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Angora Goats in the Midwest (Part 2)
By: "R.M. Jordan, Extension Animal Specialist, Univ. of MN"
About the Author
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Figure 1. High prices for mohair have stimulated interest in Angora goat production.
- Angora goats are not as prolific as sheep. Occasionally triplets are born, and possibly 15 to 20 percent will bear twins. A higher percent of mature nannies than mature sheep are barren. Fewer than 50 percent of our Angora kids, while fed well from birth on, kidded at 12 to 13 months of age. The kidding rate among our mature nannies that did kid, ranged between 120 and 140 percent. We conclude that Angora goats are much less prolific than sheep, owing to a much higher percent of open nannies, fewer twin births, and a much lower conception rate among 7- to 9-month-old nanny kids. However, nannies give adequate milk, are good mothers, and have little difficulty giving birth to 5- to 7- pound kids. Males reach sexual maturity at about 6 to 7 months. We have successfully used a 7-month-old billy as a sire.
- Goats appear to live and continue to produce 2 to 4 years longer than sheep.
- Goats are very susceptible to the same internal parasites as sheep. They have less ability to build up an immunity to Haemonchus contortus (stomach worms) than sheep. If goats, particularly kids, are not dewormed, mortality will ensue. Goats seemingly are more susceptible to coccidiosis than sheep. We use Corid or feed monensin or Bovatec to control coccidiosis.
- For Angora goats to express their remarkable genetic ability to produce hair, they must be fed well. Their smaller feed intake capacity relative to sheep creates a severe problem in providing adequate nutrient intake. They do not digest feed more efficiently than sheep (Texas research). Inadequate nutrient intake during gestation is much more apt to cause abortion than it is in sheep and in some flocks has been responsible for 30 to 50 percent of the nannies aborting.
Both male and female goats are seasonal breeders. The male commences rutting in the fall and is largely responsible for initiating estrus in the does. Well-grown-out doe kids reach puberty at 6 to 8 months, but usually fewer than 50 percent conceive. Hair production is reduced if does kid their first year.
The estrus cycle is 19 to 21 days long, and does remain in estrus for 24 to 36 hours (Texas). Gestation is 148 to 150 days.
Ovulation rate is significantly affected by condition and weight of the doe at breeding. Ovulation rate at first estrus is significantly lower than at subsequent estrus. In a study at TAES, does weighing 90 pounds or more usually produced twins. Does weighing 60 pounds or less produced no twins, and a very high percent did not ovulate.
Fetal weight accelerates after about 80 days and increases about .1 lb/day during the last two weeks. At birth, single males average 6.5 lbs; single females, 6.0 lbs; twin males, 6.0 lbs; and twin females, 5.5 lbs, with a range in birth weight from 4.5 to 7.5 lbs. Dystocia (difficult birth) among goats is rare.
Factors responsible for low reproduction efficiency in Angora does include: failure to ovulate or show estrus, 10-12%; not conceiving, 10-12%; conceiving but failing to kid (embryo loss), 8-9%; and kidding but failing to raise the kid, 18-22% (TAES).
Part 1 -
Part 2 -
Part 3 -
Part 4 -
Part 5 -
Part 6 -
Part 7 -
Part 8
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About the author: North Central Regional Extension Publications are subject to peer review and prepared as a part of the Cooperative Extension activities of the thirteen land-grant universities of the 12 North Central States, in cooperation with the Extension Service-U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
pubs@unl.edu
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