Angora Goats

Angora Goats

Like all goats, the scientific name of Angora goats is Capra aegagrus hircus. Angora is a breed. No one is sure of the exact facts of the history of Angora goats. Their origin is not precisely recorded. There origin appears to have started in Asia Minor about 1571 and 1451 B.C.

• Ideally, Angora goats are shaved when the fibers are between 10cm – 11cm long.
• They are raised worldwide, with the USA, South Africa, and Turkey being the largest producers.
• Each goat is shaved twice yearly to collect the fiber.
• Adult Angora goats produce about 10.6 pounds of mohair annually.
• They are the only goat that produces hair.

Angora Goats Habitat and Distribution

Angora goats thrive in mostly semi-arid regions with dry, hot summers and cold winters. They originated in Asia Minor and were first successfully exported to other countries beginning in the mid-19th century. Populations were established in South Africa in 1838.

These goats are almost all in managed (rather than wild) populations, and they are often artificially inseminated, dehorned, and otherwise controlled. Adult angoras are sheared on a biannual basis, producing weights of up to about 10 pounds per year of long, silky fibers between 20cm – 25cm long. The goats are quite susceptible to cold and wet weather after they have been sheared, for periods up to 4–6 weeks.