New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-11
ANGORA GOATS IN SOUTH AFRICA-
PROFITABLE FLOCKS OF THEM RAISED
IN CAPE COLONY

From Black and White.
one of the most lucrative industries In %
Karoo districts of South Africa Is Angora eoSA
farming and although it has only been estao-
lished for less than forty years. the Cape oA.S
fair to become the most Important centIs ~
mohair production in the world. Inc carry ~
tempts to import this goat from Angola 49,
attended with great loss or money anu 49,
disappointment, nearly all the goats dying el.n1
on the way to the Cape or very soon after lano-
ing, in fact Of the early importations only W.
small number survived. But In 1919 ILL.,
importation successfully mace Ny M
different firms or individuals. who landea z
large number Of pure-bred Angora goats ~ ton
Elizabeth where they were SOLD al from tiVV ~
400 apiece. Soon after that the exportaco ~
Angora goats from Turkey was prohp'teo t0
a time: but In 1894 Mr.. Rhodes obtained tnc ~
Taxation Of this prohibition. Early IN losS =
shipment Of two hundred Angors eonm. 49,
being ouarantined was sold at Port F'tz&nekS
At an average Of ESQ apiece, some OF me E1n
selling for as much as $3.50 each Al present
there are somewhere about -FOUR nllnon AhsoiS
goats In the colony. s..a.
The Angora In the colony IL not now pure oreos
the original imported rams were crossed w1A
carefully selected pure white Boer goat ewOt
and from the succeeding breeding me ~
nocks have sprung. and fine glossy silky 49,
secured Indeed, it II accepted that mohaT 60
nov he produced in Cape Colony As perfs6 b
quality and as beautifuI IN Iuslre "a ~nS Nv
The rost itself is a prettylooking little AMI
NAL looking with its long white wavy 49,
more like q sheep than goat Inc oea[o, ~.
40 characteristic OF the goat Is anoA nso3en
IN the long hair about the neck and fAca ne
head u small and narrow. with dropping Or
Top" ears Horns-light in color, nAttened.
possessed by both rams and ewes. though thav
are smaller In the latter The small oooy y
thickly covered with beautiful long neece q
white lustrous, wavy silky hair. which In we'll
bred goats nearly reaches the GROUND; ahd. Va
addition to this long hair. there Is an inferior
undercoat of hair. or second coat" which b.
its own separate market value
The Karoo and higher lands Of the colony
are the places where the Angora nour1snes pest
Almost every farmer in the Karoo has his dock
OF Angoras some several focks Of several hun
dreds In each Every morning the docks are
driven out Of kraals or sheltered Enclosures into
the veldt, where they are allowed to wander
and Craze all day. but at night they are driven
back to the shelter Of the kraal, after being
taken to the dam to be watered
Aneoras are sheared about June when q GOOD
fleece will average from Ave to dx pounds IN
weight with hair from four 70 six inches long.
About November the goats tend to shed their
hair but rather than lose II the farmer again
shears In October. After sheartng the wool IL
packed into large bales, which are fastened Sc
curely with iron bands: II u then exported to
England for manufacture . large part going to
Yorkshire. In 1895 mohair to the value Of
f71OS67 was exported. and at the present time
one-tenth Of the total British supply Is received
from tho Cape
tie Angora are the jackal, the red lynx and tho
baboon: the two former kin the kids for their
nesh, but the balloons rip open the udders of
the ewes In search Of milk and even OMEN thu
stomachs Of the kids for the sake Of the curdled
milk they may contain The first two animals
are poisoned cni hunted down with dogs where
possible. and to keep down the balloons shoot
Ing parties are frequently organized. BY way Of
encouraging the extinction Of these pests thu
Government pays IS a tail for Jackals and Is.
. tail for balloons.