Angora Goats
A Small-Scale Agriculture Alternative
USDA Department of Agriculture
Cooperative State Research Service
Office for Small-Scale Agriculture
Angora goats may be the most efficient fiber
producers on Earth. These makers of mohair came from and were
named after Ankara (Angora before 1930), the Turkish province
where they have thrived for centuries. Turkey guarded these goats
against exportation until 1849 when seven does and two bucks were
imported into the United States. Later, more were imported from
Turkey and South Africa, the two principal mohair producers in
the 19th century.
But now the United States has become one of the two biggest producers
(along with South Africa) of mohair Ñ the long, lustrous, wavy
hair that goes into fine garments. The other primary fiber from
goats is cashmere (see "A Small-Scale Agriculture Alternative,
Cashmere Goats", December, 1992. But crossing Angora with cashmere goats results in a fiber called
cashgora, with very limited use and characteristics of neither
fine fiber.
The two goat types also differ in temperaments. The angoras are
relaxed and docile, while cashmere and/or Spanish meat
goats are often flighty and high strung. Angora
goats, which do produce mohair, do not produce Angora hair. Only
rabbits can produce Angora hair.
Although Angora goats are somewhat delicate, they grow their fleeces
year-round. This puts considerable strain on the animal, and probably
contributes to their lack of hardiness.
About 90 percent of the U.S. mohair clip originates in Texas,
but the goats are raised across wide areas of the United States.
They adapt well to many conditions, but are particularly suited
to the arid southwestern states. Central and southwestern Texas
have all the major mohair warehouses.
Shear Twice a Year
Angora goats are sheared twice a year, before breeding and
before kidding. The hair grows about 3/4 of an inch a month, and
adult hair should be 4-6 inches long at shearing. Shearing most
often follows the method developed by Mexican shearers, with the goats
lying down with legs tied. Shearing should be done on a clear-swept
floor or sheet of plywood.
Care should be given to keep mohair clean and free from contaminants, such as weeds,
grass seeds, and urine. Buyers severely discount unclean hair and
hair showing second cuts. After shearing, fleeces should be bagged separately
in 6-foot burlap bags. Polyethylene bags or
poly twine are not acceptable.
Each bag should show the grower's name marked with a permanent-ink
felt-tip pen. Each bag should be tagged, and contain only one fleece type clearly
marked with one of the following: kid, yearling, young adult, adult, buck, and stained with
spring or fall clip. Special problems, such as burrs or coarse,
extra long, or short fleece, should also be listed on the tag.
Buyers slit the bag's side when inspecting before buying. Sellers
must be sure to present a uniform product.
An adult goat usually will produce 8 to 16 pounds of mohair a
year. Kid mohair should be 4 inches long, is finer than adult hair, and may yield
3 to 5 pounds a year. Mohair fiber diameter ranges from 20 to
40 microns.
If kemp fiber (long, straight, hollow, and brittle) shows up on
any goats, especially along the backbone and thighs, such
animals should be culled, as suggested by the U. S. Mohair Marketing
Board. Kemp fiber breaks easily and does not readily accept dye.
The U. S. Government has a direct-payment program for mohair producers
to help maintain a viable industry. The direct payment through
the U. S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Stabilization
and Conservation Service (ASCS) is based on the difference between
the national average market price and a support price. In one
recent year, producers received an average of $2.475 for every
dollar's worth of mohair marketed. Details can be found at ASCS
offices in many counties.
Selecting Bucks
Bucks should be chosen for body conformation and fine hair.
Preferred are open-faced bucks not blinded by hair. Bucks should
be left with does for 6 weeks. Angora goats are seasonally in
estrus. The normal breeding season is from late September into
December.
The gestation period for goats is usually 150 days, but it can
vary several days each way. Kids are usually dropped from late
February through April or early May. Twins may account for 40
percent of births, with a much lower percentage being triplets.
Fiber Comes First
Angora goats have high nutrient requirements and give nutritional
advantage to fiber growth at the expense of other demands. Meeting
nutritional needs should be the producer's main concern. Range
forage of browse and forbs, protein supplements, grain and crop
residues, and cereal crop pastures can help supply needed nutrients
for growth and reproduction.
Goats, which are browsing animals, can be pastured with sheep and cattle, since
each species prefers different plants. Goats prefer brush, tree
leaves, and rough plants. They can improve pasture, clear reforestation
areas, control leafy spurge, and destroy multiflora roses, red
cedars, sand burs, knapweed, hound's tongue, Canadian thistle,
sagebrush, buckbrush, giant ragweed, sunflowers, and many other
weeds.
When growing plants are not available, Angora goats need supplemental
hay and may also need supplemental grain. While gaining at breeding time, young does
should weigh at least 55 pounds (sheared weight) and mature does
at least 75 pounds. Does need extra feed before and after breeding so
fetuses can develop hair follicles.
During pregnancy and lactation, does need almost 1/2 pound of
crude protein daily. Supplemental feeding must start as soon as
does begin to lose weight and condition. Improved nutrition brings
more and better big-growth kids and heavier fleeces. Poor nutrition
is the leading cause of abortion and poor mothering. Young or
lighter-weight goats are most subject to abortion. Stress from
disease, moving long distances, or cold wet weather also cause
abortions.
Goats should be given adequate nutrition before and after shearing.
Angora goats must be able to take shelter from wet and cold. Great
death loss can occur without shelter for 4 to 6 weeks after shearing.
Unlike sheep, goats do not carry layers of body fat.
Kidding on the Range
Due to lack of labor and facilities, large herds are usually
kidded on the range, while many small herds use a more intensive
confinement system. For open-range kidding, small pastures with
shelter, centrally located watering and supplement feeding areas,
and bedding spots reduce numbers of lost kids.
Angora does and kids should be undisturbed for several weeks,
since does may abandon their kids. When goats are moved, pastures
should be rechecked for kids.
An even more intensive kidding system uses buildings, small individual
stalls, heat lamps, and feeder space. This "system kidding"
can be done earlier in the year but is much more labor intensive
and therefore more expensive. But a larger kid crop can be realized
with good management. Before kidding, does should be outdoors
except in cold or wet weather or at night; this helps keep bedding
clean and dry and encourages needed exercise.
As does kid, they should be moved into stalls and kids' navels
treated with 7 percent iodine. C and D antitoxin should be given.
Cold kids will not try to suck and may need a heat lamp. When
warm, they will usually suck by themselves but may need help to
begin. Angora kids, very sensitive to cold, can die within a short
time if too chilled. Immersion in warm water to speed restoration
of body temperature and then thoroughly drying may save severely
chilled kids.
After identification with matching paint or ear tags, well-fed
does and kids can be moved to group pens or holding areas. Twins
and triplets should not be grouped with singles since stronger
kids often rob milk from usually smaller multiple-birth kids.
Groups should contain kids of similar age.
Parasites Trouble Goats
Among goats, major health problems are internal and external
parasites, coccidiosis (in kids before and after weaning), and
pneumonia. A good health care program includes vaccination for
most diseases and should be established between a grower and a
veterinarian.
Goats' hooves may need to be trimmed, depending on walking conditions.
Rocky ground may eliminate the need for trimming.
Goats may need special 4-foot-high fencing to keep them in and keep
predators out. Goats like to go under or through obstacles. Five-wire
electric fences, with three wires hot and two grounded, make a
good system. Woven-wire fences may be used with the addition of
a 12-inch "outrigger" electric wire about 12 inches
above the ground. Small-mesh fencing also may be used.
Horns caught in the fence or the crotch of a tree become life-threatening,
not only from predators but also from other goats. While most
goats are not aggressive toward humans, they are not always kind
to other goats and in seconds can do serious or lethal damage
with their horns. A goat raiser may find horns useful Ñ as handles.
For safety, both for the handler and for other animals, horns'
sharp points may be clipped, using a bolt cutter or similar device.
Additional Resources
Mohair Council of America
P.O. Box 5337
San Angelo, TX 76902
(915) 655-3161
Ranch Magazine
P.O. Box 2678
San Angelo, TX 76902
(915) 655-4434
E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research
Langston University
P.O. Box 730
Langston, OK 73050
(405) 466-3836
Texas A&M University System
7887 North Highway 87
San Angelo TX 76901
(915) 653-4576
by Harriet L. Jensen, R.R. 3, Box 144, Cozad, NE
69130 (telephone 308/784-3312) and George B. Holcomb of the Office
of Public Affairs, U. S. Department of Agriculture, for USDA's
Small-Scale Agriculture (OSSA); Howard W. "Bud" Kerr,
Jr., Program Director, Office of Small Scale Agriculture.
Mention of commercial enterprises or brand names
does not constitute endorsement or imply preference by the U.
S. Department of Agriculture.
Published April 1993
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