How to Care for Angora Goats

Caring for Angora goats properly requires a thorough understanding of this fiber goat's nutritional and grooming needs. As a goat species raised for its hair, the Angora goat produces a long, thick coat of mohair that, when sheared, is used for hand knitting or in the commercial fiber industry. You can raise Angora goats throughout the U.S., but most Angoras live in arid portions of Texas, which provides the hot, dry weather conditions this Turkey-bred goat breed is used to. Regardless of whether you raise Angoras as pets or to sell their fiber, be prepared to invest extra time and work in harvesting the mohair.

Things You'll Need

  • Goat pen and shelter
  • Fenced pasture
  • Hay
  • Goat grain concentrate
  • Goat shears
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide adequate shelter. Give your angora goats shelter from rain, heat, wind and snow in the form of a three-sided shed or barn. Provide approximately 25 square feet (a 5-foot-by-5-foot space) for each Angora. For example, if you have three adult Angora goats, you'll need to use a shed that provides 75 to 80 square feet, such as a 10-foot-by-8-foot shelter. Check the sides and roof of the shed or barn once each month to ensure that there are no drafts or leaks, which may increase the goat's chances of succumbing to a respiratory infection such as pneumonia.

    • 2

      Feed your Angora goats a forage-based diet. The goats should have constant access to pasture and grass or legume hay. Give supplemental 16-percent protein goat grain concentrate to weaned kids and to does during the four weeks before breeding, four weeks before kidding and four weeks after giving birth. As a rule, 1/2 to 1 pound of grain per day typically provides adequate supplemental nutrition for Angora goats of all ages.

    • 3

      Water the goats twice daily. Check on them several times throughout the day to ensure that they always have access to fresh, clean water. Make sure the fence surrounding the pasture measures at least 4 feet tall and contains openings that are 6 inches wide or less to minimize potential escapes and predator problems.

    • 4

      Monitor the goats on a regular basis for external and internal parasites. Lice, intestinal worms and coccidia are not uncommon in goats. Have a veterinarian examine your Angoras if you notice any signs of parasites, which may include diarrhea, excessive loss of weight, pale pink or gray eye conjunctiva, skin irritations, itching, loss of hair or scabs. If the veterinarian diagnoses parasites and provides treatment, administer the medication for the recommended time frame to ensure that you get rid of the infestation.

    • 5

      Shear Angoras twice each year. Shear once during early fall (right before breeding season) and once in the late spring (around kidding season). Contain the goat in a clean pen without feed or water for the four hours right before shearing to minimize possible stains and contaminants on the sheared mohair. If you've never sheared a goat before, have an experienced goat owner guide you through the process the first time. Monitor the goats closely for the first six weeks after shearing because chilly, wet or subfreezing weather may result in illness or death, especially in Angoras that don't have access to draft-free housing.