By Malinda Geisler, content specialist, AgMRC, Iowa State University, malindag@iastate.edu.
Profile revised November 2007.
A goat enterprise offers producers the choice of selling fiber as well as meat. The two most common fibers produced are mohair and cashmere. Angora goats produce mohair. Cashmere is a type of goat, not a breed. Cashmere fiber can be clipped from almost any goat other than Angora.
As of July 2007, the United States had 260,000 Angora goats, down 9 percent from the 285,000 in 2006. Mohair production in the United States was 1.35 million pounds in 2006, down 12 percent from the previous year, and valued at $4.98 million. A total of 216,000 goats and kids were clipped. Each clip averaged 6.3 pounds. Most of the U.S. mohair originates from Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. In Texas, the top-producing state, the average price paid for mohair was $4 per pound.
The Mohair Council of America notes that Angora goats will provide approximately 5.3 pounds of mohair per shearing in the United States. This is typically done two times a year. The fiber length averages 12 to 15 cm. long. Mohair features a fiber that is elastic and takes dye well. It is used for suits, sweaters, coats and home furnishings.
The United States is one of the primary world sources of mohair, along with South Africa and Turkey. In 2006, the United States exported 707.9 MT of mohair, down from 2,242 MT the previous year. Top export destinations were South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Cashmere is a fiber in demand for its soft, warm and long-wearing characteristics. Cashmere is from the undercoat and is combed off the goat. White, brown or gray solid colored goats are preferred over mixed colored goats. The average yield is between 4 to 6 ounces of underdown per goat per year.
The coarse and down hairs are separated by a mechanical process called dehairing. The long fibers are used in knitted garments. Shorter cashmere fibers go into woven fabrics. The fiber diameter must be less than 19 microns to be classified as cashmere. The typical range is 16 to 19 microns. China leads the world in cashmere production. U.S. production statistics were not available.
Some fiber producers do their own processing and sell the fiber as yarn or other woven products. Other producers may hire a commercial facility to process the fiber for a fee. Others may sell the fiber as a raw products through a cooperative.
Other Links
- Angora Goat Production, North Dakota State University, 1993 - Angora goat production guide with budget projections.
- Angora Goats, Small Farm Center, University of California-Davis, 1993.
- Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute - This international trade association represents the interests of producers and manufacturers of cashmere fiber, yarn, fabric and camel hair and promotes the use of genuine cashmere and camel hair products.
- Cashmere Goats, Small Farm Center, University of California-Davis, 1992.
- Emerging Textiles - Textile and clothing trade information. This site links textile news, including cashmere, imports and prices.
- Fibers on the Internet - This is a listing of mohair and cashmere sources.
- Goats: Sustainable Production Overview, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), 2004 - This resource provides an overview of raising goats.
- Mohair, The New Rural Industries: a handbook for farmers and investors, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Australia - An overview of the Australian mohair industry.
- Mohair Production Down 12 Percent, National Agricultural Statistics Service in cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture, Feb. 2007.
- National Goat Handbook, University of Maryland, 1997.
- Sheep and Goats, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
- Texas Wool and Mohair Directory, Texas Department of Agriculture, 2003 - A directory of mohair producers. Texas leads the nation in mohair production.
- United States Standards for Grades of Grease Mohair, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, 1973.
- Web-based Training and Certification Program for Meat Goat Producers, Langston University, Oklahoma - This is a comprehensive on-line overview of the U.S. goat industry and includes management, marketing and business planning information.
- Wild Fibers magazine - This commercial publication is for those interested in the production and use of fibers.
- Wool and Mohair, Farm Commodity Programs - CRC Report for Congress, 2005 - This report provides an overview of the mohair industry.
- Wool and Mohair Marketing Assistance Loan and Loan Deficiency Payment Program, Farm Service Agency, USDA - Two forms of federal assistance are available to eligible producers for the 2002-2007 crop years.
Links checked February 2008.
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