# Cashmeres?



## RollingHills (Sep 20, 2010)

Anyone out there raise cashmere goats? Can anyone tell me about them?


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## Randi (Apr 22, 2011)

I don't but would also be interested--or angoras.


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## RollingHills (Sep 20, 2010)

What I've been getting from people with Angoras is lice, parasite and foot issues, plus their fiber has a tendency to "bloom" when spun (personally I'm not a fan, although I can see where blooming in some patterns would be a good thing). People with Cashmeres are telling me they have good feet, better-than-average parasite tolerance, and few lice issues. They seem to be a tougher goat than Angoras.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

My husband and I raise cashmere goats. We LOVE them. They are very hardy and low maintenance animals. THey have great hooves, very strong. They are very easy kidders as well. We very rarely need to assist them.


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## RollingHills (Sep 20, 2010)

fiberchick - Do you know of anyone who sells breeding stock? Are they horribly expensive?

Do a fair number of people raise them, or are they relatively rare? 

Do you have any problems with fiber mills accepting something that needs to be de-haired? 

Right now we're raising meat goats, but we keep a bunch of sheep (Shetlands, BFL's, and some longwool crosses) for fiber. Keeping some goats for fiber seems like a natural progression.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

Depending on the area that you are in, and who you get them from they can range anywhere from$50-300 sometimes 400. Compared to boers, they are very cheap lol. 

Almost all of the breeders I know always have breeding stock for sale. From what I have found, there are not a lot of big breeders out there. A lot of people more or less have a couple for weed control or for personal fiber use. 

Not a lot of fiber mills do cashmere, because it is hard to process. But thats not to say there are none out there. There are plenty for the need we have out here. 

Lucky for you, there are a decent amount of people that raise cashmeres on the east coast. If you go to the Eastern Cashmere Association website, there is a big breeders listing. Along with that, check out Wild Fibers Magazine. They have a breeders listing as well. 

My husband and I raise our cashmeres for meat as well. They are comparable to boers.


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## RollingHills (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks, fiberchick04 - all that information has been really helpful and I appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions. I'll check out the Eastern Cashmere Association website, too. Thanks again!


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

You are very welcome! I'm happy to see more interest in cashmeres = )


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I had a large-ish, herd of Cashmere goats. I was very successful at breeding them, but there isn't much demand here. It was getting to be alot of work so I sold most of my herd. I still have 2 nice females and a good buck. I will probably have kids this spring. But, I'm in central Pennsylvania. 

Cashmere goats are very hardy goats. In addition they can eat alot of plants that are toxic to other goats. Mine cleaned up a big (BIG) patch of wild azeala. You don't have to shear them like angora, or pygora, you just comb it out a couple of times. And the fiber doesn't felt right on the animal like my pygora's did. But, the pygora will produce more fiber, by weight. They have a high rate of twinning, and the kids are relatively small, easier to birth. So, you can build up your herd pretty fast. You don't disbudd them, leave the horns on, it helps with heat transfer. But, their horns are "flat and blunt" unlike the dairy goats I've seen that had very pointy horns. Also, they dont' use them against you! And they make a nice "handle". 

They are not usually as tame as dairy goats, but with some work they generally come around. I kept the friendliest of our goats. They are very sweet. Good luck with your search.


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## RollingHills (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks for your reply, Di! Very informative. There are a lot of spinners in our area (Western New York), plus we've been raising longwool sheep (Shetlands, BF Leicesters, a couple of Coopworth and Corriedale crosses), so we plan to add cashmere to the roving we've already got; we'll see how it does alone, but we can always spin it in with other fibers. Right now we've got one Kiko and one Arapawa buck, plus a Spanish doe, a San Clemente doe, and a couple of cross does, and almost everyone has those horns (we do have a couple of naturally-polled does) - we don't de-horn anything and I agree with you about the handles; also, everyone (even the bucks) are gentle and non-aggressive with people, so there's no reason to fear the horns. And I like how they look. 

Right now we're leaning toward getting into Cashmeres because of all the positive feedback we've been getting from the people who've had them.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I dont know if you can picture this...I had a beautiful buck...very friendly...great cashmere...beautiful wide set of horns. Apparently, I wasn't paying enough attention to him one day. He came up behind me (I know, never turn your back on a buck), and put his forehead against my butt, his horns fit perfectly around my backside. And he then kind of steered me around! I was so surprised he gently pushed me away from what I was doing until I turned around to pet HIM!

Loved that boy, he has a good job in northwestern Pa. LOL


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## RollingHills (Sep 20, 2010)

Where in Northwestern PA? That's not too far from where we're located. Do you know if his new owner(s) have any of his offspring for sale? He sounds adorable!


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Sorry, can't find any info. I had a computer crash a while ago and lost alot of my contact info.


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## goat luver 101 (Jul 19, 2011)

hey,
I have a herd of cashmere goats and they are very hardy, good mothers, and super friendly. They love people and make great pets and give luxurious fiber. I would recommend them to anybody. They are not small goats and males can get HUGE but they never butt you and are always sweet as can be!


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## pitchik (Dec 2, 2011)

wow-I am embarassed to admit, that I did not know angora and cashmere were from goats-


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

Dont be embarassed at all! A lot of people that come out to our county fair think that Angora goats are sheep =)


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I raise themm also but I am in Colorado. 

I have the Grand and Reserve Champion does from the 2011 Estes park Wool Market and the Grand Champion Doe from the colorado State fair 2011. 

I know a lot of people out East there that have goats.


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Pitchik, there is also a rabbit called the Angora. Its fiber is also called Angora fiber I believe, and is spun and made into things, so you may have heard of that too.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

pitchik said:


> wow-I am embarassed to admit, that I did not know angora and cashmere were from goats-


 Actually, Angora comes from Rabbits. Cashmere is yes from cashmere goats, and mohair is from Angora goats.

Dont worry, a lot of people don't realize it.


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## phydough (Jun 3, 2011)

sweetgoats said:


> I raise themm also but I am in Colorado.
> 
> I have the Grand and Reserve Champion does from the 2011 Estes park Wool Market and the Grand Champion Doe from the colorado State fair 2011.
> 
> I know a lot of people out East there that have goats.


Ohhh, how I've wanted some cashmere goats and never knew champion lines were just one state over! I'm in northern Az


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Does anyone know breeders of cashmere goats in Michigan, WI, or MN? I do like knitting, and would be interested in the fiber, since I could get someone to spin it for me. Wouldn't want a goat for at least another year or so, but I do like knowing of the breeders out there.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Actually, you'll need a large herd to have enough cashmere to do much with. If you picture an average plastic grocery bag...I get about 2 of those pretty full from each goat. But, the weight per goat is not much probably less than a pound/year/goat. Some of that is hair and needs to be removed...so if you have to do that by hand...it's a job. If you do have a larger herd you can save it up and send it to a mill to be dehaired and processed into roving for spinning or even spun into yarn and sometimes you may have it blended with another fiber. 

It's a beautiful fiber, though. And, the goats are cool too. I have acquired 3 alpacas and I plan to blend my cashmere with the alpaca. That's the plan anyway. lol.


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## phydough (Jun 3, 2011)

Di, thanks for the info. I was curious how much cashmere came off a goat. I'm raising angora goats so have the mohair, have angora from rabbits. and even tried out raising silkworms earlier this year too with plans of blending. A book of mine raves about a blends mixing angora and alpaca.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I have Cashmere goats that I have to sell. I am In Colorado. I have to sell because the hubby is sick. Matter of fact we are in fhe hospital right now. 
You can go to my website and see them. I have someone from IL that is looking at purchasing three. 
www.sweetgoats.webs.com.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Oh, Lori, I'm so sorry you have health issues with your Hubby. Please let him know we are praying for him. Take care of yourself...don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it.


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## neubunny (Nov 7, 2012)

Know anyone working with them in the midwest? One of the girls who boards with us is very interested in fiber (she also has sheep, alpacas, a llama and angora rabbits), but has had an extremely bad year with angora goats and is pretty much fed up with them. She was talking the other day about looking into cashmere's as a better choice -- but so far hadn't seen any for sale locally.


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## rollinghillsfarm (Sep 21, 2012)

I finally got my Cashmeres last week! A buckling and a doeling - both beautiful and silver and sweet as can be. We bought them from the Sisters at St. Mary on the Hill Monastery in Greenwich, NY. The Sisters (thank you , Sister Mary Elizabeth!!) were WONDERFUL to deal with and they have gorgeous stock. We're going back in spring to pick up our doeling's half sister and we're going to be looking for another buckling (we're serious about this). We're already raising sheep for fiber; seemed like a natural progression.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

Congrats! They're goats are beautiful! Welcome to cashmeres! Always excited to see another breeder! Wish you were closer! We have some beautiful silver bucklings that'll be for sale as well as black.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

neubunny said:


> Know anyone working with them in the midwest? One of the girls who boards with us is very interested in fiber (she also has sheep, alpacas, a llama and angora rabbits), but has had an extremely bad year with angora goats and is pretty much fed up with them. She was talking the other day about looking into cashmere's as a better choice -- but so far hadn't seen any for sale locally.


Where in the Midwest?


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## neubunny (Nov 7, 2012)

Michigan. But Allison decided to go with pygoras.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

Pygoras are adorable! Hey I'm just happy to see another person in fiber goats!


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## neubunny (Nov 7, 2012)

lol -- Allison has English angora rabbits, sheep, alpacas and now pygoras. She's actually making a profit on fiber products with her Etsy store.


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## CashmereGoatBreeder (Apr 8, 2013)

CashmereS are a awesome breed I own raise and breed them


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I have raised the for 12 years. 

I am excited I am going to be co judging the Virginia State Fair.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

That's awesome Lori!


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## rollinghillsfarm (Sep 21, 2012)

Congrats on being chosen to judge the Virginia State Fair! You wouldn't by any chance have any bucklings for sale, would you? We live in Western New York and Virginia would be a lot closer to us than Colorado. We could meet you there. Would you happen to know if there's a Myotonic class?​


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