Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1904-10-07
PROFIT in ANGORA GOATS
Excellent Paper Read by E. L. Witt
Before Recent Session of Texas
Farmers Congress.

The general public in the past has
looked upon goats with a certain
amount of Indifference, caused by
their knowledge Of the native anC
Spanish goats. The Angora goats
are very profitable animals, both fol
mutton and mohair. The average
high-grade Angora goat will clip
three pounds year. This mohai1
brings, on an average, 80 cents pei
pound. 1t has been known to sell for
So per pound.
Mohair is used for various things.
such as hats, ladies' dress goods,
gents dress goods, upholstering,
especially in coaches. There is a
great variety of plushes and mattings
made from mohair. All this has
created a demand for all classes Of
mohair, so that the American breeders
have not been able to supply this, as
shown by the importations made by
the mills-some importing as much
as 100000 pounds each season. The
skins from the Angora are used in
large quantities where the fleece is
left on them. These skins are used
in many ways. They are used for
finishing ladies cloaks, lap robes,
capes and rugs, and various other
ways too numerous to mention. For
the production Of mohair alone the
Angora is a very profitable animal,
but the profit doesn't stop there, as the
kid is one of the most delicious of
meats. The Angora wether natures
at an early age. When matured they
bring $2 to 1925; this increases the
profit to great deal more for the
Angora.
l wish to call attention to the
difference between the Angora wether
and the Spanish wether. The Angora
wether's meat is tender until the goat
reaches an old age, while the Spanish
wether begins to get tough after he
reaches the age of one year, and con-
tinues as age advances.
Angora kids are very delicate and
need careful attention until they reach
the age of two to four weeks; then
they are turned loose from the stake
and kept in the pen until they are
eight to ten weeks old. Then they can
be turned out with the flock.
The Angora is an advantage to the
cattle range. First, they destroy all
the weeds and the small brush, afford
ing the grass an opportunity to grow.
L have seen in this country pastures
in wet seasons where two pastures
were located side by side; one pasture
carried one goat to two acres, while in
the other pasture goats were not
allowed to run The pasture that |
carried the goats had all the weeds de-
5troyed, and had a very fine coat of
grass, while the pasture that t
The goats were kept off of was totally
ohoked out by weeds and other growth {
such as cattle would not eat. AS
crush destroyer the goat has no equal. {
There have been thousands of goats
shipped into the northern states every {
year for brush cleaners. They are {
also used to clear up rough farm lands. =
There was a meeting held at Kansas
City by several farmers and business r
nen, and as a result of the meeting 6
here was an association organized, q
Known as 'The American Angora q
1oat Breeders Association" In less G
han three years there were 400 mem f
'ers, and nearly 10000 goats passed a
he examination and were registered. d
his aided the few breeders who had A
lursed the fine fieeced beauties so long i,
o put them before the people in such ii
way that they realized the benefits Of ii
aving a few Angoras on their farms. Il
Wherever the farmers have tried them II
hey have found them to be very a
a
1 call your attention again to the is
SeS OF mOhalr. There is extra long tf
lohair, used for making wigs, doll W
air, and trimmings. Last year we 81
reduced some long mohair which we il
old for So per pound.
We have found raising Angora
oats to be the most profitable business
lat we have ever been engaged in.
We have tried sheep and cattle, yet we
9alized more from our goats, for the
lvestment, than anything else. We
ave been in the business 10 years
nd find it to be very pleasing one, v
5 we'll as profitable, and think that if 3,
very farmer had a few goats on his
,ugh land he would find it very
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