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handknitting yarnsmerino wool yarnangora like yarnmohair yarns
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Mohair YarnYukon - Mohair yarn blend with a giant twist and a beautiful lustre Dragon - a variegated thick and thin multi mohair yarn blend What is Mohair - Origin The Angora goat originated in the district of Angora in Asia Minor. The Angora dates back prior to early biblical history. Mention is made of the use of mohair at the time of Moses, which would fix the record of the Angora some time between 1571 and 1451 B.C., according to the Angora Goat Mohair Industry publication from USDA (Miscellaneous Bulletin 50, 1929). Mohair became a valuable product in commerce early in the nineteenth century. In order to increase the supply of mohair available for export to the European countries, the Turks crossed the Angora goat with common stock to increase the poundage of salable hair. Probably there was no effort to keep the original Angora separate, and the general increase in size and vigor of the goats in the Angora area was, no doubt, partially the result of this infusion of other blood. Mohair Production The most valuable characteristic of the Angora as compared to other goats is the value of the mohair that is clipped. The average goat in the U.S. shears approximately 5.3 pounds of mohair per shearing and are usually sheared twice a year. They produce a fiber with a staple length of between 12 and 15cm. The market valuation of mohair fluctuates more than does that of wool, but, in general, satisfactory prices are obtained for the clip. During depressed times, the market has favored fine hair and because fine hair is normally shorn from young goats, selection for fertility has also become increasingly important. Head and Body Characteristics The Angora is very picturesque animal in which both sexes are horned. The bucks usually have a pronounced spiral to the horn, which comes back and away from the head; the horns of mature bucks sometimes reach two or more feet in length. In contrast, the horn of the female is comparatively short, much smaller, and has only a very slight tendency to spiral. The horn of the female seldom exceeds nine or ten inches. The ears are heavy and drooping. The form of the goat should be similar to that of sheep, but the mutton characteristics are much less developed. The back should be straight, the rib well sprung, and the body deep and uniform in depth. The chest should be wide, the legs straight, and the rear quarters should show ample development. Ringlet and Flat Lock Hair Modern Angoras are often classified according to the type of ringlet or lock hair in which the hair grows. Ringlet type goats are often referred to as the C Type, while B Type is used to designate those with a flat mohair lock. In the case of the ringlet type goat, the mohair is carried in tight ringlets throughout almost its entire length and represents the finest mohair produced. The flat lock, in contrast, is usually wavy and more bulky in appearance. The Angora has a grazing habit which has made it very adaptable to certain agriculture sections. Goats are great consumers of "browse" and have a tendency to eat as high as they can reach by standing on their hind legs. This adapts goats for grazing areas on which sheep would not do well. Angoras have been able to make economic returns on land that is unsuitable for usual agriculture pursuits. The Angora goat is not as prolific as other goats and twins are not the usual birth. Goats in large range bands will usually kid from 60 to 70 percent, but in well-managed small bands of purebred goats the rate of reproduction may be slightly over 100 percent.
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