The Angora goats were brought to the ranch by Alfred Giles who saw the need for brush management. The goats have been our most profitable venture over the years. They are able to control the juniper (cedar) and have kept the carrying capacity of the ranch up.
Just like our cattle and sheep, our goats are not fed.
Kidding/Weaning
Nannies begin kidding in April. Kids are vaccinated at about 6 weeks of age and are weaned at about 5 months of age.
Shearing
Nannies are sheared twice a year, while billy goats are sheared only once a year (in the summer). Kids average about 2 pounds of mohair for their first shearing, while nannies average about 4.5 pounds of mohair per shearing. Billies average about 12 pounds of mohair annually.
Due to years of breeding, our adult goats typically all grade kid hair. This is finer than most other adult goats. Kid hair is the finest mohair there is.
Mohair
Once our goats are sheared, the mohair is bagged and taken to Ranchman’s Wool and Mohair Export, Inc in Kerrville. It is then stored in the warehouse until it is stuffed into a sea container with a USDA seal bound for South Africa. Mohair does not have to be sold immediately. It can be stored for years as long as it is in a suitable environment (dry) and pests (squirrels and moths) can be controlled. We have stored Mohair for up to twenty years, waiting for favorable market cycles to return.
