Goat watch...day 170

UPDATE – AUGUST 2008
Iris, Blossom and Billy have had a lovely 6 months lazing around and enjoying the sunshine they have had their bluetongue vaccinations and also a visit from Lance, the Shearer, this was all too traumatic for me and so I left Rob to deal with it in the stable whilst I made the T. !

They soon forgot about Lance and I am sure they were much more comfortable and much cooler with their fleeces off. I am having it spun and made into scarves!

I am preparing the girls for their little holiday away visiting their boyfriend down in Cambridge within the next 4 weeks . Billy will not want to be parted from his

mummy and so he will go too. Life will be very quiet without them and so I am hoping Rob will buy me a Jersey cow as an early Christmas present!

I have 2 new girls arriving from York in October when they have visited their boyfriend – Katie and Kizzy They are the same age as Blossom and I do hope they will all get on. Both Tups are Champions producing top quality kids with top quality fleeces and I am looking forward to the Spring already. I will be very busy and hope for at least 4 new kids arriving Feb/March 2009.

New Piccies and update when everyone arrives back ‘Down on the Farm’

Angora Goats

The angora goat is a very ancient breed with records of the use of goat hair used for clothing found as early as the 14c BC. Many centuries after that there is a record of goats trekked to Ankara by Suleiman Shah, when fleeing Ghengis Khan. In 1550 a Dutchman discovered the goats and began to generate a demand for their fleece and in 1554 a pair of angora goats “were presented to the Pope in Rome”.

Mohair the name given to the fleece of these goats is derived from the word Muhaya meaning cloth of bright lustrous goat hair. The Sultan of Turkey placed a ban on the export of raw fleece and for several centuries the fleece and goats were incarcerated in Turkey.

Eventually in the 19c angora goats were imported from Turkey to Texas and South Africa. Imports to Australasia occurred during the 20c and the angora goat did not reach the UK until 1981.

Imports of angora goats to the UK were originally from Australasia then a few years later from Canada. Subsequently some South African bloodlines have been imported from Spain and France. The angora goat produces mohair at the rate of 2.5cm (1”) a month. Mohair is a soft, lustrous and hard wearing fibre, which can be used in fashion garments, fabrics, textiles and yarns. Mohair is shorn from goats twice a year, at approximately six month intervals.

 

These are my ‘New Girls On The Block’

Iris, Bluebelle and Blossom

Iris

She is 2 years old and arrived in kid 3weeks before her due date. She is so sensible and calm and keeps the Terrible Twins in order.

Bluebelle and Blossom
They are twins and arrived as yearlings – they are just like naughty teenagers and gallop down the paddock to greet me, well, the cream crackers and chopped carrot and apple I always have in my pockets morelikely !

Sadly Bluebelle is no longer with us but she will never be forgotten.

She could be quite cheeky and a bit naughty – but totally endearing and fun.

Blossom has missed her greatly (especially as they were partners in crime), but she has had lots of love and attention from everyone and she now has a new ‘kid on the block’ to play with .

I am sure she will teach him all she knows! like how to raid the food bins and always push past to be first in the queue for fresh Willow branches!

Billy

My newest arrival is little Billy – he was born one Saturday afternoon on

15 th March 2008 . He is very cute and very cuddly – he loves his mum – Iris- and now he is getting to be a bit bigger he loves to play with Blossom and chase her around.

He has found a new game to play – jumping on and off his latest toy – a large tree stump that Rob has placed in the paddock and also jumping on an off the hay bales.He is quite a curious little chappie and has already made friends with the local cat fraternity, much to the dismay of his mum :o)

I was looking forward to taking them to some shows this year – but due to

DEFRA’s Blue Tongue restrictions this will not be possible for the forseeable future.