Goats

Species : Goats

Breed : Arapawa Island
Origin : England

Submitted By : Reference and Photo- Mason, I.L. 1996. A World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types and Varieties. Fourth Edition. C.A.B International. 273 pp. Betty Rowe, Picton, New Zealand

History : The Arapawa goats are among the few survivors of the Old English milch (milk) goat which is now extinct to their native England. They may have been introduced as early as the late 1830s by the first European settlers, who established a shore whaling station on the island. Goats were recorded at the station in 1839. (An original suggestion that they are the descendants of goats released in New Zealand in the eighteenth century by James Cook, has now been disproved by historic research.) Left on Arapawa island to breed as a future source of food and milk by explorers, the goats came under seige in the 1970's.

Description : The goats have been recognized by the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. A number of Arapawa goats have been removed from the island over recent years and are now being bred by a few enthusiasts in various places throughout New Zealand. They are also being maintained in a reserve on Arapawa Island itself. In 1993 they were exported to USA and in 2004 to Great Britain. The goats are colorful with distinctive markings and brown and black patchwork.



Species : Goats

Breed : Cashmere
Origin : Australia

Submitted By : John Harris, Mitchell, NE. Internet mail: jharris@hannibal.wncc.cc.ne.us



History : Cashmere the fiber of kings, produced from the lowly Cashmere goat. This fiber is so luxurious that the Arc of the Covenant of the old testament was lined and curtained with it.

 Sixty percent of the worlds supply of cashmere is produced in China and the remainder from Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Kashmere, Australia and New Zealand. It is a new industry for the United States. The first Cashmere goats were imported from Australia and New Zealand in the late 1980's. Since then several Cashmere breeders and growers have been producing breeding stock to launch this new industry in the US.

Description : Cashmere goats are easy to raise. They are healthy animals and take only minimal care. They are not jumpers like many other goat breeds and standard woven wire sheep fencing will contain them. Minimal shelter is all that is required to house them due to the insulative properties of their dual coats, which is shed for the summer. They are sheared once a year and a full grown adult buck will yield as much as 2.5 pounds of fleece. The fleece consists of two kinds of fiber, cashmere and guard hair. Average cashmere percentages are in the 20% range. The fleece can be sold to wholesale buyers or it can be dehaired and sold at retail prices to hand spinners.











Source:  http://www.exclusivelivestock.com/view_breedinfo_insert.php?Species=Goats