One who contemplates raising goats for their skins should therefore not consider the Angora or any other long-haired variety. Not all of the imported skins are suitable for shoe leather, but the tanner carefully sorts each bale and throws out all that have long hair, as that is conclusive evidence of inferiority. Among the French mountaineers the raising of kids for their skins is a leading industry. Softness, delicacy of texture, and freedom from blemish are principal factors in the value of kid skins, and to secure these essentials great pains are taken. So soon as the kids are old enough to eat grass or other vegetation the skin declines in quality, as with such diet the skin begins to grow coarser and harder in texture, and thus its chief merit disappears. The kid is therefore carefully penned, not only to prevent it from eating grass, but also to secure the skin from accidental injury from scratches and bruises, which necessarily impair its value. When the kids have reached a certain. age, at which the skins are in the best condition for the use of the glover, they are killed, and the hides are sold to traveling hawkers, through whom they reach the great centers of the tanning industry. The conditions in the United States, especially as regards the item of labor, are so unlike those of mountainous France that it is not at all probable that a similar industry could be maintained here. IMPORTS OF GOATSKINS. The table herewith, which shows the quantity and value of importations of goatskins for the fiscal years ended June 30, 1898 to 1902, is compiled from "Commerce and Navigation" of the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury Department. The volume for 1903 is not yet available, but the Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance for 1903 shows that the total weight of imported goatskins was 84,821,594 pounds, valued at $24,928,729. It is safe to assume that these skins came from the same countries that sent skins during previous years. These figures do not equal those of 1902 by 3,216,922 pounds and $549,450. It will be observed, however, that the general trend of imports has been upward, from about $16,000,000 in 1898 to $25,000,000 in 1903. The British East Indies send us more goatskins than any other country, the value for 1902 being $7,577,616; then for the same year, in the order named, come France ($2,611,880), Mexico ($2,081,697), Chinese Empire ($1,823,273), Russia on the Baltic and White seas ($1,532,740), Brazil ($1,495,358), United Kingdom ($1,138,646), Aden ($1,094,367), Argentina ($1,055,040), and so on. The values of these goatskins are those at ports of export. The average value per pound for the several years shown in the table is ast follows: |