Fiber Production - Goat Science and Production - page 294

Table 15.2 Ranges for goat, fl eece, and fi ber characteristics 1 .

Angora goat (6 - month clip) Cashmere goat Cashmere descriptor 2

Mature body weight, female, kg 30 - 60 30 - 70

Fleece weight (mature female), kg 1.5 - 4.0 0.08 - 1.0 hair in, unscoured

Average fi ber diameter, μ m 20 - 48 12 - 19

1yr 33 - 48
2yr 25 - 36

50 - 100 guard hair

Individual fi ber diameter, μ m 6 - 60 5 - 30

— 30 - 200 guard hair

Scoured yield, % 70 - 93 65 - 85

Grease content, % 1.2 - 8.0 0.7 - 7.2

Suint, % 1.8 - 4.2 1.2 - 3.5

Mechanical yield, % of hair in,
scoured

— 15 - 90

Staple length, mm 85 - 150 12 - 90

— 50 - 200 guard hair

Medullation, % 0 - 3 0 - 3

— 100 guard hair

Color White White, tan, brown,

gray, black

S/P ratio 6 - 10 : 1 5 - 7 : 1

Follicles/mm 2 16 - 33 17 - 46

Specifi c gravity 1.31 1.31

Regain at 65% rh and 21 ° C 14.5 - 17.5 14 - 17

Tenacity, cN/tex 14.6 - 18.1 10% wool,

40%

<

< mohair

Elongation at break, % 38.0 - 45.8 41.2

Work at rupture, cN/tex 2.65 —

Initial modulus, cN/tex 384 - 430 —

Crimps/10 cm 1.5 - 8.0 20 - 40

Curls/10 cm 2.8 - 6.6 —

1 Compiled from numerous sources.
2 Cashmere down unless otherwise specifi ed.

breeders have turned to meat goats, hair sheep, and cattle
production. Current world production of mohair is 5.7
million kg per year (greasy basis) representing less than
0.02% of total textile fi ber production. Only a fraction of
this mohair is processed into fi nal textile products in the
producer countries. Countries that have retained the spe-
cialized machinery and technical expertise to process
mohair and manufacture products include China, France,
Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Africa, South Korea,
Taiwan, Turkey, U.K., and U.S.
Although Figure 15.1 illustrates the variability of
average price among years, it does not indicate the relative
values among quality types or grades. These types (e.g.,

those used by the Mohair Council of America) are based
primarily on average fi ber diameter and include fi ne kid
(24 - 26 μ m), good kid (26 - 28 μ m), average kid (28 - 30 μ m),
young goat (30 - 32 μ m), fi ne adult (32 - 34 μm), and adult
(> 34 μm). In March 2008, Texas adult mohair sold for
US$5.18/kg (greasy). Corresponding prices for the higher
grades (coarse to fi ne) were $5.29, $7.67, $10.43, $13.60,
and, $24.56/kg, respectively (Mohair Council of America
Market Newsletter, March 4, 2008).

CASHMERE GOATS
Cashmere is produced by approximately 150 breeds
of goats, many of which are unimproved local types