4.NGORA. GOATS.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2081, 3 January 1879, Page 4 (Supplement)

4.NGORA. GOATS.

Messrs J. and W. Busby, of Waitangi, Bay of Islands, write* to the Auckland Herald ou the above subject as follows :—: — It has more than once been suggested to us to make public the particulars of our attempt to establish the Angora goat in this district, but we have hitherto declined to do so ; preferring to wait till the matter should have passed the stage of experiment. As we are now thoroughly satisfied of the eminent suitability of this stock to theclimateand country of thanorth, we think the following statement may be worth making known to those of our readers as are interested in such matters :—lt: — It was at the suggestion of a relative that the writer in 1872 brought over from Sydney half a score of young does of the third cross from the common goat. The season being over before their arrival, there was no increase that year, but a loss of one-*-supposed to have been poisened by tutu. Next year they began to breed, and the flock now numbers 84 of all qualities, from the fourth to the sixth cross, with » tine buck from the Melbourne Acclimatisation Society's flock. Last year we sent to London the mohair that had accummulated from the commencement, a veiy mixed and common- looking lot, which we considered little better than worthless, but which, to our surprise, sold for Is 6J per lb. For the next parcel, which will be of improved and more even quality, 1 we hope to obtain an enhanced price, and see no reason why, by curling, and the use of first class-bucks, it may not be raised to the highest quality, worth, we believe, 6a. They are not suitable stock for grass paddocks nor for small holdings. With us they will not remain in the paddocks, but when broghtoff the run make their way back as soon as released from the yard, and they will not be restrained by any fence less effective than a close paling, therefore are most unsuitable to a thickly* pjfuliAod Ntf GUlttvttai WWUW Xbty

are alto much more a browsing than a ' grazing animal, and live to a great extent upon shrub*. Taere is an enormous extent of country in the North, especially on the coast, now of no value but as runs for a few rough cattle, which might bo turned to good account if stocked with Angora goats They are wore hardy and cheaper to manage than any sheep, and d<» not get wild, doubtless owing to the long period of their domestication, ns they are without doubt one of the oldest breeds of domestic animals. The " goat's hair" from which Moses was instructed to make the curtains of the Tabernacle (Kxodus, 26 chapter, verse 7,) was doubtless from this breed. We find that up to the fifth cross of pure blood there is a disposition, as the animal grows old, to cast the mohair to a greater or less extent, and become bare in appearance like the common goat, but as the quality improves this tendency diminishes, and we think will disappear entirely with the fifth cross. Hitherto we have only shorn once a year —in August — but in future shall shear all the young and better quality also in February. The wedders do not fatten early, but become very fat at four years old. We kill them up to 701bs. in weight, and full of tallow. They would boil down to good profit. The meat is dark-colored and coarse in grain, but free from any peculiar taint or flavor. We think, however, that the best way to manage a flock, after getting fully stocked, would be to kill all the young males each year before their first winter, and dry the skins for shipment. There is said to be an unsatisfied demand for them by the furrier* in London to cut up for fringes. In this way a run capable of wintering a thousand does should give a gross return of LBOO or 1000 a-year, according to quality, as follows —Say a 1000 does, each 4lbs. hair, 40001bs. at 3s, L6OO ; 850 skins, males and cast does, at 10a, L 425 : L 1025. They excel all other domestic animals in grace and elegance of appearance and carriage. No sight can be pretcier than that of a lot of kids or young does at play — quite realising the gracU.es capeloi of the Latin poet ; a description so very inapplicable to the ordinary nanny. In America and the South African colonies great attention is now being paid to this stock. The statistics of Natal for last year give the number in the colony as nearly 45,000 ; while from Victoria the Acclimatisation Society send home the finest sample of mohair that goes to England — the result of culling and selection. Trusting that our experience may indue others to try what we believe to be most profitable stock, we think it will save trouble to state that we are not likely to have any for sale, as it must be several years before we can " stock-up" to the capacity of the run.