Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-02-08
THE ANGORlA GOAT.
Address Before Kansas Board of Agri-
culture at Topeka, Kansas, January

hhnshB.
1t is not my purpose to go back and
give the origin and early history Of
the Angora goat from its first dis
covery and development to the pres
ent time. but only from its first in
PRODUCTION into the United States.
In 1S49 Dr. James b. Davis, Of
Columbia. S. c., imported from An
CORA, province of Turkey in Asia
Minor, a bunch of nine goats. He
kept them five years, and in 1854 sold
his entire flock to Col. Richard Pc
tiers, of Atlanta Ga. Since then, other
importations have been made by diff
ferent persons at different times, I'M
til about 400 Angora goats have been
brought into this country.
Not till within the past four years
did the public generally begin to
know their great value. not only in
converting the waste products of the
farm into money, but in saving the
labor, time and expense of the farmer
in destroying the weeds and brush
on his farm. | will confine myself
to the Angora goat as we now find
1t in this country, and to its adapta-
bility and usefulness to the farmer in
general. / will draw a comparison
between the Angora goat and the
sheep. as an illustration. because they
are very similar in their appearance,
nature and habits. The manner of
caring for them is so much alike, that
we can get better idea of their value,
as we are all familiar with the cost
and care of handling sheep, while
the final end of both is to be served
on our tables as delicious spring
lamb"
The Angora goat grows to the same
size as sheep, but it does not mature
SO rapidly A -months-old lamb
will weigh more than kid of the
same age with equal care, therefore
the goat Is not as good to raise for
early market; but this is more than
offset by the fact that it carries its
lamb or soft joint longer than lamb
does, and it's life is SO much longer
than that Of sheep. 1t is prolific
breeder, and productive shearer I'M
til it is IL and IA years old. 1t lives
and thrives in any climate or country
where sheep live and prosper, no mat
ter how hot or cold. They feed and
do we'll during the winter on corn
fodder, straw and coarse hay, with
little grain during March and the first
of April to strengthen them for the
kidding season of May.
They make the richest fertilizer
from foliage, and deposit 1t on the
poorest and highest spot on the farm,
while horses and cattle fertilize the
richest part of the farm where the
grass grows. The day is not far dis
tant when every farmer will have a
af he in, 70 10
ent stock of horses, cattle, hogs and
sheep, for they fill their place on the
farm without crowding out any other
animal.
Thus we find the Angora goat re-
claiming thousands of acres of waste
land in every state in the union, and
converting them into tillable fields or
productive pastures, at the same time
making millions of pounds of whole
some meat to feed, and millions of
pounds of fine mohair to clothe the
people of our land. Being a very
hardy self-reliant animal and brow
ser, one will soon find our hilly and
rough districts, which are to-day of
no value whatever to any other in
dustry, filled with this useful animal.
They are comparatively free from dis
eases. A sheep fence will hold them.
ley crawl through a fence, rather
than jump over it. A twenty-four
inch Stat or woven wire fence with
barb wires above it, with posts four
teen or sixteen feet apart will make
a fence that will hold goats, horses,
cattle or hogs or better still, seven
barb-wire fence with posts seven or
eight feet apart, will hold any ami
NAL.
They are shorn in the spring at the
same time and in the same manner as
sheep, but be careful to keep them
out of a cold rain for a week or two
after shearing. Their fleece of mohair
weighs from two and one-half to four
pounds on average good goats; while
extra fine pure bred goats will often
shear eight or ten pounds, which is
worth from 80 to 40 cents a pound on
the market. according to the grade
and care in handling the mohair. The
skin of Angoras has double the value
of a sleeps pelt, because of the furs.
rugs, robes ana kid leather which are
manufactured from them: while the
skins of the lower grades sell at
about the same price as pelts. The
Angora does are not as good mixers
as the Maltese and Swiss goats, but
tney give plenty LOT rearing tnelr
young. They are good. kind and
watchful mothers and will fight for
their kids. They are a profitable ami
NAL in the feed lot; give them like
conditions and the same amount of
grain. they will take on flesh very
rapidly, and fatten in one-fourth less
time than sheep. They respond very
quicAly to good care. At the final
test of all domestic animals, "the
butchers block the Angora goat is
not found wanting. Their flesh in
summer, while browsing, has a very
delightful flavor between venison and
mutton, which gives the name veni-
son to their meat. Being a browser
like the almost extinct deer, it is right
that it should assume the name of its
meat. In winter. when fattened on
grain, it loses that flavor, but acquires
mutton flavor 1t has none Of that
woody" taste of mutton which is SO
Objectionable to many people, Thou
sands of them are killed in all our
packing houses and sold as well
dressed mutton" Only an expert can
tel the difference, as their carcasses
appear the same when dressed and