king goats, and the methods employed
vary as widely as the reasons therefor. The object in view is to put
some mark of identification either permanent or temporary upon the
animal. The ears may be cropped in certain ways, a brand may be placed
upon the nose, or tags or buttons placed in the ears, or characters
tattooed into the ears. Probably the most permanent mark is the tattoo,
and if it be placed on the inner hairless surface of the ear, it is as
lasting as the tattoo so often seen in a man's arm.

[Illustration]

DISEASES.

Some of the older breeders supposed that the Angora was not subject to
any disease, but as goats have been introduced into new territory, they
have become affected by some of the same troubles which bother sheep,
but usually to a less degree. Some of the worst sheep diseases, such as
scab, do not bother goats, but the goat has some special complaints
which do not affect sheep. Very few carcasses are condemned by the
government meat inspectors at the large packing centers. Tuberculosis is
almost unknown.

LICE.

Nearly all goats are infested with lice, a small reddish louse, a goat
louse. Lice rarely kills the animal infested, but they do annoy the goat
greatly. Goats will not fatten readily, and the mohair is usually dead
(lusterless), if the animals are badly infested. It is an easy matter to
discover the lice. The goats scratch their bodies with their horns and
make the fleece appear a little ragged. On separating the mohair the
lice can easily be seen with the naked eye. The best means of ridding
the goats of this annoyance is with almost any of the sheep dips. A dip
which does not stain the mohair should be selected. The goats should be
dipped after shearing, as it does not take much dip then to penetrate to
the skin. One dipping will usually kill the lice, but the albuminous
coat covering the nits (eggs of the louse), are not easily penetrated,
and it is usually necessary to dip again within ten days, so that the
nits, which have hatched since the first dipping, will not have a chance
to mature and deposit more eggs. Goats can be dipped at almost any time,
but if in full fleece they will require a larger quantity of liquid, and
if the weather is very cold, there is some danger.

STOMACH WORMS.

Stomach worms affect goats, and in some instances their ravages prove
fatal. There are a variety of these worms, but the general effect on the
animal is about the same. They are