# Questions about angoras



## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

We have Nubians but I have wanted a fiber goat or two for a while, I don't know much about them or the difference in their hair. A lady that we are selling a buckling to has newly weaned angoras that she wants to trade. If we were to get one would it be a good fit for our small herd (6) of Nubians? Is the fiber good to spin into yarn? Would they need to keep their horns for Alabama heat? Any help would be appreciated, she is coming tomorrow and I need as much info as I can get to make a decision. Here is the picture she emiled me.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What a cutie! Don't know much about them but he/she is sure cute!


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## HerdMomma (Apr 4, 2013)

Yes they need their horns to help them with cooling. They are very sweet and docile goats and there shouldn't be a problem with it fitting in with Nubians. Good luck!!


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## BathamptonCashmeres (Apr 4, 2013)

You can dehorn them as kids or leave them with their horns intact.

The story about horns being needed to radiate heat is not of any practical significance.


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## angoracrazy (Apr 7, 2013)

Hes ADORABLE!!!!!! and with the horn issue I would say leave them on angoras are pretty calm goats so you shouldn't have a problem


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

BathamptonCashmeres said:


> You can dehorn them as kids or leave them with their horns intact.
> 
> The story about horns being needed to radiate heat is not of any practical significance.


Actually they are very significant. I think sweetgoats can agree with me because she has seen a fiber goat have a heat stroke from being dehorned. Now with that being said, if you choose to dehorn, as long as they have plenty of shelter and fresh clean water, you can get by with dehorning. It's up to you. Just know, they're basically wearing a sweater all year.


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## MollyDora (Oct 19, 2012)

I would like to see the parents of the little goat. if the goat in the picture behind the little one is the mom, she does not look like she has very good curls. (not good for spinning) not sure what you sell your nubians for. Our Angora Breeder will NEVER give away one angora on it's own, they are very attached to eachother. 
if the one you are getting is a buckling I would get him wethered asap! Buck fiber is not as good and gets coarse quick and will only be good for felting. 
Depending on what you are planning on doing with the yarn you spin out of the wool you might want to consider getting one from a good breeder. the best fiber comes from kids or yearlings, after a while the fiber won't be soft enough for close to skin projects, again this depends on the goat...


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## rkendrick (May 30, 2013)

Hi. New to the forum, but I definately believe in wethering. I do keep one angora a buck but he is so sweet and gentle, not buckish at all even during rut and he breeds all my does well. If he wasn't, he would be wethered.


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## goat luver 101 (Jul 19, 2011)

They need their horns

Their fiber is very prized and is used for spinning

That kid is way to young to properly see how it's fiber is going to turn out, you really can't tell until they are a year old. 
Sure is a cutie pie though!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

MollyDora said:


> I would like to see the parents of the little goat. if the goat in the picture behind the little one is the mom, she does not look like she has very good curls. (not good for spinning)
> 
> Depending on what you are planning on doing with the yarn you spin out of the wool .


It looks like that doe was just sheered, that is why she does not look like she has any locks.

Angora fleece is Mohair not wool. 

Like FiberChick said, I have seen a goat die from a heat stroke, the horns are natural air conditioners, so it helps to release the body heat. That is wha the hors are for on all goat, sbut the others do not get the fleece like the cashmere and the Angora grow thier mohair all year long so they stay hot. It is like you going outside in the heat of the summer with a sweater on.


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## rkendrick (May 30, 2013)

Anybody know how to "buff" horns? Or even if I should. They have been knocking the tree trunk and have chips.


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## Sensible (Jun 14, 2013)

thomcarol said:


> We have Nubians but I have wanted a fiber goat or two for a while, I don't know much about them or the difference in their hair. A lady that we are selling a buckling to has newly weaned angoras that she wants to trade. If we were to get one would it be a good fit for our small herd (6) of Nubians? Is the fiber good to spin into yarn? Would they need to keep their horns for Alabama heat? Any help would be appreciated, she is coming tomorrow and I need as much info as I can get to make a decision. Here is the picture she emiled me.


Be aware that a lot of the colored Angoras out there are the product of relatively recent crosses. Certainly they have not been selectively bred for nearly as long as the whites, and so the mohair is likely to be of lesser quality, even if registered and "purebred".

If your Nubians are not horned, you are asking for a lot of trouble if you bring in this Angora kid and do not disbud it. No matter how "sweet", "calm", or "friendly" Angoras tend to be, to make some wide generalizations, any horned goat in a herd of disbudded goats is going to learn how to use those horns, and he will cause stress on the others. An adult Angora buck with a full rack is certainly impressive, and if you have the facilities and other horned goats to go with him, there's nothing wrong with having them, but horns simply are not appropriate in a dairy setting of a well managed herd. This idea that horns act as a radiator to dissipate heat seems to make sense, but how many goat keepers today do not have shade and water available to their animals at all times? If it really were an issue, and they "need" the horns as is claimed, then certainly disbudded animals would be suffering and doing poorly all over the country, and that is simply not true. For that matter, the ears also act as radiators, but you don't see anyone claiming that Lamanchas suffer more in the heat than other breeds. The excuse that goats "need" horns is simply a handy argument for people to use who prefer them, but who don't have any demonstrable proof to back up their claims. Animals with horns can get heat stress just as easily as those without, if they're not managed or cared for properly.


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## MoKa-Farms (Jun 19, 2013)

BathamptonCashmeres said:


> You can dehorn them as kids or leave them with their horns intact.
> 
> The story about horns being needed to radiate heat is not of any practical significance.


Angoras NEED their horns for the heat. The act as a cooling device, and (as I have explained to my grandfather a million times) without their horns, they can die of heat stroke.
A wethered Angora makes a great fiber goat. Wethers tend to be calmer than even does.
Angoras grow Mohair all year long and are normally sheared at 6 month intervals.
Angora fleece is called Mohair (Angora fiber is made by Angora rabbits), and it is separated into 3 different categories according to fineness. 
*Type "A":* Leans toward Mohair characteristics (some individuals may exhibit full

Mohair)

*Type "B":* Blend of Mohair and Cashmere (typical Cashgora fiber)

*Type "C":* Leans toward Cashmere characteristics (some individuals may exhibit

full Cashmere)

Hope that helped. What a cute little Angora!


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## BathamptonCashmeres (Apr 4, 2013)

We'll have to agree to disagree about horns. My understanding is that there is next to zero heat loss from horns, there are no sweat glands in horns and the blood circulation is weak and therefore there is very little chance of heat loss. Therefore they dont play any significant role in heat regulation in the goat. 

Yes various people may have seen poll goats suffer from heat stroke, but that is not due to presence or absence of horns.


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## rkendrick (May 30, 2013)

Let me start again: I'm asking if I should smooth out the nicks and ridges on my goats horns like I would a horses hoof. For cosmetic effect and so they don't catch on anything and get caught up.

Thanks about the fiber grade. I needed that info.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

rkendrick said:


> Let me start again: I'm asking if I should smooth out the nicks and ridges on my goats horns like I would a horses hoof. For cosmetic effect and so they don't catch on anything and get caught up.
> 
> Thanks about the fiber grade. I needed that info.


Are the horns catching on anything now? Something that will help make the horns healthier would be to add kelp to their diet. I have seen a big improvement on my goats horns when I added that. I think smoothing the ridges out may be more hassle than what it is worth. If I were the goat, I would be annoyed with the vibrations or clipping of something attached to my head lol

And as far as the horns releasing heat or not, I haven't seen any credible articles or informations suggesting that they don't play a role in releasing heat. Everything that I have researched says it does. Especially in fiber goats since their coats are much thicker than the other breeds of goats.


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## MoKa-Farms (Jun 19, 2013)

BathamptonCashmeres said:


> We'll have to agree to disagree about horns. My understanding is that there is next to zero heat loss from horns, there are no sweat glands in horns and the blood circulation is weak and therefore there is very little chance of heat loss. Therefore they dont play any significant role in heat regulation in the goat.
> 
> Yes various people may have seen poll goats suffer from heat stroke, but that is not due to presence or absence of horns.


If you don't mind me asking- do you have any Angoras or any past experience with Angoras?


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

I too have wondered about the heat connection and horns.
It's hot and humid here, the only goats in my barn not panting are the angoras with a 3 inch fleece and horns. They're the only ones that seem comfortable. The dehorned milkers that I clipped are so panty.

As for buffing horns, I agree with Sammy. I wouldn't do that. I'd change something in their diet. I don't have a ton of personal experience but this is what I was told.


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## BathamptonCashmeres (Apr 4, 2013)

MoKa-Farms said:


> If you don't mind me asking- do you have any Angoras or any past experience with Angoras?


I don't normally blow my own trumpet but seeing though you asked. I started with Cashmeres and Angoras in 1982, and generally run about 400 Cashmeres. During that time I've also completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and a Doctor of Philosophy by research. My Cashmeres have fleece that is more dense than many Angoras and I run them in a humid sub-tropical region. Some are naturally polled but most are horned.


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## MoKa-Farms (Jun 19, 2013)

Ok, I just find it strange that someone with Angora experience says that horns are of no significance to their heat management, since I found a lot of Angora articles that say Angoras need their horns to radiate heat, I even know an Angora breeder who swears that this is true.



fiberchick04 said:


> I haven't seen any credible articles or informations suggesting that they don't play a role in releasing heat. Everything that I have researched says it does.


Same here.


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## goat luver 101 (Jul 19, 2011)

MoKa-Farms said:


> Ok, I just find it strange that someone with Angora experience says that horns are of no significance to their heat management, since I found a lot of Angora articles that say Angoras need their horns to radiate heat, I even know an Angora breeder who swears that this is true.
> 
> Same here.


I agree, Angora goats NEED their horns.


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## fiberchick04 (Mar 8, 2010)

phydough said:


> Those of you with horned angoras and another breed of goat..have you ever put your hand on the horns comparing temp on a hot day? I've compared them with nubians. Most days they all seem the same. Recently, nubians and angoras came running in their morning adventures through the forest. They were hot, panting and running to the water. Nubian horns felt normal but the angora buck with 2 year old horn growth had hot horns. It caught me by surprise because I had never noticed it before. I have noticed the angoras cool themselves down faster than the nubians. Is it the horns? Are they just built a little better for regulating temp? I dont know but fortunately my angoras are polite enough to leave them on until more accurate and detailed info is known.
> 
> One last thing..has anyone who has lived in a hot environment noticed how hooved animals will sometimes cool their feet in water? All the thickness at the feet yet when the feet get hot from running or the ground is really hot, feet get cooled down. It just makes me think.


Yes I've seen them cool their feet. Actually that's a good way to bring fevers down at a healthy rate. My vet suggested doing that.


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## BathamptonCashmeres (Apr 4, 2013)

Like I said, I dont think they are significant, but I'm quite relaxed to agree to differ with you.


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