This little guy was born yesterday on our ranch. My first baby goat ever! I'm pretty much smitten in every way. 
Navajo-Angora Goat kid
- Thread starter SixGun
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MuddyFarms
Well-known member
I have never heard of Navajo-Angora goats or Navajo goats for that matter. It looks so soft! Is that a good mix for wool? What are the Navajo goats like? How do you like the wool from the rabbits vs the goats?
Albert
Well-known member
What a smashing little kid! We've never tried goats on account of them being supreme escape artists but I'd sorely tempted with a goat like that.
Navajo-Angora goats are just about as rare as can be at this point. They no longer have a breed registry and I know of only myself and a handful of other people that are not of the Navajo Nation that raise them.
About 60 years ago there were thousands of them, but after the Hoover Dam was built the US Government demanded the killing of a million sheep and goats on the Reservation starting that grazing was causing silt to build up in the river. The govt killed them in the fields and let them rot. Sometimes it's difficult to acknowledge the actions of your government.
They are a breed developed by the indigenous people of the Southwest United States, primarily the Navajo or Dine'. Their origin is drawn heavily from the Angora goat of Turkey and the Spanish goat left from the Conquistadors.
What they are is a very hearty wool breed that can forage heavily in the desert. With clean faces and legs they are distinctive from the Angora.
I raise both, Angora and Navajo-Angora. The wool quality is comparable, with the Angora producing a bit more each shearing, but requiring more in the way of supplemental feeding.
Mohair is soft, especially kid Mohair. I shear twice a year with a 5 or 6," staple. Its a really durable fiber and traditionally is used for chest straps and bridles for horses. I weave it for wall hangings and blankets. Kid Mohair could be worn against the skin, being significantly softer.
My husband says we're not allowed to have anything else with Angora in the title, although I've heard the cats are pretty cool.
I hope the size is right. I couldn't seem to resize on the mobile.
This is His, out Navajo-Angora buck.
This is Prince. An Angora goat. He has wool on every part of his body, legs, belly, face, etc.
MuddyFarms
Well-known member
That is a very interesting breed history! I like the benefit there can be to getting a breed that has been developed for the area you live in or type of raising you intend to do. There can definitely be good reasons to raise a less-common breed.
Thank you for the pictures and info! Enjoyed learning about them, despite their sad history.
I don't know... I am sure angora fiber and their animals can be addicting! I'm sure I would get way too many if I got into them.
Thank you for the pictures and info! Enjoyed learning about them, despite their sad history.
I don't know... I am sure angora fiber and their animals can be addicting! I'm sure I would get way too many if I got into them.
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@MuddyFarms That was the reason I went to the Navajo-Angora vs just the standard commerical type Angora. I wanted a breed that was most suitably adapted to our bit of rough and tumble climate. When it's 110 degrees out, any little bit helps, so if a clean face allows better heat exchange, great. If their rumen can convert more calories from mesquite leaves or Cholla cactus bits, so be it.
I'm always interested in what the Livestrock Conservancy is working on. Unfortunately I like fiber animals, and they are not traditionally raised in the southwest. The insulating factor from that natural fiber was developed in much colder areas. However we do have the Navajo-Churro and the Navajo-Angora, and thats because the four corners area, a place of high desert is hot during the day and cold at night, so it could sustain the need for a fiber animal.
The southwest is all about cotton for fiber, and I love the local cottons that thrive in the desert. But, despite the benefits of cotton, its just never very cute!
I'm always interested in what the Livestrock Conservancy is working on. Unfortunately I like fiber animals, and they are not traditionally raised in the southwest. The insulating factor from that natural fiber was developed in much colder areas. However we do have the Navajo-Churro and the Navajo-Angora, and thats because the four corners area, a place of high desert is hot during the day and cold at night, so it could sustain the need for a fiber animal.
The southwest is all about cotton for fiber, and I love the local cottons that thrive in the desert. But, despite the benefits of cotton, its just never very cute!
MuddyFarms
Well-known member
@MuddyFarms That was the reason I went to the Navajo-Angora vs just the standard commerical type Angora. I wanted a breed that was most suitably adapted to our bit of rough and tumble climate. When it's 110 degrees out, any little bit helps, so if a clean face allows better heat exchange, great. If their rumen can convert more calories from mesquite leaves or Cholla cactus bits, so be it.
I'm always interested in what the Livestrock Conservancy is working on. Unfortunately I like fiber animals, and they are not traditionally raised in the southwest. The insulating factor from that natural fiber was developed in much colder areas. However we do have the Navajo-Churro and the Navajo-Angora, and thats because the four corners area, a place of high desert is hot during the day and cold at night, so it could sustain the need for a fiber animal.
The southwest is all about cotton for fiber, and I love the local cottons that thrive in the desert. But, despite the benefits of cotton, its just never very cute!
I just looked up the Navajo-Churro and they reminded me of Jacob sheep with their four horns! It is amazing the variety there can be in less-commercialized breeds. I was looking into Icelandic sheep for my area because of their ability to forage on less-than-ideal sources and live in my climate well. I think they are supposed to be browsers more than grazers, too.
Do those breeds have lanolin in the wool? I would love to get into a fiber animal sometime, just trying to figure out what would work best for my area (predators included) and for a family with certain wool irritations. I have been interested in alpacas, as well. A conundrum to be sure!
Yeah, I don't think cotton is quite as fascinating to watch, grow, harvest, or use, either!
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Rabbits by Accident
Well-known member
@MuddyFarms I believe all goats are browsers and not grazers. They would rather have a field of brush and trees than of grass. They're closely related to deer. I used to have Nubians and mutts for milk years ago. (Actually the last time I had rabbits LOL) I avoided looking at this post because I knew I would fall in love again. Around here in Texas they raise mostly meat goats. It's not quite as hot as Arizona but it's also not as cold in the winter I think.
@SixGun so jealous! Rabbits and goats! And they are beautiful!
So so jealous I'm going to have to avoid Craigslist for the next couple weeks.
Is there a lot of maintenance on those goats? Do you need to shear them like sheep?
Liz
@SixGun so jealous! Rabbits and goats! And they are beautiful!
So so jealous I'm going to have to avoid Craigslist for the next couple weeks.
Is there a lot of maintenance on those goats? Do you need to shear them like sheep?
Liz
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MuddyFarms
Well-known member
@Rabbits by Accident I had actually switched from talking about the Navajo-Angora goats to talking about sheep (the Navajo-Churro Sheep @SixGun mentioned, as well as the Jacob sheep and Icelandic sheep I mentioned). The Icelandic sheep are browsers more than grazers, making them more like goats. That was something I really liked about them, because my area is much more suited to browsers. They also have a natural wool break, meaning that they shed their wool. Thanks for mentioning that, though; never hurts to clarify things when it is something unique like that!
And you are right about Craigslist- it is a very dangerous place to go after seeing such a cute goat kid!
And you are right about Craigslist- it is a very dangerous place to go after seeing such a cute goat kid!
@MuddyFarms Yes, Churro are some beautiful sheep, and amazing. Horns being essential to survive with mountain lines, bobcats, coyotes, etc. Very very little lanolin. The fiber is courser than your normal wool breed, but has a very long staple. If you've ever felt a Navajo blanket, those are traditionally made with Churro wool. Not something you would necessarily want against your skin.
I love Icelandic. You can't go wrong there.
We have an alapaca ranch just down the road from us. Now those guys can deal with just about any climate. They don't seem to mind hot or cold. If I didn't have them close by i could see myself with an Alpaca, but thankfully, no need with them right here.
I love Icelandic. You can't go wrong there.
We have an alapaca ranch just down the road from us. Now those guys can deal with just about any climate. They don't seem to mind hot or cold. If I didn't have them close by i could see myself with an Alpaca, but thankfully, no need with them right here.
That's why its so nice to be able to pasture some goats and sheep together. They will clear everything as they naturally gravitate towards different food sources. The tricky thing about the desert is that we carefully plan pastures around the monsoons and the rain that brings. So late summer is our best pasture and a bit right now with our winter rain (not like its real rain, it rains .25 inches over three months).
They need to be sheared not just once a year, but twice, spring and fall. And unlike most goats, they do browse, but they're not 'easy' keepers. I have to make sure that they're supplemented when they don't have a lot of browsing, that mohair really eats up the calories.
