The Angora goat, also known as the Tibetan goat, is a goat breed native to Kashmir and Tibet. It was later introduced to Turkey and Asia Minor. The Angora goat is a small goat (35 to 50 kilograms), very resistant, and well-adapted to arid regions.
The coat is white with long, silky, and shiny strands. Hair grows at about 2.5 centimeters per month and is used to make mohair wool. Globally, the main Angora goat farming areas are in Turkey, South Africa, Argentina, and Australia.
The Angora goat is larger and stronger than the European goat, and it differs especially in its strong horns, which are horizontally twisted and have sharp fringes. This breed’s name (as well as the Angora rabbit and Angora cat) was derived from the ancient name of the current capital of Turkey, Ankara—Angora. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V brought the first Angora goats to Europe around 1554. However, this experience did not seem to be the most successful.
In the United States of America, Dr. James P. Davis first brought angora goats in 1849. Seven adult goats were a gift from Sultan Abdul-Mejid I as a token of gratitude for his services and advice on improving cotton quality.
Much of the herd was destroyed during the American Civil War, but over time, Angora goat farming began to flourish in the Southwest, particularly in the state of Texas, where there were enough grasses and shrubs to feed the pack. Texas remains the largest mohair producer in the United States and the second largest in the world.
Angora Goat Profile
The Angora goat is a pure white domestic goat breed with long, silky, and curly hair. Unlike sheep’s wool, Angora goat’s wool hair is not curled. The average annual yield of wool is about 2.5 kilograms with two shearing cycles, and it is used as mohair for the production of carpets, blankets, and fabrics. The world production of mohair wool is 15,000 tons.
The Angora goat was not known in Asia Minor before the Turks. The exact origin of the Angora goat is unknown; there are theses of a pre-Biblical Anatolian origin, but scientists are considering importing them from Central Asia. With the migration of nomads from Turkestan in the 13th century or through trade, this breed reached Anatolia. It was cultivated in the Ankara region, the Angora at the time, which gave it its name. Following a brief export ban by the Turkish Sultan and the lifting of the ban in 1838, producers crossed with local Kurdish goats to quickly meet demand, which is said to have had a disastrous effect on wool quality.
Goats, sensitive to humidity and therefore unsuitable for the Central European climate, were exported to South Africa as early as 1838 and to California a few years later. As early as 1885, California had a population of 100,000 Angora goats.
Five Angora and two goats were brought to Germany for the first time in 1768. They were a gift from the director of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Johann Wengand, to Karl Theodor, Count Palatine, near the Rhine, and arrived at Dossenheim on the Bergstrasse. By 1771, they had grown to ninety animals, with the addition of native white goats.
Angora is one of the top goat breeds that many backyard farmers prefer to raise.
Breed Origin
The ancient Angora breed was first documented in 2000 BC in Tibet. Around the 16th century, this breed came to Turkey, to the Angora region, which has since become Ankara, which later gave it its name. The hair it produced made the production of fabrics whose reputation gradually grew and reached Europe around the 16th century possible.
Europeans then imported Turkish yarns and clothing, but it was not until the 19th century that they finally imported the goat itself and began to enter the mohair industry, which flourished in England and France. Today, the goats that make up the French herd were imported in the 1980s from Canada, Texas, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. A selection program was then established to improve fiber quality.
Breed Characteristics
The Angora goat is a small breed, the males weigh between 40 and 60 kilograms, and the females between 30 and 40 kilograms. It is characterized mainly by its fleece of mohair hair that grows at a rate of about 2.5 centimeters per month, so after six months, a fleece with hair of 13 to 14 centimeters and a weight of between 2 and 14 centimeters is obtained. 2.6 kilograms. The hairs have a fineness that varies between 26 and 30 microns. Males wear horns that bend into an outer spiral.
How long do Angora goats live?
Angora goats are quite calm and docile, easy to raise, and have a life expectancy of about ten years.
Abilities
Angora goats are raised for the large quantities of mohair fiber they produce. Mohair is a very good-quality natural fiber that can be used alone or mixed with other fibers to make luxury clothes, wool, and curtains. The performance of their hair in the wash is 87% for goats, 78% for goats, and 82% for goats.
Angora Goat Farming
Angora goat farms are generally small and do not exceed 100 heads. Wool is collected by shearing twice a year, and each goat produces an average of 5 kilograms of fiber per year. In France, mohair products can be sold directly on the farm, and this sector has a brand of recognition: “Le mohair des fermes de France”. This brand, adopted by 80 farmers who must respect a specific letter, guarantees consumers the quality of its products.
Selection
Capgene France manages the breed selection system. The breed selection base in France comprises 3,500 goats spread over 35 farms. Every year, the performance of 500 animals from these farms is monitored. The characteristics we seek to improve are the weight of the fleece, length, and shape of the wick, the proportion of the wick, the coverage of the animal, the thorough washing performance, and the fineness of the fiber that is measured in the laboratory. . The results of these measurements allow them to assign indices to their animals and help farmers to choose the animals to keep for breeding.
Conservation Status
An imported breed, the Angora goat is present throughout France, with perhaps a slight predominance in the country’s south. It is a breed found worldwide, with the main breeding regions are Turkey, South Africa, Argentina, and Australia.
Additional Information
Unlike most sheep, which are sheared only once, Angora goats are sheared twice a year. The United States, Turkey, and South Africa are the main producers of mohair. Angora goats have long been bred only white, but today, goat farmers breed goats that are white, black (deep black, gray, and silver), brown, and red (red fades with age).
The live weight of goats is 45 to 50 kg, and that of goats is 30 to 35 kg. Wool (mohair) cut from 4 to 7 kg and 2 to 4 kg, respectively. The yield of pure mohair is 65 to 80%. Dairy productivity of goats for lactation from 60 to 100 liters with a fat content of 4.4%. The meat is distinguished by its high flavor, and its skins are used to produce high-quality skin. Mohair is used to make high-quality fabrics and rugs.
Questions Related to the Angora Goat Breed
What is an Angora goat used for?
Angora goats are kept mainly to produce mohair used in the upholstery and apparel trades. Its particular characteristics are that it dyes to vibrant shades, retains its shape (memory), sheds dirt, and imparts a ‘sheen’ to finished articles.
Are Angora goats rare?
The result is that in many flocks, you can see Angora-like fiber on goats with Spanish goat-type ears, and some goats have a more coarse and kempy fiber than true mohair. Navajo Angora Goats are so rare that they are only recognized by one registry, the International Fiber Breed Registry.
Where are Angora goats found?
The Angora goat is a domestic goat breed that originated in ancient times in the district of Angora in Asia Minor.
Do people eat Angora goats?
The Angora goat breed does produce good meat and is even considered a delicacy in some areas. However, it is not profitable for its meat, as other goat breeds and farm animals produce more nutrient-filled meat than this breed. The most desirable meat from this breed comes from the younger Angora goats.
Are Angora goats killed for mohair?
Mohair is a long, smooth fiber used in sweaters, hats, and other fluffy accessories. You may recognize the word but be unfamiliar with how it’s obtained. Be warned: As with all animal-derived textiles, the production of mohair garments involves suffering and slaughter. Mohair is taken from Angora goats.
Do Angora goats make good pets?
Angora Goats Make Gentle Pets and Efficient Browsers. Temperament: Relaxed, docile, and friendly; their gentle nature makes them vulnerable to aggression from other breeds in mixed flocks. Quote: “Angora goats are relatively small animals with a quieter nature than most other goat breeds.
What is unique about the Angora goat?
The most valuable characteristic of the Angora, compared to other goats, is the value of the clipped mohair. The average goat in the U.S. shears approximately 5.3 pounds of mohair per shearing and is usually sheared twice a year. They produce a fiber with a staple length between 12 and 15cm.
How long do Angora goats live?
Alpine goats, an extremely hardy and weather-tolerant breed, have a life expectancy of 8 to 12 years. Angora goats typically live over ten years if they receive good care. It is not uncommon to have an angora goat live into its teens.
Do Angora goats need to be sheared?
Unlike sheep, Angora goats are generally sheared twice a year, once in spring before kidding, and once in fall prior to the breeding season. The exact time of shearing will depend on climate and availability of shelter for shorn animals. Undesirable fibers must be separated from the mohair to obtain a high-quality product.
How much is Angora goat fur worth?
Mohair from the Angora goats is priced at $10 a pound.
Is mohair harvesting cruel to animals?
Although harvesting mohair rarely jeopardizes the angora goat’s longevity or overall well-being, it’s driven primarily by money—therefore, it’s unethical. Humans have no incentive to breed and care for angora goats outside their mohair.
See Also: