Angora goat facts for kids
The Angora goat (called Ankara keçisi in Turkish) is a special type of domestic goat. It gets its name from Ankara, a city in Turkey, where it originally came from. Angora goats are famous for producing a very fine, soft fiber called mohair. Mohair is a lot like wool, and it can be white or different colors.
Angora goats first arrived in Europe in 1554. Later, in 1765, they were brought to Spain, and around 1785, they came to France. However, these early attempts didn't lead to successful mohair production. It wasn't until 1838 that Angora goats were successfully introduced in South Africa. Today, South Africa is one of the world's biggest producers of mohair.
All About Angora Goats and Their Mohair
The soft, fluffy hair that comes from an Angora goat is called mohair. Each goat can produce about four to five kilograms (around 9 to 11 pounds) of mohair every year. Farmers usually shear, or cut the hair off, Angora goats twice a year. Even though they have a lot of hair, Angora goats are not directly related to sheep.
The top countries that produce mohair are Turkey, Argentina, the United States, and South Africa. Other countries like New Zealand and Australia also produce some mohair. For a long time, Angora goats were mostly bred to have white coats. But in 1998, a group called the Colored Angora Goat Breeders Association was started to encourage breeding Angoras with different colors. Now, Angora goats can produce white, black (from very dark black to gray and silver), red (though this color often fades as the goat gets older), and brownish fibers.
Angora goats need a lot of care because their thick coats can attract tiny bugs called ectoparasites. They also aren't known for having many babies at once, and their young ones can be quite delicate, especially when they are very new. Because their hair grows so fast, Angora goats need a lot of good food to stay healthy and produce the best mohair. If they don't get enough good food, their mohair won't grow as well.
Images for kids
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A mother Angora goat with her newborn kid.
See also
In Spanish: Cabra de Angora para niños
