Down goats differ from their neighbors in special coat, long and silky, and softest down. These breeds are bred for wool, and meat and milk are relegated to the background. We will find out what downy breeds of goats are and compare their productivity.
Characteristics and features of down goats
The main difference between a down goat and the rest of its relatives is a huge amount of fluff. The greatest value is precisely the fluff, and not coarse hairs.
What is the difference between down goats from ordinary ones:
- Low fat content in wool. When combing, downy fibers are not tangled, the quality of the product can be checked directly on the animal.
- No special content requirements. The only caveat is the annual haircut and combing. They start combing down the fluff in the shedding season.
- The molting period falls at the end of winter, and then combing and cutting are repeated after 14 days. You cannot postpone the procedure, otherwise you may lose a useful and important product (fluff clogs very quickly).
- The value of fluff is also determined by the quality of the product and its shade. During the first day, the fluff has the highest quality. White fluff is more expensive, other colors are in less demand.
The best breed of down goats
Consider the best breed of goats of this type. They all differ in thick and long hair, but its quality and quantity are different for each breed.
Angora breed
Representatives of the Angora goat breed are small in size, but this fact does not prevent them from remaining the best downy animals.
Description.Goats are white in color, but can be found gray and silver. Male Angora goats reach 50-55 kg, and goats do not exceed 40 kg. The body is low, the head is tiny, the chest is small, the legs are strong, despite the shortness. The body is covered with thick hair, it curls and forms curled braids. The length of one strand can grow up to 0.3 m.
Productivity.Goats should be sheared twice a year. One individual brings about 4-5 kg of wool. As for milk productivity, during lactation it reaches 60-100 l, milk fat content - 4.5%.
Features of the content. The Angora breed is not demanding of care, animals do not show moodiness or discontent. They can graze in any areas, but they give the choice to hilly terrain. The taste of milk significantly deteriorates with the combined content of females and males.
Animals cannot be kept indoors all the time; they must be in the fresh air, otherwise diseases cannot be avoided. Also, the lack of fresh air leads to deterioration of the coat. If there is no opportunity to graze animals in the pasture, then in summer they need to be released into an open corral. The plot is fenced with a net or fence of at least 2 m.
Advantages of Angora breed:
- perfectly assimilate food of different composition;
- adapt to various climatic conditions without problems;
- have strong immunity;
- high wool productivity;
- the meat is delicious.
The disadvantages of the breed:
- bad maternal instinct;
- difficulty in keeping in a room with high humidity;
- the quality and structure of the coat depends on the weather;
- during molting, the amount of wool is reduced;
- low birth rate.
Kashmir down goat
Animals live in the mountains at an altitude of 2-3 thousand meters above sea level.
Description.In size, individuals of this breed are slightly smaller than Angora goats. The ears are large, hanging, the horns are slightly curved. The animal’s face is covered with short hair, the entire body is “dressed” in long fluff. Wool of different colors: gray, white, tan and gray and tan.
Productivity.The length of the spine is about 12 cm, the fluff is about 8 cm. It is fluffy and elastic, so products made from fluff are warm and light. It is necessary to cut animals every year, sometimes during molting fluff is found in shrubs or on the ground. An individual brings about 200 g of wool, fluff about 150 g.
Features of the content.There are no special requirements for the content of these goats. Because of its ability to survive in mountainous areas, the breed is kept in Tibet, Mongolia, Iran and Central Asia.
Advantages of Angora breed:
- average down productivity;
- very hardy and not demanding in care.
The disadvantages of the breed:
- the possibility of breeding only in mountainous areas;
- without regularly combing goats, fluff often crumbles and loses a presentable appearance.
Bastard breed
Belongs to ancient breeds, the homeland is Russia, the region of the Don River.
Description.The Pridonskaya goat was born by crossing local goats with the Angora breed. Wool of different shades, but the most common colors: white, gray, black. The physique is strong, the legs are strong. A baby goat weighs about 3 kg at birth, an adult goat reaches 75 kg, and a female 45 kg. The breed is considered multiple.
White goats weigh a little less than gray goats, but the amount of fluff does not change from this.
Productivity.The main product for which the breed is bred is wool, which comprises about 70% of down and 30% of hard hairs. The coat is of the same thickness and size, the fluff grows to about 0.1 m, and the spine grows to 0.08 m. One goat can be used to collect 1.5 kg of fluff. The meat is of excellent quality, with the individual get up to 9 kg of this product.
Features of the content.Individuals can live, both separately from each other, and in the herd. There are no requirements for living conditions, animals can coexist next to other goat breeds, with birds, etc.
The basic rule is to prevent excessive crowding, otherwise the wool will begin to lose its qualities. It is necessary to graze goats in summer and winter, in the summer period of time grazing should not be less than 12 hours.
They need an increased portion of protein and sulfur. Watering is necessary twice a day. In winter, the water is heated a little.
Advantages of the bottom breed:
- high wool productivity;
- excellent quality animal meat;
- milk is tasty and non-greasy;
- do not need special conditions of detention;
- picky about food.
Breeders were able to identify only one minus of the breed - the deterioration in the quality of the coat due to abrupt changes in climate and weather.
Orenburg
Goats are distinguished by their impressive size and strong physique.
Description. In their weight, goats reach 90 kg, and females can exceed 55 kg. Often, Orenburg goats are black in color without additional splashes. Wool of a pigtail type, thick and soft to the touch. Individuals belong to multiple.
Orenburg goats are famous for their resistance to various weather changes. Climate change has a beneficial effect on the quality of the coat, especially wind, drought and frost.
Productivity. The main goal of breeding Orenburg goats is to obtain fluff. About 0.5 product can be collected from one animal. The coat is soft and delicate, but at the same time, strong and elastic. In the already made products, he fluffs, giving them a more refined look.
During lactation (for 6 months), 160-180 liters of medium-fat milk can be collected. After the youngster’s absence from the mother, she can be milked for another 3 months. With good nutrition, she will bring about 50 liters of milk.
Features of the content.Individuals are very clean and sensitive. For the toilet they prepare one place, and for rest another - clean and dry. Goats live on pastures, if winters are not particularly cold, then animals prefer to stay outside for as long as possible.
Breeding can be done only in the Southern Urals, Orenburg and nearby areas.
Advantages of the Orenburg breed:
- precociousness is above average;
- milk productivity is high;
- the quality of the fluff is excellent;
- plain color;
- large yield of wool.
The disadvantages of the breed:
- truncation of fluff fiber, this property worsens the condition of the finished product;
- difficult adaptation to the new climate.
Mountain Altai goats
Goats were named after the place where this breed appeared - Altai. One of the “parents” was an individual of the Danish breed.
Description.Goats are hardy, they can live on pasture all year. Gain weight rapidly and possess the highest quality meat. The mass of goats reaches 65 kg, and goats - 40 kg. Very meaty individuals, its amount in animals often exceeds 70% of the whole body. As for fertility, it all depends on the pastures and living conditions on them.
Productivity.The wool of the Altai mountain breed is 8 cm long, 75% of it consists of fluff. You can take 0.5-0.7 kg of product from a goat. High quality fluff, very soft. Designed for the manufacture of scarves and other products.
Features of the content.It can be kept in any region of the country, because without problems they adapt to different climatic conditions. For housing goats need a covered room, you can do with a simple canopy.
It is not necessary to warm the room, but be sure to cover the floor with straw. The shed should not be wet, as dampness adversely affects the condition of the coat of animals.
Advantages of the breed:
- high quality wool and fluff;
- a large amount of downy fleece;
- undemanding maintenance and care;
- pickiness in food;
- the opportunity to get along in the dry climate of a mountainous area;
- good stamina;
- strong immune system;
- high meat productivity.
Among the shortcomings, only a small marriage of horns can be distinguished, which even gives a touch to the Altai goats.
Dagestan goats down
Dagestan breed is a small-sized individuals with a strong physique.
Description.The mass of the female varies between 28-34 kg, the male - 48-57 kg. The head is small, the ears hang down, the horns are straight. The limbs of individuals are strong, muscular, covered to the knees with wool, consisting of 80% of the fluff. The color of the goat is often white. Fertility is low - about 20-40%.
Today, this breed is in danger of complete extinction. Most of the goats were located in one of the state farms of the Buinaksk region of Dagestan, but after its decay the number of individuals decreased significantly. Thoroughbred goats were settled in various farms of the republic.
Productivity.Dagestan goats do not show particularly high indicators, fluff from an individual can be obtained about 0.3-0.5 kg, it is valued for its white color, which is ideal for creating scarves or shawls.
Features of the content.During grazing, the hooves of animals wear out and take on the correct shape; when stalling, they soften and begin to rot. Therefore, you need to monitor this and clean them in time.
Another difficulty in keeping is flies that lay eggs on the skin of cattle, they multiply, larvae and worms appear that destroy the hooves of goats. Animals eat poorly, their productivity decreases.
Advantages of the breed:
- quick adaptation to conditions of detention;
- the amount of fluff increased slightly compared to previous years;
- the meat is tasty and juicy.
The disadvantages of the breed:
- the quality of down is low;
- low fecundity and birth rate;
- milk production is low.
Black down goat
The breed appeared due to the crossing of local goats of Uzbekistan with the Angora breed.
Description.The mass of the female is 45 kg, the goat is 60 kg. Despite the uniform coat, the coat is not monotonous, it contains impurities of other colors. Stiff and short.
Productivity.Bouffant fluff varies from 300 to 400 g per individual. The average length is 9 cm.
Features of the content.The main thing to pay attention to molting. The period lasts about a week, and during this time the breeder needs to have time to collect as much fluff as possible, being late leads to losses of 35%.
Advantages of Angora breed:
- large goats, respectively, in addition to fluff, you can get enough meat;
- high quality fluff.
The disadvantages of the breed:
- during molting, a lot of fluff is lost;
- distributed only in Uzbekistan.
Volgograd down goats
The birthplace of the breed is Chernyshkovsky district, “parents” are Angora and Don goats.
Description.The coat is of high quality, clean and soft to the touch. The mass of the female is approximately 35-40 kg, the goat - 60 kg. White coat, sold well.
Productivity.The wool is 90% down. About 1 kg of product is collected from a female, 1.2-1.5 kg from a male. The length of the fluff is 11 cm, milk yield is above average. During the feeding of young animals, about 100 liters of milk are obtained from a goat, fertility is high - 130 kids per 100 females.
Features of the content. They do not need special conditions. They can live in any territory except the highlands.
Advantages of Angora breed:
- high quality down and wool;
- good indicator of milk;
- high fecundity.
Farmers were unable to identify the shortcomings of the breed, it fully meets the requirements for down goats.
Kyrgyz down goats
By their size, the goats of this breed belong to medium large breeds.
Description. The mass of the goat is approximately 35-40 kg, male - 58-68 kg. The largest mass of goats gain at the age of 5 years. The meat of the breed has excellent taste, animal skins are suitable for creating fur coats and sheepskin coats.
Productivity. The main products of Kyrgyz goats - fluff - a source of income for many livestock farmers. Down productivity depends on the influence of various factors, such as the sex of the individual, age and size of the animal. About 0.4-0.5 kg of fluff is collected from the goat.
Features of the content. Goats are kept on pastures. Wormwood, hodgepodge, shrubs appear in the form of the main feed. If the winter season is much colder than usual, then for animals it is advisable to build special buildings with a canopy. In addition, pastures in winter are not rich in the amount of food that animals need.
Advantages of the breed:
- a large amount of fluff;
- high milk and fertility;
- adaptability to any climate.
There is one drawback - the quality of down is the lowest compared to other down goats.
Down Goats Comparison
Breed name | The amount of fluff from 1 individual | Average goat weight | Average goat weight | Habitat |
Angora | 4-5 kg | 40 kg | 50-60 kg | Central Asia, Russia |
Kashmir | 0.15-0.2 kg | 30 kg | 40 kg | Tibet, Mongolia, Iran and Central Asia. |
Pridonskaya | 1.5-1.8 kg | 45 kg | 75 kg | Russia |
Orenburg | 0.5-0.6 kg | 55 kg | 90 kg | Russia |
Gorno-Altai | 0.5-0.7 kg | 40 kg | 65 kg | Mongolia and Altai |
Dagestan | 0.3-0.5 kg | 28-34 kg | 48-57 kg | Dagestan |
Black | 0.3-0.4 kg | 45 kg | 60 kg | Uzbekistan |
Volgograd | 1.2-1.5 kg | 35-40 kg | 60 kg | Russia |
Kyrgyz | 0.4-0.5 kg | 35-40 kg | 48-58 kg | Kyrgyzstan |
Breeding and keeping down goats is not difficult. It is important to correctly choose the breed of down goats, and providing them with decent care and care, get as much high-quality fluff as possible.