Nutrition effects on fibre quality in Angora goats during
spring
M.D. Brown, M.L. Bigham, J.B. Clayton
MAF Technology, Whatawhata Research Centre, Hamilton
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1990, 50: 323 328
An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of
nutritional status on fibre quality from Angora goats during spring.
Two groups of 28 non-pregnant Angora does were grazed on ryegrass/white
clover pasture at one of two pasture allowances; 1.0 kg and >4kg DM
/head/day (low and high respectively) for twelve weeks during spring.
Groups were balanced for live weight, age, fibre diameter, medullation
and kemp measurements and genetic background. Live weight and fibre
quality (fibre diameter, % medullaltion and % kemp) were measured at the
start, after 6 weeks and at the end of the experiment. Mean live weight
of does at the start of the experiment was 22.6 + 0.20 kg and after 12
weeks 30.9 and 25.2; sed 0.63kg for high and low allowance respectively.
Neither mean fibre diameter (35.2 vs 34.1; sed 0.66 microns) nor
medullation (5.38 vs 6.51;s ed 53%), was affected by pasture allowance
over the experiment (high and low allowance respectively). However,
after 12 weeks, there was a trend for % kemp measured in the fleece in
does on high pasture allowance to be higher than in does on low
allowance (8.16 vs 6.52; sed 1.04%). All does were fibre tested again in
March 1989 after grazing at a common allowance, but differences in
fibre characteristics between the previous spring pasture allowances
treatments were small. It appears that doe nutrition during spring can
influence the kemp content in the Angora fleece. The mechanism of this
effect is, however, not known.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Angora; goat; mohair; pasture allowance; nutrition; live weight;
fibre diameter; micron; medullation; kemps
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
