Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1926 [PAGE 25]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

22

board of trustees BRIEF OF REPORT

[September 26,

I. Present Distribution of Milch Goats II. Importance in Relation to Other Farm Animals A. Numerically and in value B. In milk production 1. Yield 2. Suitability for infants and invalids 3. Economy of production 4. For needs of the individual family C. For class-room instruction D. Experimentation I. Inheritance studies 2. Physiology of lactation 3. Nutrition III. Acquisition and Maintenance A. Physical equipment B. Cost of animals I. Pure-bred registered 2. Grade C. Supervision and labor IV. Conclusions and Recommendations Questions which were given special consideration by the members of the committee in the preparation of this report. 1. Is there sufficient merit in the goat as a domestic animal to justify its introduction into the University of Illinois animal investigational program ? 2. Are our agricultural students interested in studying the subject of goats and goat-milk productions? 3. In what department of the Agricultural College should goats be placed if introduced? 4. Is it desirable or possible with our program of experimentation as already outlined to undertake any extensive investigation with milch goats?

PRESENT DISTRIBUTION OF MILCH GOATS

In certain foreign countries,1"2 notably Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, and Great Britain, milch goats are kept in considerable numbers and assume a place of economic importance. In these countries goats' milk forms a goodly portion of the general milk supply and to a certain extent is a factor in the commercial production of butter and cheese. M a n y of the goats, even in these countries, are kept by families unable to keep a cow, and for this reason these animals are frequently spoken of as "poor man's cow." In the United States milch goats have not become generally popular." Except in the state of California, and to a lesser degree in some of the southwestern states, the milch goat industry is unimportant. In the suburbs of our larger cities individual animals and small herds are frequently kept. In such cases the milk from these animals is used to supply milk for the individual family. In most cases these families are ^oorhies, Edwin C have been accustomed to California Agriculture Experiment Station Bulleof foreign birth and , The Milch Coat in California,goat's milk in their native land. More tin 285. (1017) are being estabLished adjacent to our larger cities to supply milk for recently herds •Shaw, invalid feeding. infant andEdward L., Milch Goats. Fanner.' Bulletin Qjo. (1918) 'FourUentk Cranu Retort of tlu United TO VoL VI; Part 3. Agriculture; pp. 55-63. IMPORTANCE IN RELATION States; OTHER FARM ANIMALS In Tables I and II will be found the comparative numbers and values of the c o m m o n farm animals as given in the 1920 Census report of the United States.*