Marie Firth with an angora buck she bred on the property. His lifetime fleece value is $512.
Marie Firth with an angora buck she bred on the property. His lifetime fleece value is $512.
Farming angora goats for profit from their lustrous mohair fibre is the aim of Whakamarama farmer Marie Firth.
Marie is hosting a field day in association with Mohair New Zealand on her property this Sunday, January 21.
Income from mohair is at an all time high with the pool 2 payout in December 2017 achieving the highest average price ever of $19.50 per kg. Main lines achieved from $18 to $32 per kg. This was a record for any Mohair New Zealand payout since 1980, due to improved demand from China and Taiwan.
Two important aspects of a good mohair fleece are length and lustre.
Continued strong interest from Italy in the fine kid lines meant all mohair being offered for sale was cleared.
"While we have received better prices for kid mohair in the past, these were the highest prices we have ever been paid for fine adult mohair — $19, and strong adult mohair — $18," said John Woodward from Mohair New Zealand.
Marie started farming angoras in 1985, initially with her late husband Rex. When he died eight years ago, she had to decide whether to run cattle or continue with the goats.
"At my age I want animals I can farm and enjoy and I have worked out a way to do that." Marie is in her late 70s and farms 132 angora goats on 8 hectares, together with 10 heifers. She says modern angoras are much simpler to farm than in the past.
Her aim is to have animals with minimum sore feet, minimal drenching and medium micron fleeces.
Whakamarama goat farmer Marie Firth with her angora does and kids.
"The way I farm my goats is based on what we learned from each other when we were part of the Angora Buck Foot Scheme.
"Bucks were selected for superior feet, fleece and parasite resistance. These bucks brought about the biggest improvement in the farmability of my animals," Marie said.
"I drench as seldom as possible. That way the goats are given the opportunity to build up resistance to parasites and that is hereditary. The kids are drenched as they need it during the autumn and early winter for Barber's Pole worm."
Goats are browsers and enhance pasture by eating the seed heads, thistles and blackberry so there is no need to weed spray. The cattle are used to compliment the goats by eating the pasture down harder after the goats.
"As with all animals, whether in town or country, good fences equal good neighbours."
Farmed goats do need more trace elements than other animals. As cobalt quickly leaches from the soil in this area the goats are drenched about three times a month throughout the year. Keeping records provides information on genetics, body weights, fleece weights and micron, feet, constitution and temperament, which helps Marie decide what animals to cull and which bucks to use with the does.
Personality can become a problem.
"If they become real pets they are harder to cull."
Last season Marie sold some of her goats to local farmers.
She believes there is a good income from farming angoras. One of her bucks bred on the property has a lifetime fleece value of $512. Her best doe has a lifetime fleece value of $450. A single goat produces between four and five kilograms of mohair per year. Angoras are shorn twice a year.
