TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION R. D. LEWIS. DIRECTOR, COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS through Iuly, but a larger volume is marketed in August, September and October. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Much of the information given in bulletin came from a mailed questionnaire sent to farmes ranchmen in the Texas goat raising areas. Texas is the major goat-producing state oi the nation. About 95 percent of thelU. S. Angora goat lation in 1955 was in Texas. The total goat population for the State in 1955 was 12,546,000 head. of 10.6 percent were goats other than Angora. The Edwards Plateau is the major goat-producing ars there has been a substantial increase in goat population in the West Cross Timbers and Grand Pr’, Range condition is the major factor that causes farmers and ranchmen to vary the number of their herd. Other factors include mohair prices and the value oi stocker goats mid oi goat meat. v' r Over 95 percent of the Texas goat producers also have other livestock on the same range. Th" combination includes goats with sheep and cattle. The best gains in weight and monetary returns I tained when all three types of livestock are grazed on the samerange with proper stocking rateslii Spanish goats are produced for meat, brush control and slaughter ClIld stocker sales. Angor are raised primarily for the production and sale of mohair. They also are useful for brush and wejecli“ and eventually are sold for slaughter. The total mohair clip in 1955 averaged 5.8 pounds per goat. Approximately 94 percent of the sell their mohair through wool 011d mohair warehouses. Although grading and sorting are pra Texas, about 91 percent of the producers marketed their 1955 mohair in the “original bag." Approximately 47 percent oi the producers sell some oi their goats_to neighbors and other inl buyers, but over half oi the total annual volume passes through stockyards and auctions. Appra’ 27 percent oi the producers market their goats through livestock auctions mid about 20 percent Union Stockyards San Antonio. The marketing season starts in March and April and is relatively‘ Types oi goats that slaughter buyers demand range from the young cabrito to the lean, old‘g -l cabrito, a young. fat, suckling kid, usually weighs l0 to 25 pounds. Old goats are preferred because they usually have less fat content in the meat. The dressing percentage oi all goats - L about 37 percent of the total live weight. ' i Some carcass goat meat is sold over the counter like beef, pork and mutton. The cabrito v _ barbecued or baked 011d is becoming more popular with the general public. All boned goat meaf, in the manufacture of processed meats such as frmikfurters, bologna and breakfast sausage. ' " The supply of goats is seasonal mid most producers market their cull and undesirable goats of the price at the time. Appmently there is no short term production or marketing response to prices. Farmers and ranchmen buy and sell goats because oi range conditions and the price oi mohi packers vary their purchases with the spread between prices of goats and canner and cutter co“ Because of the comparatively small goat population, the market supply of goats has’ been ~-- it future Texas goat population may expand substantially. The goat-producing area has expands farmers and ranchmen are raising sheep, cattle and goats together, and the outlook for mohair - __ uses and prices is favorable. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Much of the information for this study was gathered through the help of others. Acknowlql made to G. C. Hagelstein, Sr., president and general manager of Union Stock Yards Smt Antoni‘ associates for their assistance, cooperation and encouragement. The information obtained from and employees of packing plants in San Antonio was helpful and appreciated. Acknowled I made to the mmiagers of livestock auctions in the Texas goat-producing area for their aiding 7 market inionnation, and to the many fanners and ranchmen who supplied much of the data used. * " MAIN PURPOSE 0f this study is to summarize inent information on the marketing and f» ption of Texas goats. Emphasis also is l to the goat population, areas of production, and uses of available markets, the demand ~| uses of goat meat and the factors affect- ices of goats. uch of the information used came from a 1 questionnaire sent to farmers and ranch- iving in the goat-producing areas of Texas. replies were received from 1,135 farmers nchmen operating over 4 million acres and 1 632,550 Angora and 24,358 Spanish (or n) goats. This represents over 25 percent ‘- goat population in Texas as reported in the ¢U.S. Census of Agriculture. Formation on the practices and methods . in marketing goats through livestock ns and Union Stock Yards San Antonio was ‘ed by personal interviews with the mana- .r owners of the establishments. xas, Missouri, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, n, California, Oklahoma and Arkansas are 'ne major goat-producing states, but Texas ~' percent of the total Angora goat popula- n 1955. gora goats were imported to the United 1 from Angora (Ankara, Turkey) as early 9. Colonel W. W. Haupt of Hays county, uced the Angora goat industry to Texas in tthrough the purchase of eight purebred Era. Other pioneer Texas goat breeders in- ~ Jeff Davis Pepper and Virgil A. Brown of rds county. Chas. Schreiner, a banker, ouseman and storekeeper of Kerr county, aged the production of mohair goats. His nce extended over Kerr, Hays, Gillespie and V»: counties. b Davis, formerly county judge of Uvalde I , has worked with the goat industry for ars. Most of the credit for bringing the 'can Goat Breeders’ Association to Texas 0 Mr. Davis. g e Angora goat has a coat of white mohair “is in ringlet or flat locks and corresponds - wool covering of sheep. Angora females .1 under Texas conditions and over 2 years eigh 60 to 100 pounds; the males at the age usually weigh 100 to 150 pounds. The ‘are bright and alert, but the ears of an 4 tively, research assistant and professor, Depart- of Agricultural Economics and Sociology, Texas y, ltural Experiment Station. Marketing Texas Goats A. W. TIEKEN and JOHN G. McNEELY* Angora are drooping and point downward. Both male and female have grayish horns, although there are hornless Angora goats. Horns of the male have an inward spiral twist, inclining back- ward and outward; horns of the female rise up- ward and backward. The Spanish goat sometimes is called the Mexican or common goat by the farmers and ranchmen of Texas. Most of them have a brownish-black coat of short hair (of no market value) with white trim on the head and legs, but the colors range from dull white to black. These animals are larger than the Angora, with similar body conformation, but often are heavier. Horns of the male Spanish goats usually have the same backward and inward spiral twist as those of the Angora buck, but some males and many females do not have horns. Spanish goats have been in the United States for a long time and probably were brought over from Europe by Spanish explorers. There are no known formal writings or literature on the subject. Spanish goats are not a breed in the same sense as Angora goats, Rambouillet sheep or Hereford cattle, but by common parlance the common mixed non-Angora goats of the South- west are called “Spanish.” CONTENTS Summary and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3 Producing Area and Population . . . . . . . . . 4 Goat Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Reasons ior Raising Goats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mohair Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Market Agencies ior Goats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Union Stock Yards San Antonio . . . . . . . . 8 Market Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9 Marketing at Auctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Demand and Use oi Slaughter Goats. . . . .11 Buyers oi Slaughter Goats . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Goats ior Packers and Butchers . . . . . . . . 11 Goat Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Dressing Percent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Uses oi Goat Meat and By-products. . . .13 New Markets ior Goat Meat . . . . . . . . . . .13 Eiiect oi Prices on Supply and Demand. .14 Future oi Goat Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Figure 1. The Angora goat has a valuable coat of white mohair. Spanish goats were used in crossing with the early mohair goats. The Angora buck was crossed with the Spanish doe and in a period 0f five generations the goats were referred to as “full bloods,” having all the characteristics of the grade Angora goat. This practice has been discontinued as the population of Angora goats increased. A widely publicized contest was held in 1922 by the Sheep and Goat Raisers Association of Texas to select a trade name for goat meat com- parable with beef, pork, mutton and lamb. The name chevon was adopted by the association in August 1922. It was accepted by the U.S. De- partment of Agriculture and by Webster’s Dic- tionary. Although campaigns were conducted to get chevon into common usage, it is not widely used by people in the meat processing industry. Figure 2. Most Spanish goats have a brownish-black coat oi short hair with white trim. 4 PRODUCING AREA AND POPULA- In the early 1930’s, goats were concen on the Edwards Plateau of Texas with scattered in the Trans-Pecos, Grand Prair Rio Grande Plain (Figure 3). These dry and hilly with shallow,‘ stony soils, and mostly live oak and shin oak brush as veg overstory. ‘a The goat population increased from 1940 and spread out of the original pro, areas. By 1940, increased goat numbe reported in the West Cross Timber and Plain which lie north and northeast of t wards Plateau. Also in the period, 1930. Spanish goat numbers shifted to more coun the East Texas timber country. , “Other” goats and kids represented 5. cent of the total goat population both i, and 1.940. In 1955, 10.6 percent of the? goat population were goats other than Ang, The major goat-producing area in 1955 * the Edwards Plateau but there had been stantial movement north and northeast g West Cross Timbers and Grand Prairie 4). Edwards County had the highest coun population for the span of 25 years sinc In 1955, it was followed by Kimble, Kerr :1 Verde counties. Some of the counties had large increases in goat population are Mills, Brown, Lampasas, Hamilton, Era Palo Pinto. Goat production in these c2 generally has been profitable and satisfy Much of the land in the West Cross , that was farmed in the 1930’s has revel livestock production. Trees and brush i to this area can be grazed profitably by? Major species include post oak, live oak, and mesquite trees. The topography of j is well suited to goats. In the past 25 years, the number of Texas has fluctuated between a maxi 3,465,000 in 1942 and a minimum of 1, in 1953. The goat population of Texas , was 2,546,000 head, which is about 919, than in 1942 (Table 1). The prelimina i for 1956 is 2,775,000 head, or appro 229,000 more goats in Texas than in 195 From 1947 to 1950, the Texas goat poi dropped almost 1 million head. The d attributable mainly to drouth conditions, grices of mohair helped to cause reduc ers. The drouth in the goat producing a ‘a intensified in 1951. The grazing wit’ dropped and the number of goats on the; decreased. e With drouth conditions still preva' 1954, farmers and ranchmen of the i?‘ Plateau tended to resume goat produc further reduced sheep and cattle numb a i n the early part of 1955, the area still had no , but mohair prices were relatively attractive. s moisture fell in the goat producing area ing the latter part of 1955 and improved conditions. The price of mohair held Tidy. Apparently these conditions are respon- g for the larger goat population in 1956. e exas goats were valued at 14 million dollars anuary 1, 1955, according to the U.S. Depart- of Agriculture, compared with 21 million i: rs for hogs, approximately 54 million dollars iall sheep and 561 million dollars for all cattle. ges in both prices andnumbers have caused t fluctuations in the total value of goats in ’past 25 years. The lowest value of Texas ~ was about 3 million dollars in 1935, with a A of $1.15 per head and a population of ap- imately 2,650,000. Goats were valued at 21 ion dollars in 1951, which was the high, with Q ice of $9.50 per head and a total of 2,233,000 - (Table 1). The preliminary value of the is goats for 1956 is $19,425,000. The population of goats in Texas is more le than the prices because there are many ucers who always run goats on their ranges. ers expand or decrease goat numbers in re- se to environmental and economic situations. The growth of brush, weeds and trees in any , can bring about changes in the total goat ulation. Although most farmers and ranch- I E 1. NUMBER. VALUE PER HEAD AND TOTAL VALUE OF GOATS ON FARMS AND RANCHES. TEXAS. lANUARY 1. 1930-55‘ l Value per head I Total number I Total value Dollars 1.000 hehd 1.000 dollars 4.90 3.117 15.273 3.00 3.110 9.300 1.35 3.225 4.354 1.10 3.000 3.300 1.35 3.200 4.320 1.15 2.650 3.047 2.40 2.700 6.430 3.30 2.390 10.932 2.30 3.050 3.540 2.30 3.142 3.793 13.20 3.205 10.256 3.40 3.397 11.550 4.40 3.465 15.246 3.75 3.350 12.562 4.35 3.316 14.425 4.30 3.443 14.326 4.75 3.276 15.561 5.35 3.112 17.002 5.65 2.956 17,238 4.70 2.306 11.473 5.70 2.163 13.032 9.50 , 2.233 21.214 8.60 2.121 18.241 6.40 l 1.994 12.762 6.60 2.233 14.738 > 5.50 2.546 ‘ 14.003 : 7.00 2.775 19.425 lfcultural Marketing Service. USDA. Austin. Texas. Agri- , ral Estimates. February 2. 1956. iminary. I930 TOTAL ANGORA & KIDS 2,956,584 TOTAL OTHER GOATS 8. KIDS l85,737 STATE TOTAL ' 3,~l42,32| I DOT = 5,000 HEAD Figure 3. Producing area and population oi goats in Texas. by counties. 1930. men tend to increase the number of goats in Wet years, other producers increase during dry years to facilitate land clearing. Goats will give pro- ducers cash returns under drouth conditions. About 73 percent of the producers interviewed gave range conditions as the major factor causing them to change goat numbers. The value of mohair is a factor in the goat population, and 11 percent of the producers con- sider it of primary importance. If the value of mohair was not considered, more producers would be raising Spanish than Angora goats. Other factors that have some influence. on goat numbers are the values of stocker goats and I955 TOTAL ANGORA 8. KIDS 2,268,4l9 TOTAL OTHER GOATS 8. KIDS 27 I .528 STATE TOTAL 2,539,947 I DOT = 5,000 HEAD Figure 4. Producing area and population oi goats in Texas. by counties. 1955. “i? L. 5 goat meat. The combined influence of these two factors as reflected in goat prices cause changes in numbers for 10 percent of the producers. Some farmers and ranchmen are discouraged from raising goats because of the possibility of loss in wet, cold weather. Predatory animals, disease, parasites and poisonous plants are addi- tional deterrents. These risk factors are the major consideration for 6 percent of the pro- ducers. GOAT PRODUCTIQN Angora and Spanish goats play an important part in the agricultural economy of certain areas of Texas. They provide cash returns through the sale of mohair, stockers and slaughter goats and are of considerable value in keeping down the sprout growth of brush and trees on the range. Goats are a browsing type of livestock, and even though they do eat some grass, they seem to prefer buds, fresh leaves, tender twigs of brush and weeds. An area of sprout growth from brush and trees is an ideal goat range. Oaks are probably the most important plant food for goats in Texas. In a dense shin oak or live oak brush range, goats soon clear the under- brush to approximately 5 feet from the ground, leaving the appearance of a clean, Well-kept pas- ture. Goats rear up to browse higher on the trees, using their front feet as supports. Spanish goats, being a little larger than Angoras, usually clear the underbrush up to 6 feet high. Berries of cedars and junipers are eaten by goats in certain seasons of the year, but the leaves are not heavily grazed. Goats will eat the leaves or tear the bark from these trees if the range has been overgrazed for a long time. Many farmersand ranchmen have had their range bulldozed or chained to clear the trees and brush, and goats are used to keep these pastures free of underbrush and sprouts. East vegetative sprout growth that usually appears after bull- dozing is checked or- destroyed by goating the range and permitting the desired native grasses to be developed. ' As grass becomes coarse and tough in the fall, goats tend to eat more brush and less grass. When the brush supply is depleted, some farmers and ranchmen cut small evergreen trees on the range to feed their goats. The animals eat the leaves during the winter and the cut trees supply buds and quick growth for spring feeding. This method gives the goats the nutrients they need and saves more valuable feed for other livestock. In general, there are two ways that goats are grazed. Some farmers and ranchmen graze goats _ over their entire range along with other livestock throughout the year, while other producers rotate their goats from one pasture to another. Since 6 goats seem to prefer the fresh growth, the. rotation plan has an advantage over the method because the brush in some pastur develop while other pastures are being Under proper stocking, both systems are pr successfully. ,- Results of the mailed questionnaire s that Crockett county had the maximum * acres of range per goat. The 12-acre ave ; due mainly to the limestone type of soil a cedar and mesquite brush which predomin this county. Coryell county had the mi if average of 1.6 acres per goat. This coun prairies and timbered hills that are charac of the Grand Prairie of Texas with rich f loam and black soils. The principal sp brush and trees are oak, elm, ash, pecan ' dar. ; Over 95 percent of the goat produce j other livestock on the same range within The usual combination includes goats, sheet‘ smaller number of cattle. A study made I. in Sutton county by the Texas Agricultu- periment Station on grazing combinati goats, sheep and cattle showed that best g 5 returns were achieved when all three " livestock were grazed on the same range. _ Advantages in grazing all three types A stock together are the improvements ma in cattle and sheep production. A slight p‘ body and mohair weight of goats is obtain -. they are grazed with cattle only as compar grazing with both cattle and sheep. Howe‘ gain is not enough to be significant. Sheep tend to have more body weigh and heavier wool when they are grazed wi cattle and goats. Cattle grazed with sh; goats make a slight gain the first 2 -:' the gains become more pronounced du next 3 years. The largest investment in equipment f u; is the fence around the pastures. The us N includes 36 or 42-inch woven-wire fenciv barbed wire above. The woven wire is c, the ground and two or three strands of‘ wire are stapled above, making the tota of the fence about 50 to 60 inches. Som are made of barbed wire only and have i. strands spaced so that the total height is i as woven-wire fence. Goats may form some fence-breaking habits as the results ' or careless fencing on ranges. Care s Y taken in selecting the woven-wire fencing. head and horns of a goat can get caught in} with 6-inch mesh. Fence with diamond‘ mesh is satisfactory for goats. Reasons for Raising Goats Spanish goats are produced for hof consumption, brush control and for sal, usually are for slaughter purposes, u? Spanish goats are purchased as stockerss nd ranchmen who raise Angora goats us- have a few Spanish does on the range to 'de the meat for home slaughter. This meat 6- especially during the shearing and kidding ns to feed the help hiredat this time. _-ngora goats are raised primarily for the ction and sale 0f mohair. They also have value for brush and weed control but usually 0t raised for slaughter purposes. However, of them are eventually sold for this purpose se of age and decreased production of mo- , More Angora than Spanish goats are eted as stockers, but stocker sales are not as rtant financially to the producer as are mo- f, production and the control of brush and pproximately 96 percent of the farmers and - men having goats on their range reported 'ts from their goat operations in 1955. Even _g' 1950-55 when drouth conditions prevailed, ‘producers reported net profits from goat uction. ollowing is a summary showing the portion I oducer’s ranch income received from goat ~= ction. This includes 849 producers in the gr goat-producing area. About half of both l: and small goat raisers in Texas receive more v a fourth and less than a half of their total h income from goats. flPercent of Proportion of total ' goat ranch income producers: ' derived from goats: -_ Less than 1@ 152,6 ______________________ __ 1/4, and less than 1/2 27.6 ......................... .. 1/2 and less than 3/4 15.8 .......................... -- 34 or more ‘ bout 16 percent of the producers received I three-fourths of their income from goats, only 2 percent received all of their ranch in- - g from goat production. The average income ined from goats was 38 percent of the total h' income. Mohair Production Mohair, the fleece of the Angora goats, is one of the most useful of all natural fibers. It dyes easily and retains the color well. Mohair has become popular in blends with synthetic fibers and also is used in combinations of cotton, wool and synthetics. The older and coarser mohair or fleeces are blended with coarse wools and are used in making rugs and upholstery for automobiles, airplanes and furniture. Next important use for coarse mohair is saddle blankets, girths and, to some extent, belting. A better grade of mohair is used in draperies, hats and heavy garment materials. Kid and some yearling hair blended with fine wool are used in men’s and women’s suiting materials, ties and sheer weight evening dresses. The finest kid hair is used for decorative trimming, babies’ and adults’ light sweaters and men’s socks. . In 1955, the cash income from the Texas mo- ~'hair clip was $13,613,000. This is an increase of 33 percent above the $10,218,000 of 1954 as a result of a rise in goat population, average clip per goat and mohair ‘prices (Table 2). The value of 13.6 million dollars for mohair compared favor- ably with the 19.9 million dollars for Texas wool in that same year. The average clip, including both adult and kid hair, increased three fourths of a pound in the 12-year period, 1944-55. This increased pro- duction per goat has been caused mainly by the selection of heavier-fleeced bucks for breeding herds. The fleece weight for the spring clip of Texas in 1955 averaged 3.7 pounds for grown goats and 3.1 pounds for kids. The fall mohair clip averaged 3.9 pounds for grown goats and 2.2 pounds for kids. Total yearly clip averaged 5.8 pounds (Table 2). Angora goats are shorn twice a year and al- most the entire clip is marketed twice a year. Although some farmers and ranchmen contract the sale of their mohair before the shearing season starts, approximately 94 percent of the producers 2. NUMBER OF GOATS CLIPPED, MOHAIR PRODUCTION. AVERAGE PRICE PER POUND AND CASH INCOME RECEIVED BY FARMERS, TEXAS, 1944-55‘ Total clipped Average clip Mohair production Price per pound Cash income 1,000 goats’ Pounds 1,000 pounds Cents 1,000 dollars 3,570 5.1 18,200 61 11,102 3,845 5.3 20,190 56 11,306 3,580 5.0 17,880 62 11,086 3,390 5.1 17,202 54 9,287 2,946 5.1 15,184 46 v 6,985 2,373 5.2 12,314 v 47 5,718 2,350 5.4 12,643 77 9,735 2,294 5.4 12,280 119 14,613 2,125 5.5 11,670 98 11,437 2,167 5.6 12,160 89 10,822 2.56s 5.7 13,997 7a 101218 2,8313 5.8 16,401 83 13,613 ' ultural Marketing Service, USDA, Austin, Texas, March 7, 1956. _ of the goats and kids clipped in the spring and of the kids clipped in the tall. ‘nary. sell through Wool and mohair Warehouses. The other 6 percent sell to other local buyers or directly to mills. Most of the mohair is marketed in burlap bags. The “original bag” Was the earliest market- ing method in Texas, and Was used in 1955 by 91 percent of the producers. Adults and kids are sheared separately and the mohair is put into different bags at the shearing platform because of the premium paidfor kid hair. This premium is due to the fineness of the fiber, extra luster and softness and relative freeness from kemp. The producer brings the bags to the Warehouse Where the mohair is Weighed and sold. In mohair, the kemp is generally coarse, dull- white, stiff hair which may be interspersed with the true mohair fibers. Kemp fibers Which may be short or long, are more prevalent in unim- proved goats than they are in the more highly bred Angora. This type of hair is undesirable in cloth manufacturing and its removal, through proper breeding, improves the quality of the mo- hair clip. In grading mohair, each fleece is separated into different grades based on the fineness or quality of the hair and length of staple. The hair usually is divided into three or four parts such as the fleece from the shoulder, side and thigh. In sorting mohair, the fleece is picked and torn apart. The lock or locks of mohair on the thigh that are of the same fineness and texture as the lock on the shoulder are picked out and placed together, and so on. By sorting, some of the mohair of an older goat may have enough fineness to pass as kid na1r and a better average price may be obtained. The same method results in some of the kid mohair being graded as adult hair because of coarseness. Most of the Wool and mohair Warehouses in Texas do not grade and sort the mohair prior to sale. MARKET AGENCIES FOR GOATS Kansas City Was an important market for both stocker and slaughter goats early in this century. After 1918, when packers Were required Figure 5. Some goats must be graded and sorted before they are sold. 8 ' Texas sell some of their goats to neighbo?’ iApproximately 27 percent market their‘ by law to label the carcasses “goat “goat” rather than mutton, the goat trad creased at this market. Direct shipme goats from Texas to Kansas City dropped; 9,027 head in 1924 to only 300 head in 1927‘ Almost from the beginning of the Stock Yards San Antonio in 1889, a fewer: were sold and weighed in the cattle divisio the late 1920’s and early 1930’s the volume receipts increased to a point requiring addi facilities. In 1937, all goat and sheep Q were moved to a separate division. a l-Ar-P-r-QIPIP! t1": FD Development of an outlet for slaughte stocker goats brought increased volume additional buyers. In 1940, the U. S. Depa i of Agriculture required this market to counted separately from sheep and quote prices :1 in official market news reports. It has con é to be the major pricing point for goats that time. ' Approximately 47 percent of the produe ,- other individual buyers. Most of them than 250 goats and the annual total num goats marketed by each producer is .1 through the livestock auctions and about 2 cent use Union Stock Yards San Antonio. of half of the total volume of goats sold a passes through auctions and stockyards y g these types of markets are used by both lalf small producers. Producers who sell di the packer or butcher represent only 6 of the total number of producers. ‘ ' Most goats are shipped to market in p or larger trucks. Less than 1 percent r producers ship by rail. Pickup trucks usua owned by the producers, but about 10 hire pickups to transport their goats to j Approximately 30 percent of the produce q raise goats have their own large trucks. usually are the producers having over 500; plus other livestock on their range. The 5 hire large trucks when the size of th justifies it. Stocker and slaughter goats are the two types marketed. Stocker goats are kids, wethers that are young enough to put w the range for kid or mohair production‘. goats consist of mature animals marketed :1 ing or carcass goats and kids marketed as goats. Union. Stock Yards San Antonio Goats that arrive at Union Stock Ya unloaded, counted and put into pens assist‘ the producer’s market selling agency, thl mission company. Several individuals, ships, corporations and a cooperative ass lLeWis, George M., An Analysis of Shipments 0, Sheep and Goats, Bureau of Business Research, versity of Texas Bulletin 3034, September 8, lite in this capacity. Each marketing agency lly has one or two salesmen who specialize eep and goat selling. he marketing agency counts and grades 0r . the goats. They are separated for differ- ; in age, condition or type to get uniform "ps. This makes them more attractive to and results in a better average price for onsignment. If the goats appear, to be uni- _, no sorting is necessary. ach buyer makes his bid for the pen of goats 4 he has his turn. After the goats are sold - are weighed and counted at the scales. ransportation charges (if any), yardage i: and commission charges are deducted from lling price. Under the Texas Railroad Com- ion tariff, a truck, where no weights are lable, will move livestock 100 miles for 39 - per mile. A 3 percent tax on the total ht charge is added. Yardage fee at the 1 Stock Yard is 17 cents per goat. If the ‘als are fed, the feed cost is added to the age charge. he commission charge is determined by the i number of head in each consignment and the ; per head decreases as the number of head ses. The commission charge is set and lated by the Federal Government and is sub- to change every 2 years, but actually is not » changed. Commission charges for goats in Union Stock Yards San Antonio, in 1955 Commission Consignments per head, cents f One head only ....................................... _.50 j First 25 head in each f 250 head in each consignment ....... -.30 5 Next 50 head in each ' 250 head in each consignment ....... _.25 ‘ Next 75 head in each A 250 head in each consignment _______ -.20 J Next 100 head in each 250 head in each consignment ....... -.12 A or a consignment of 250 goats, the total | ission charge is $47.00, and the total yard- age fee at 17 cents per head is $42.50, for a com- bined total of $89.50 for marketing service and facilities. Two possible advantages in marketing goats at the Union Stock Yards are the service received from the marketing agencies and the concentra- tion of buyers. Since most of the goat producers are over 50 miles from San Antonio, the distance that must be traveled before reaching the market is a disadvantage. Transportation cost increases as the distance traveled increases. Shrinkage also increases somewhat with distance but is greatest within the first few miles. MARKET SEASON Monthly and annual salable receipts of goats at the Union Stock Yards San Antonio are shown in Table 3. These figures have been affected considerably by the prolonged drouth occurring in the major goat producing areas during the past 6 years. Annual receipts also declined con- siderably after 1949 as a result of low mohair prices which brought about liquidation of great numbers of goats. The main season for goat marketing starts in March and April and the volume is relatively steady through July. Larger volumes of goats are marketed in August, September and October than in other months. The smallest number of goats are marketed through the Union Stock Yards in December, January and February. The number of goats marketed increases in the spring and fall because farmers and ranchmen are working with their goats during these sea- sons. Angora does kid in the spring and all Angora goats are shorn in thespring and fall. Since goats are handled at shearing and usually at kidding time, culls and surplus goats are sorted and sent to the markets at that time. - This saves the farmer or ranchman the trouble and time of penning the goats again at a later date. Marketing of Angora goats, producing both mohair and meat, varies more than does that of Spanish goats. The Spanish goat is used for meat and the volume of marketing in the San Antonio market usually is fairly steady with a slight increase in volume in the spring and fall. TABLE 3. SALABLE RECEIPTS OF GOATS. BY MONTHS, UNION STOCK YARDS SAN ANTONIO. 1946-55‘ Ian. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Iune Iuly Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total i ._._. i __ i i ._. — i i — — Number _ i i ._. i i ¥ i i ..._ _- _. 3.681 5.149 6.734 9.785 10.051 13.506 14.242 21.080 36.141 21.842 7.601 6.725 156.537 2.887 4.897 4.105 9.425 7.932 3.097 12.065 28.623 45.916 25.083 12.772 13.313 170.115 11.049 17.197 30.286 31.744 37.415 37.337 25.316 62.319 66.691 51.542 a 36.249 21.625 428.770 11.835 15.878 __ 13.911 10.707 18.077 22.063 23.929 38.802 32.846 17.440 11.901 ‘ 8.217 225.606 9.934 4.928 f 4.752 5.242 7.818 2.933 4.269 15.171 12.109 7.094 3.939 4.163 82.352 5.707 5.298 ' 5.847 7.604 4.509 5.250 7.745 15.565 20.764 24.793 8.299 4.166 115.547 6.537 2.735 4.205 4.948 2.936 2.598 4.252 12.250 15.937 7.680 3.917 1.942 69.937 1.335 2.817 4.438 4.381 3.660 5.282 7.715 14.306 13.534 6.817 6.622 2.194 73.101 3.537 2.649 7.523 4.894 6.209 7.417 7.351 21.000 14.805 6.199 4.897 4.170 90.651 3.333 2.604 4.661 5.527 8.126 5.721 5.441 10.646 12.198 8.504 7.027 3.235 77.023 ~ 59.835 64.152 86.462 94.257 106.733 105.204 112.325 239.762 270.941 176.994 103.224 69.750 1.489.639 Iket News Branch. Agricultural Marketing Service. USDA. San Antonio 6. Texas. TABLE 4. ANNUAL SALES OF GOATS AT MILLS COUNTY COMMISSION COMPANY. 1951-55 Year Number 1951 79.096 1952 88.210 1953 98.950 1954 140.518 1955 , ' 151.599 Another factor causing farmers and ranch- men to cull and market their goats is the condition of their ranges. When the number of head in- creases to the carrying capacity of the range, culls and surplus goats are sent to market. The weather helps determine this carrying capacity. When rainfall has been low over a period of time the capacity of the range decreases and the pro- ducer curtails the number of animal units carried. The price of mohair also is considered when marketing Angora goats. When the price is up and the future seems favorable, there is an in- creased demand for stocker goats, tending to raise prices. When the price of mohair is down, the demand for stocker goats declines and the supply of slaughter goats tends to increase. Marketing at Auctions In November 1955, there were 19 livestock auctions located in the goat producing area of Texas. About half of these auctions were used by producers in marketing goats. The livestock auction that handles the largest volume of goats is located in Mills county at Goldthwaite. Annual salable receipts of goats in this live- stock auction have increased considerably during Figure 6. Farmers and rcmchmen compare the pens oi goats at the Mills County Commission Company's-ll Goldthwaite before going inside to bid. 10 the past 5 years. Salable receipts at the County Commission Company during the 1; years are shown in Table 4. Some other important goat auction p are in Kerrville, Uvalde, Fredericksburgj pasas and San Saba. a Although slaughter type goats are s each sale, over half of the goats that go t a livestock auction usually are stockers. I Goats are brought to the auction in a t I pickup and trailer and are tagged, unl counted and driven into holding pens. Th moved to a cutting chute where they are", by market employees just before enteri sales ring. The auction owner or his repr tive usually checks the animals’ ages and buyers obvious facts about them. * Since the auction operator usually s :5 bidding, he buys some of the stock durl market day if the opening bid is too hig opening bid usually is just below the p selling price. This shortens the bidding ti speeds up the sale. Buyers usually represented at auctions farmers and ranchmen, packers, local y; and livestock dealers. l ‘ If the goats are sold by the pound, weighed and put in holding pens for the] If they are sold by the head, weights are? A quired. The owner may choose to accept the f' and sell the stock, or he may take the goa if the selling price is unsatisfactory. . i m 5. VOLUME OF STOCKER AND SLAUGHTER GOATS FORWARDED BY RAIL AND TRUCK FROM UNION STOCK YARDS. SAN ANTONIO. 1955‘ By truck _ For local Others including ' BY M11 slaughter other packers and Total Packers Butchers stocker buyers — — — — — Number — — — — — -0— 1.513 502 1.344 _ 3.359 —-0- 695 675 276 1.646 188 2.549 740 1.858 5.335 -0— 2.410 817 2.110 5.337 -0— 3.859 780 2.394 7.033 740 3.181 888 a 311 7.920 -0— 2.218 424 3.219 5.861 -0— 4.997 639. 4.064 9.700 655 7.667 473 4.310 13.105 —0—— 5.068 452 2.758 8.278 250 3.313 159. 3.951 7.673 -0— 1.980 314 971 3.265 1.833 39.450 6.863 30.366 78.512 __'hed by Union Stock Yards San Antonio he producer is required to pay a yardage and ,. ission fee at auctions, but it usually is com- . in one charge. The charges are not uni- among auctions. Some charge by the head, 5 or 30 cents each, and others charge a per- l=ge of the gross receipts. An extra charge i feed is added if feed is used. The Mills i. ty Commission Company charges 30 cents each pair of does and kids, 30 cents for each le up to 10 goats and 20 cents per head for onsignments over 1O goats. A shipment of goats at this auction would cost the producer a 00 for commission and yardage. DEMAND AND USE OF SLAUGHTER GOATS All goats qualify for the slaughter type ification. Although stocker goats usually are young enough to be put on the range for puction purposes, they may be classified as hter goats by packers and butchers at kets. Packers and butchers buy Spanish or ora, young or old, and fat or lean goats for fghter purposes. 1 ers oi Slaughter Goats hree meat packing companies in San Antonio more slaughter goats than all other buyers “bined. The Melton Provision Packing Com- , , San Antonio Packing Company and Apache ing Company, all located in San Antonio, ht about 50 percent of the goats sold at San Anio in 1955 (Table 5). Most of the slaughter goats are bought ugh the Union Stock Yards San Antonio and ugh public auctions located in the goat pro- ing area. Some direct buying from individuals 'ne by packers. eceipts at the stockyards have been decreas- so that the packer cannot satisfy his demands buying through the central market alone. To . enough goats and maintain business oper- ations, the large goat slaughtering plants buy goats at stockyards, auctions and on individual ranches. Improved highways, truck transpor- tation and greater convenience for the ranchmen have favored decentralized goat marketing. Other packers in San Antonio and surrounding areas operating at smaller capacity usually buy 50 to 250 goats at a time. These packers regulate their buying according to the price of goats, demand and time of the year, and do not follow a steady buying procedure. If goat meat is not in good demand at the time, the meat is stored for future use. Packers buy goats when prices are favorable and possible Pkofit. can be realized after slaughter and storage costs are deducted. This type of packer gets in and out of the goat market, depending on the demand for and price of goat meat. During the last part of December, January and part of February, some packers use goats as a filler between heavy runs of cattle. Goats are the cheapest type of livestock that can be processed to keep the labor busy and help pay the operating cos s. Some of the slaughter goats in the stockyards, auctions and on farms and ranches are bought by local butchers. Butchers usually buy 1 to 50 head at a time. The goats are retailed as carcass meat or used in sausage manufacturing. The cabrito type of goat is bought by packers, butchers and individualsThis 8 to 10-Weeks-old goat, Weighing 10 to 25 pounds, is a young, fat, suckling kid. There is some difference of opinion among individuals as to the age and weight of a cabrito, but after reaching 25 pounds, the meat tends to lose the kid flavor. Goats tor Packers and Butchers The packer intending to bone goat carcasses perfers lean, drawn goats to other types because of the specifications established by buyers of Figure 7. Many wethers or mutton-type goats are sold to packers through the Union Stock Yards-San Antonio. 11 boned goat meat. Some require not more than 5 t0 8 percent fat content in the meat, others permit 15 to 20 percent fat content. The packer looks for goats free of disease and bruises. This is reflected in the price offered for the animals since bruised portions and diseased animals are unusable. Butchers look for goats in good flesh. Most of their retail sales are cuts from the carcass or the fat cabritos. Butchers provide the goat meat and cabrito used by the consumers for barbecue and baked meat dishes. Although goat meat dishes are becoming more popular with the general public, most of the present consumers are Latin-Americans. The consumers prefer tender meat from a young goat in good condition to the meat of a mature goat. Butchers compete against the packer and stocker buyers for young goats in good flesh. Goat Processing After the goats have been bought by the meat packing companies, they are moved from the market to the packing plant. Most all shipments from stockyards, auctions and individuals are made by truck. Goats are placed in pens which usually are located in back of the packing plant and are held in these pens until driven into the plant. Then the goats are forced into a small area where a man,icalled a “shackler,” grabs one leg of the goat and hooks it on a moving hoist. The hoist lifts the hook and goat up and automatically places the goat on the bleeding rail. After the ‘goat has been stuck and bled, the hook is removed and the goat is placed on a swivel hook conveyer. The goat is now hanging by both hind feet on the swivel hooks. The con- veyer brings the goat to the “rumper,” who re- moves the pelt from around the tail and down Figure 8. The cabrito type of goat is bought by packers, butchers and individuals. 12 to the rump of the goat. The “backer” gra goat and drops the pelt to the shoulders. * same time, the “sider” removes the pelt fr, flanks. The goat is turned and the “bre crew takes the hide off the breast. The’, dropper” finishes the job of removing t and cuts the skin off just above the head. i The goat is run through a water spray is washed before the next procedure is sta A “gutter” opens the goats from the p, the brisket and the viscera are removed a, in a pan on an automatic conveyer-type‘? The conveyer table is moving at the same“ 1 speed as the conveyer so that the goat and , will remain side by side. The “breaster”r_ the brisket and removes the “pluck” whic sists of the liver, heart and lungs. This is on a small pan in back of the viscera pan. f. If the packing plant is under Fede_ spection, the inspector will then check, t , carcass, viscera and the pluck for abnor Some of the causes for a goat to be condemf meat purposes are: * 1. Carcasses showing well-marked (puss pockets in the glands) on the visce bones are rejected. Very slight lesions on carcass may pass without restrictions. 2. A well-nourished carcass with well-i; lesions on the viscera and bones is cond A well-nourished carcass with only slight: in one part of the carcass may pass g spections. The infected area is remov the carcass. " 3. Animals having diseases or conditio A as pneumonia, emaciation, icterus (carcass ing yellow or green color), pyemia (absces 1 the carcass) are condemned by the =fv spectors. e All condemned meats are denatured by ‘ the meat in small strips and by pouring i acid over the strips. Such meat is sold f, mercial fertilizer companies. After inspections are completed, ,tlii is removed and the horns are sawed of a head is placed on a table where the ton} cheeks are removed. The carcass is wash with water under pressure, trimmed andt , red from the hooks to “trees.” Several go be hung on one “tree.” The carcasses are washed once more, and put in a chilling room for 24 hours bef meat is deboned. Chilled meat permits; handling and processing. The bones are r and the meat is put in 110 to IZO-poundf; The filled boxes go into the freezer whe‘ are stored until sold. ~ . r If the carcass is to be sold whole, it i ferred from the chilling room to the freeziri partment and remains there until sold.- ey-products of goats include: bones, offal, Y, lungs, heart, tripe, tongue, cheeks, hide and k The brains are not used and usually are with the hoofs and horns to rendering plants. hysical facilities for processing by-products not available in the packing plants, the offal is to rendering plants and the pelts are sent to _* companies. I . 'ng Percent he dressing percent of goats in a packing it is not determined on each individual but is Eaverage for the total number bought and hed at one time. Normally top slaughter "v will dress 40 to 43 percent of the live weight. ; percentage is calculated by using market r- weight and carcass weights before chilling. . average dressing percent of all goats is ap- ézimately 37 percent. Normal chilling shrink- ‘is about 2.5 to 3 percent of the total live ht. This shrinkage varies with the length ime the carcass remains in the chilling room, ‘amount of water retained in the carcass from hing and the condition of the meat. Meat can ‘wet” or “dry.” “Wet” meat is caused by the y al eating fresh green grass or succulent wth. There is more water in the “wet” meat, f e there will be more chilling shrinkage. _, ” meat can be expected if the animals have been on a range with new succulent growth. he carcasses are allowed to remain in the ing room longer than 24 hours the chilling 'nkage will increase. he meat retained after the boning process I be 65 percent to 70 percent of the dressed . ss weight. There will be another 1 percent _'nkage in the freezing room. Following is a hypothetical tabulation of aver- ' live weight, dressing percent and shrinkage y ature slaughter goats. It does not represent figures of any packing company mentioned his study. g Average live weight, pounds .......... ..90.0 . Dressing percent ................................ .-40.0 . Weight of the carcass, pounds __________ __36.0 ' Chilling shrinkage at 3% .................. _- 2.7 l’ Adjusted weight of carcass, » pounds ............................................ ..33.3 Boning percent .................................. __70.0 ‘ Weight of meat, pounds .................. --23.3 Freezing shrinkage at 1% ' of meat weight .............................. .. .2 1 Net weight of meat, pounds ............ .-23.1 l.- oi Goat Meect and By-products ‘ The carcass goat meat is sold over the counter .t like beef, pork and lamb. Most of the goat t is sold near the border of Mexico. There little demand for goat meat in most of the ited States. The cabrito is a delicacy that is becoming more popular with the general public. The bulk of the cabritos are barbecued or baked in an oven with the heart, liver and lungs. The cabrito can be bought on the range, at markets or butcher shops and is served in many hotels and cafes. All of the boned goat meat is used in the manufacture of processed meats such as frank- furters, bologna and breakfast sausage. The meat is dry, lean and absorbs more water than other meats and is, therefore, well suited for pro- cessed meats. Boned goat meat is not used alone but is mixed with pork, beef or mutton. Each sausage maker has his own formula. As a rule, not over 25 percent of the sausage is goat meat. If goat meat has been used in preparing the consumer’s product, it must be listed on the label. Markets for boned goat meat are largely in the San Antonio vicinity, in other parts of Texas and in the northeastern and Western parts of the United States. The heart, liver and lungs of a grown goat are called the “pluck” and the heart, liver and lungs of the cabrito are called “a set of haslets.” The “plucks” are used in making dog food and “the set of haslets” usually are sold with the cabrito. The viscera is ripped and washed by the pack- ing plant before it is sold with the bones, horns and hoofs to fertilizer manufacturers or rendering plants. Goat pelts are used in all types of leather products such as boot linings, billfolds, gloves, hand bags and belts. Some of the large pelts are sent to Mexico where they are used as heads on snare drums. Goat pelts are much stronger than sheep pelts and the Spanish goat has a sturdier pelt than the Angora. If proper facilities are available, the pelts are cleaned, washed and stored in a salt brine solution. If these facilities are not available, the pelts are sold to hide companies. Although the packer is not concerned with the hair on the goats, it is listed as a by-product and has proved to be of some value to him. If the goats are in hair, they are clipped before slaugh- ter and the mohair is sold. Other by-products include rennets, tripe, cheeks and tongues. The tripe, the first and second divisions of the stomach, is an edible offal and is used as a food. The cheek and tongue are used in barbecue. Most of these by-products are sold in the San Antonio area- and South Texas near the border of Mexico. The rennets formerly were used in making commercial cheese but the process is now done with synthetics and rennets now have no value. New Markets for Goat Meat A small percentage of the goat meat is ex- ported to countries south of the United States. l3 The movement is still in the beginning stage, but larger markets may be developed‘ for the meat. The demand is for a goat carcass that is a little heavier than cabrito, but lighter than a mature goat, and must be young, healthy and in fair flesh. The meat is always sold as a carcass rather than as boned goat meat, and is shipped after it has been frozen at the packing plant. At the present time, the demand for this type of goat is greater than the supply. Although cabrito has been served in many hotels and cafes for the past 1O to 15 years, it still is a relatively new use of goat meat. Most of the eating establishments that serve cabrito are located in the San Antonio area and near the border of Mexico. Because of lack of acquaint- ance with and prejudice against goat meat, very few menus in other parts of Texas and in other states list cabrito. The cabrito is a tasty meat and is liked by most people who have eaten it. Goat meat in general might soon be recognized by the public as a palatable meat, if a start were made by introducing cabrito on the menus of more leading hotels and cafes. Public acceptance, plus the good taste of a properly prepared dish, might create an increased demand. The major limiting factor in the introduction of cabrito on cafe menus is the inadequate supply DOLLARS PER I00 LBS. _. _ H of young goats. However, an increase i1; mlght cause more farmers and ranchm market cabritos instead of older goats. EFFECT OF PRICES ON SUPPLY AND DEMAND From the beginning of ‘goat production i United States, the total population of goa 1 been small as compared with other types o stock, and the market supply has been small. More packing companies could use goa z source of meat for processing if the suppl i adequate. The only packers at this time W y make extensive and efficient use of goats a '_ ones located in San Antonio, where the sup slaughter goats is concentrated. The dem these few packers and butchers does not 5 the“ market prices of goats in the same 7' would a broader demand situation. An in in the supply could induce more buye f slaughter goats and the use of goat meat increase. c The greatest volume of salable recei Union Stock Yards San Antonio was in, 1948 and 1949, and there was an incr prices of goats during this same period (» 9). Prices continued to increase during THOU OF If 24.00 GOAT RECEIPTS -\ 22.00 — 20.00 - |e.oo— ' l ,’\(- CANNER mo Curran PRICE 16.05 14:00 - , |z,oo— iopo "- $.00 l 6 .00 4.00 — 2.00 — I I I I I I I I o I 9.47 I 9.48 19114 I945 nels Receipts oi salable goats and average monthly prices of short goats and Canner and Cutter co ~ From Market News Branch. U. S. Department of Agriculture. San Antonio. l9l43 Figure 9. Stock Yards—San Antonio 1943-55. 14 I949 l9‘50 |9ls| noise 1953 .934 was it {but the supply of goats dropped con- ly. In 1951, there were 2,233,000 goats s, yet the high goat prices did not influence ducers to market any more of their goats. f producers, the goats on the range were ntly worth more “for brush and weed l and mohair production than at the i - increase in receipts of goats in San ['0 from 1947 to 1949 was caused by= a com- .1 of factors. The average annual price of r dropped to 54, 46 and 47 cents, respective- 'ng‘ these years. Prior to 1947, the ranges __verstocked. The falling price of mohair ny overstocked ranges, plus a correspond- "vorable market price for goats, caused 'ers to ship many of their goats to market. e demand of farmers and ranchmen for .. goats is not affected greatly by the price g When they need goats on their ranges e a well balanced livestock program they _. will buy the quantity needed without re- to price. Many contract for goats a year ‘ Most of the contracts are verbal and y are for the next year’s kid crop, a stated ,r of goats that will be 2 year olds, and so t the price usually is not determined until ats are transferred. $1 prices of cabrito goats remain relatively from year to year and usually are $3.00 3,0 per head. Only in 1950, 1951 and 1952 all goat prices were high, did the average » ly prices of cabritos go over $5.00 a head. _~ uctuations of supply and demand have not ed the price of cabrito goats. i purchases more on the spread of prices be- p». goats and canner and cutter cows than on prices alone. The high degree of correlation en the prices of goats and prices of canner a were used so that the value of mohair on oats would not affect the price comparison. ckers in San Antonio who buy goats, base p utter cows is shown in Figure 9. Shorn goat ' Prices paid for low grade cows in the past 10 years have been above the prices paid for goats, but the spread between the two prices varies. As the spread increases, some packers increase their purchases of’ goats. Their uses for boned cow meat are ‘similar to those for boned goat meat,_and packers can substitute one for the other. FUTURE OF GOAT PRODUCTION Texas may experience substantial increases in goat population in the future. Each year more farmers and ranchmen are realizing that their cattle and sheep production can be made more efficient by grazing goats on the same range under proper stocking rates on each class of livestock. The goats may be both useful and profitable. The movements of goats from the Edwards Plateau to the West Cross Timbers has increased the goat-producing area of the State. When drouth conditions are alleviated, goats can be produced economically in both sections and goat population will increase. i The trend in fabrics seems to be towards com- bining high quality natural fibers with certain synthetics. The result has been an improved price for mohair. The number of markets and warehouses, in the goat-producing areas of Texas has increased, and in 1955 farmers and ranchmen had near-by markets for both their goats and mohair. Pro- ducers are benefited by the constant improvement of services rendered from stockyards, livestock auctions and wool and mohair warehouses. Soil conservation and range improvement have been some of the policies of governmental agencies. By destroying the undesirable growth, goats tend to fit into these governmental pro- grams. 15 w State-wide Researc * The Texas Agricultural Experiment St p: is the public agricultural research age Location of field research units in Texas main- oi the State oi Texas’ and is one of if tained by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Ta Station and cooperating agencies - pGIlS Oil the TGXGS COHGQG IN THE MAIN STATION, with headquarters at College Station, are 16 subject-matter departments, departments, 3 regulatory services and the administrative staff. Located out in the major agricultur of Texas are 21 substations and 9 field laboratories. In addition, there are 14 cooperating stations’ by other agencies. Cooperating agencies include the Texas Forest Service, Game and Fish Comm” Texas, Texas Prison System, U. S. Department of Agriculture, University of Texas, Texas Technolo» lege and the King Ranch. Some experiments are conducted on farms and ranches and in rural horn RESEARCH BY THE TEXAS STATION is organized by programs and projects. A program of resear, sents a coordinated effort to solve the many problems relating to a common objective or situation. search project represents the procedures for attacking a specific problem within a program. THE TEXAS STATION is conducting about 550 active research projects, grouped in 25 programs clude all phases of agriculture in Texas. Among these are: conservation and improvement of servation and use of water in agriculture; grasses and legumes for pastures, ranges, hay, conserv improvement of soils; grain crops; cotton and other fiber crops; vegetable crops; citrus and other l; cal fruits; fruits and nuts; oilseed crops—other than cotton; ornamental plants—including turf; weeds; insects; plant diseases; beef cattle; dairy cattle; sheep and goats; swine; chickens and tur; mal diseases and parasites; fish and game on farms and ranches; farm and ranch engineering; 4;: ranch business; marketing agricultural products; rural home economics; and rural agricultural wi Two additional programs are maintenance and upkeep, and central services. ‘Y RESEARCH RESULTS are carried to Texas farm and ranch owners and homernakers by specialists a agents of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.