Mountain and Angora Goats
Article by ‘Goat Crazy’ Team
There are various types of goats and mountain goats are one among them. Mountain goats found exclusively in North America are renowned with the name Rocky Mountain goat. Mountain goats have large hoofs and are from different genus and renowned as the goat antelopes.
You can find them resting at the rocky cliffs. They are amazing climbers with surety and reside mainly at higher elevations of rocky mountain. In one bound, they can jump up to twelve feet’s that shows how powerful they are! Their balance depends on the two-toed cloven hooves.
Mountain goats have unique beards. Their long white coats are warmer and protect them in a big way from mountain winds as well as severe cold temperatures. They shed their coats during summer season. Both nannies and female goats have scintillating pointed horns.
Males use their horns to fight with opponents during mating season. Billies’ stays alone or with other counterparts. Nannies, for the most part of a year stay with the herds having strength of around twenty, including their kids. During spring, nannies give birth to kids.
Billies are around 175 centimetres long, and have height of 122 centimetres. The nannies have length of around 145 centimetres and height of around 92 centimetres. Billies weigh around forty-six kilograms to hundred and two kilograms. Nannies weigh ten to thirty percentages lighter than Billies do.
Mountain goats survives in rocky mountain by consuming grasses, plants, mosses as well as other vegetations seen in alpine valley. Mountain goats have a lifespan of around twelve to fifteen years.
Angora goat is a Turkish goat from the region of Angora. Historians found the mentioning about this goat during Moses era. Around 1554, Roman emperor, Charles fifth, took Angora goat to the Europe. Mohair is the fleece taken from angora goats.
Every year an individual angora goat produces hair of around five to eight kilo grams. Due to the hair density, they are greatly susceptible to various external parasites. Sales of mohair account for majority of income from the Angora goats herds.
Angora goats are not that active like other dairy goats. They, with their browsing abilities feed on food from branches as well as leaves of trees. Angoras are suitable for clearing bushes as well as weed, as they feed on those stuffs.
Billies weighs around eighty-five to hundred and twenty-five pounds, while nannies weigh around seventy-five to hundred pounds. Angoras need nutritional food, as major part of it is required for the growth of mohair. Proper sheltering is required for these goats to counter the cold after shaving of mohair.
In olden days, there where only white Angoras, now they are available in colour shades like brown, red, black etc. The breeding period of Angoras is between fall and winter. Angoras have life expectancy of around 12 years or more. People raise Angoras for their mohair as there are industries based on mohair.
Due to the mohair requirement, this breed has its presence across the world now.
