Cashmere goat facts for kids
A cashmere goat is a special type of goat that gives us cashmere wool. This wool is actually the goat's super fine, soft, and warm undercoat that grows in winter. It's like a cozy sweater the goat wears when the days get shorter and colder! Besides this soft undercoat, goats also have a coarser outer coat called guard hair, which is there all year round.
The soft cashmere comes from tiny hair-making parts called secondary follicles. The coarser guard hair grows from primary follicles.
China is the biggest producer of cashmere, with many millions of goats. Many local goat breeds there are known for their cashmere. Over the years, people have worked to develop even better cashmere-producing goats. Cashmere goats are part of a group called "fiber goats," which also includes the Pygora goat, Nigora goat, and Angora goat.
These goats get their name from the Kashmir region in the Himalaya mountains, where they originally came from.
What are Cashmere-Producing Goats?
Many different goat breeds around the world are known for their amazing cashmere. Each one has adapted to its local environment and often produces a unique type of cashmere.
Australian Cashmere Goat
The Australian Cashmere Goat started in the late 1970s from wild "bush goats" found in northern and western Australia. These goats can produce about 250 grams of cashmere, which is very fine. Farmers and scientists are still working to improve this breed.
Changthangi (Kashmir Pashmina) Cashmere Goat
The Changthangi or Pashmina goat lives in places like China (Tibet), Mongolia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, Ladakh, and Baltistan in the Kashmir region. These goats are not only raised for their cashmere but also used as pack animals to carry things. They are usually white, but you can also find black, gray, or brown ones. They have big, twisting horns. This breed produces some of the finest cashmere in the world, but it's very rare.
Hexi Cashmere Goat
The Hexi Cashmere goat has lived for a long time in the desert and semi-desert areas of Gansu Province, China. Most of these goats are white. You can find them in the Gansu, Qinghai, and Ningxia provinces. An adult female Hexi goat usually produces about 184 grams of cashmere.
Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goat
The Inner Mongolia cashmere goat is a very old and important breed in China. It's good for both cashmere and meat. These goats are great at living in desert and semi-desert areas. There are five main types, or "strains," of this goat. Some strains are known for their high-quality cashmere, while others are bred to produce a lot of it. On average, these goats produce about 240 grams of cashmere.
Liaoning Cashmere Goat
The Liaoning cashmere goat was first developed in the 1960s in the eastern mountains of Liaoning Province, China. This breed has been continuously improved and is used to help other cashmere herds across China. It was officially named the Liaoning cashmere goat in 1984. By 1994, selected female Liaoning goats were producing about 326 grams of cashmere. Farmers choose these goats for their size, body length, and the amount and quality of their cashmere.
Licheng Daqing Goat
The Licheng Daqing goat is a dual-purpose breed from the Shanxi Province, China, meaning it's used for both cashmere and meat. Its cashmere is usually brown, but the color can be different. An average female goat produces about 115 grams of cashmere.
Luliang Black Goat
This goat is also a dual-purpose breed found in the Lüliang area of China. It produces a small amount of dark-colored cashmere.
Tibetan Plateau Goat
In 1994, there were more than 7 million Tibetan Plateau and Valley goats living in the Tibetan Plateau regions of People's Republic of China. You can also find a small number of these goats in India and Nepal. These goats are mainly kept for their cashmere. In 1994, an adult female goat produced about 197 grams of cashmere, while an adult male produced about 261 grams.
Wuzhumuqin Goat
This goat is a newer breed from Inner Mongolia, recognized in 1994. It's mostly found in the Xilingele Meng area. The development of this breed started in 1980. Most of these goats are white. The cashmere from Wuzhumuqin goats is said to be very shiny. In 1994, an average adult female Wuzhumuqin goat produced about 285 grams of cashmere.
Zalaa Jinst White Goat
The Zalaa Jinst White goat is the only all-white cashmere goat breed in Mongolia. It lives in the southwest part of the Gobi Desert and is very good at living in that nomadic herding environment. Male goats produce about 380 grams of cashmere, and females produce about 290 grams.
Zhongwei Cashmere Goats
The Zhongwei goat comes from the semi-desert and desert areas around Zhongwei in Ningxia and Gansu Provinces in China. These goats are famous for both their soft kid fur and their cashmere. An average female Zhongwei goat produces about 216 grams of cashmere.
Images for kids
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An Australian cashmere goat
