A study on mohair production and mohair quality in Turkish Angora Goats
The average greasy fleece weights were 0.938, 1.584 and 2.350 kg. for the groups of yearlings, does and bucks respectively. The differences among the groups were significant (P<0.01). The average rations of clean mohair for the different provinces ranged from 68.8 to 88.4 %.
The average yearly hair growth was 13.5 cm. and the average number of crimps per 10 cm. of hair was 3.2. The mean fibre diameters in Ankara, Eskişehir, Konya, Niğde, Yozgat and Kastamonu were 32.3, 31.9, 30.2, 31.7, 33.5 and 32.3 microns, respectively. The over-all average was 32.0 microns. The finest mohair was obtained from one year old animals. As the animal got older the average fibre diameter was increased and the mohair became coarser. The differences among the provinces and the another groups were significant (P<0.01) for the fibre diameter.
Kemp and medullated fibres were averaged 3.73 an 1.39 % respectively. The veriations for these characteristics were big.
It is concluded that the Angora Goat population in Central Anatolia in rather heterogenous for the quality of mohair. Since there are big variations for the traits studied the chance for the improvement by a careful selection program would be relatively high, at least in the first years of the program.
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