Angoras—a goat for the future

Press, 24 February 1979, Page 15

Angoras—a goat for the future

Diversification is the theme in New Zealand agriculture these days. The last few years have seen the introduction and rapid expansion of deer farming, the planting and exporting of new berry crops, and a growing interest in nut production.

Farmers have also been awakened to the commercial possibilities of goats—a type of farming reaching back to biblical times and beyond, but new to New Zealand. In the vanguard of one branch of goat farming is a Government department, Lands and Survey, which has probably the largest flock of purebred Angora goats in the country, on its Wakelins farm settlement at Waitangi. Angora goats are prized for their fleece—mohair. A long, soft, lustrous material, it is known in the trade as the “diamond” fleece. Its scarcity is the secret of its value.

The origins of the Angora are not clear, although some experts have deduced from biblical references that the breed was known as far back as the thirteenth centurv B.C. One theory suggests it is descended from the cashmere goat of Tibet. But the Angora goat as we know it today comes from the Angora province in Turkey. Until recent times the breed was jealously guarded by the Turks and was found nowhere else in the world. The first exports were to South Africa in 1830, and then to the United States. Angoras are now also found in Australia. Lesotho and the Soviet Union. New Zealand’s first contact with the Angora came in 1870, when a flock was sent to Waitangi. Further imports followed, with the dual aim of keeping down the blackberry and establishing a mohair industry. The experiment was a failure. The goats died tangled in blackberry bushes, or strayed through inadequate fences and were lost.

Farmers became so discouraged that they made little effort to recapture the goats, which gradually mingled with other wild goats from milking flocks. They formed the herds of feral goats which now roam much backblocks hill country. The Department of Lands and Survey was drawn into goat farming 10 years ago, when the then Minister of Lands, Mr Duncan Mclntyre, was searching for possible types of diversification to assist falling farm incomes. He heard of an isolated colony of wild Angora in Northland, and asked for an investigation into the possibility of profitably farming the animals. From dawn to dusk every Sunday for the next year, a dedicated band of searchers combed the dense bush-clad hills for the elusive creatures.

Although recovery was a slow process, a small herd was gradually established at Waipoua, then moved to Kapiro, and in September of last year it was taken to the Wakelins Farm Settlement at Waitangi, where it will remain. The move marked a new stage of development in fanning the goats, now known as the "Waitangi Angora Flock.” For the first time they have been established as a separate entity from the department’s sheep and cattle farming operations.

The superintendent of Land Development for Northland, Mr A. R. Aitken, believes this will enable the department to get an accurate idea of the value of goat farming as an alternative and separate torm of land use.

He says that separate management will mean that all the costs and benefits of the operation can be established for the first time and the department will be able to assess the numbers needed for an economic unit. He believes the department is in a unique position to examine Angora goats as an acceptable form of diversification for New Zealand agriculture.

One of the main difficulties for the department in recent years has been setting a fair price for the stock. A recent sale in Whangarei saw one descendent of the Waitangi flock fetch more than $2OOO. But New Zealand animals fetch low prices in comparison with overseas stock. Another relation of one of the two top Waitangi bucks sold for $28,000 in Australia 12 months ago. To ensure only the best of the breed comes through, the department has a high culling rate, and has imported two bucks from Australia. However, because of animal health regulations, no more new stock can be imported at this stage. The mohair produced by the Waitangi flock is highly regarded overseas. "We have had excellent reports on mohair classed on the Australian markets, and Bradford has commented favourably on its quality,” Mr Aitken says. The output from the flock has now passed the stage where it can all be taken up by the home spinners who have provided the market in recent years. One consequence of the move to Waitangi and the expansion of the flock will be an investigation into export markets Managing a goat farm has turned out to be little more difficult than sheep farming. Goats are more intelligent than sheep, but they have similar health problems. Extra care of their feet is needed as they are susceptible to foot rot in damp conditions. They need shelter in adverse weather, and at kidding time there is a high labour input, though this is due in part to the department’s efforts to sustain the highest kidding performance possible to help the industry become quickly and firmly established.

A purebred Angora doe will clip up to 3kg of mohair a year, which compares with about 4.5 kg of wool from a sheep. The grazing patterns differ substantially. Goats are browsing animals, unlike sheep and cattle which graze. Goats may run on good pasture, but a heavy supply of roughage is essential. At Waitangi this comes from hay, maize, or millet.

The future of the Angora goat industry is still uncertain, but the Department of Lands and Survey feels there are valuable lessons to be learned from the Waitangi flock. It will provide farmers with information on the economic potential of Angora fanning, and the country with a quality flock of an animal relatively rare and much sought after around the world. i