The Angora, Cashmere, Pygora, and Nigora are
breeds of goats bred especially for their hair production. They are
often favorites of homesteaders that like to produce their own creations
-- frequently these fiber artists use the hair for spinning, spindling,
knitting, crocheting, weaving, tapestries, and other fiber arts. It
is also commonly used in constructing articles of clothing. The
Cashmere goat produces fine, soft wool that is considered one of the
finest textile fibers in the world. Cashmere goats are usually combed to collect their wool. Combing out a Cashmere
goat can take up to a week to collect all the precious fibers. The Cashmere goat grows its fiber
only once a year, yielding only about 4 ounces of material. The Angora goat is sheared to collect their fibers. The Angora hair is known as mohair, a long, curling, glossy fiber. Angora goats are typically shorn twice a year, yielding an average of about 10
pounds. Both the Pygora and Nigora are smaller breeds that are
crossed with Angoras; their fiber type is the essentially the same as that
of the Angora.
The dairy goat is one
of the most common types of goat associated with homesteading today.
Goat milk is naturally homogenized, which means the cream remains
suspended in the milk, instead of rising to the top, such as cow’s milk.
An average dairy goat doe provides 3-4 quarts of milk a day and will milk
for approximately 10 months; however, as lactation nears that tenth month
the production rates will gradually drop off. Goat’s milk is also
used for cheese making on many farms and homesteads. Cheese made
from goat milk is known for its rather tart flavor; a characteristic that
creates many people’s penchant for the taste. Butter is another
product that can be readily made from goat’s milk. It is important to note
that it requires a little more effort to make butter from goat’s milk than
it does from cow’s milk. Again this has to do with the fact that the
cream in goat milk remains suspended within the milk instead of rising to
the top. The use of goat’s milk
for drinking and making other dairy products is a great benefit for those
who are lactose intolerant, as goat’s milk does not contain lactose,
unlike cow milk. Therefore, there are many individuals that can
enjoy milk products when they would otherwise have to avoid dairy
entirely.
Last but not least,
goat’s milk can also be used in making homemade soap. Goat’s milk is
great for soap making; its qualities are very appealing to people as it
has wonderful softening and moisturizing effects on skin. These
characteristics have made it a revered cosmetic ingredient for centuries,
and especially popular for use on delicate or damaged skin.
The great part about
these milk products is that all of them can be made on the homestead.
There are lots of recipes and directions for making these products
available for free on the Internet. All it takes is a little effort
and the willingness to experiment with milk. A couple of good dairy
goat does can provide a lot of healthy and cost saving benefits to a
working homesteader. The financial, nutritional, and all around
natural benefits make keeping some type of dairy goat a plus for most
homesteads.
There are several
dairy goat breeds to choose from that are readily available today; however
the most popular and easiest to obtain are Saanans, Alpines, Nubians,
Toggenburgs and La Manchas. The milk types and productions rates on
these breeds vary somewhat, so be sure to check with a breeder before
choosing which breed or breeds might best fit your milking plans.
