Angora Goat Breeding Unit Established

Item Type Article

Authors Stanley, E. B.

Publisher College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)

Journal Arizona Agriculturist

Download date 27/09/2021 11:56:11

Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/303246 : PAGE FOUR. ARIZONA AGRICULTURIST APRIL, 1928

ANGORA GOAT BREEDING UNIT ESTABLISHED

E. B. Stanley, M.S. Foundation 8!ock Obtained From Texas; Special Study To Be Given To Grading Up Range Goats; Goat Industry Shows Promise

experiments wit h dominance of characters sought for ing practices was evidenced in a reso BREEnINGAngora goats have recently will be used in fixing the objective lution passed by the Arizona Wool been inaugurated by the Animal Hus type. Among the objectives of the ex and Mohair Growers' Association, ask bandry Department of the University periment are: ing the University to take steps in 1. Elimination of fibers. of Arizona for the purpose of estab kemp establishing a goat and sheep breed 2. Greater fineness of fibers and lishing a type of Angora goat adapted ing station at Prescott. to Arizona conditions that will their uniform distribution. yield Sheep Unit. Planned 3. Increase the oil content of the a uniform fleece of quality conform During the coming year it is ing to the discriminating market de fleece. to make a similar start with 4. Greater size. planned mand. Ten pure bred Angora does sheep for the purpose of studying the have been purchased to form the foun Grading-up Studies various breeding problems in wool dation of a pure bred flock from In conjunction with the more tech and lamb porduction which confront which it is planned by selective nical phases of the selective breeding Arizona sheep men. breeding to fix a more desirable type studies, observations will be made of t�e Goats in Arizona of animal adapted to Arizona condi the results of breeding pure bred An Angora Within a recent tions. The does were selected from gora bucks to average Arizona range comparatively per the flocks of Mr. B. M. Halbert and does. A special object of this work iod of years the raising of Angora Mr. Earl Earwood both of Sonora will be to study the inheritance of the goats for mohair production in Ari zona has developed into an Texas, which are recognized as tw� factor for oil. Fifty range does have industry of considerable and im of the most outstanding Angora goat been secured and will be mated with prominence portance. with approximate flocks in the country. It was thought bucks of known breeding. Careful rec Arizona, ly 200,000 Angora goats, stands third advisable to secure the Texas goat ords will be kept of the, improvement in the total number in the because of the advance which has in the different characteristics of produced United States. The Angora goat is been made in that State by some body and fleece development. especially to extensive range breeders in West Texas in breeding Goat Men Interested adapted areas in this State embracing the an animal which carries a sufficient A great deal of interest has been manifested the mohair counties of Mohave and Yavapai prin quantity of oil under the arid con by producers in Arizona in the cipally with more or less isolated sec ditions that prevail there, a factor proposed breeding tions in Pinal and that is considered to be heritable and experiments. Mr. J. P. Weatherby of Graham, Pima, Cochise counties. Because of their associated with fineness of hair. Cli Klondyke, Arizona, gave four regis these animals tered does and a buck to the Univer unique dietary habits, matic and range conditions in the goat the first animals of this thrive on rough brushy sparsely country of Texas bred goats were se sity Farm, grassed ranges so that they conflict lected in preference to the Oregon kind to be acquired by the University but rarely with cattle and sheep for Angoras. The foundation animals of Arizona. Other breeders have r This feature makes a taken a active in range. possible were selected on their merits as rep- very part showing in the need for and careful continued material development and systematic resenting the most improved de the A minimum work in the breeding of Angora goats range goat industry. sired characteristics for mohair pro of low costs, for a more desirable type. The urgent investment, operating duction. and selec moderate and By rigid culling and widespread need on the part of climate, yearlong graz J seasons are additional factors con tion those animals showing a p�e� goat men for guidance in their breeding tributing to the growth of mohair production in Arizona. The Angora goat of all of our farm animals has received the least con sideration in the improvement of its economic qualities. It was not until 1920 that the Union of South Africa reversed its policy of prohibiting the exportation of rams. The world's largest and best supply of mohair is grown in Turkey and South Africa. The Turkish mohair is slightly su perior to the South African product though importations of goats from Turkey have not been permitted by that country. The inferiority of the domestic mohair is due to the intro duction of common goat blood by early importers to increase the stam ina and size. Within the last decade Young Angora Goats (Continued on Page 12) PAGE TWELV�. ARIZONA AGRICULTURIST APRIL, 1928 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Question: Will you please give me fore the first feeding. They should I believe we could use to advan a good fattening ration to be used for be fed lightly at first and the amount tage an early seedless variety of the crate feeding broilers. increased until they are on full feed Valencia type and quality which will -Mrs. J. F. T. about the third day. It is suggested produce a heavy crop of fruit at a that the feeding period not continue season as or earlier than the Answer: In our e x per i men tal early longer than twelve days. Navel. We have one or two varieties work at this station we find that a -H. B. Hinds, Ass. Poultryman. under trial at our station which may mixture composed of 2 parts corn meet these specifications. I refer meal, 2 parts ground barley, 2 parts par to the Hamblin seedless. We cottonseed meal, 71h semi-solid butter Question: What is the advisability ticularly a on have no trees in production as yet, so milk has given very satisfactory re of planting part of my property, are unable to determine their behavior. sults. The gains averaged from 25 to the Yuma Mesa, to Valencia oranges '? -E.V. -A. F. Horticulturist. 33% over a 10- to 12-day feeding peri B. Kinnison, od. Liquid buttermilk or skimmilk In answer to your letter relative to can be substituted for the semi-solid the advisability of planting' a part of SWEE'T POTATOES buttermilk. This material should be your property on the Yuma Mesa to IN ARIZONA made in the form of a batter at a con Valencia oranges. From the tempera (Continued from Page 5) sistency which will permit it being ture standpoint, I believe the Yuma early market may be harvested as poured from the container. The birds Mesa is well suited for the growing of soon as they reach marketable size should be starved for twelve hours be- Valencias. They will bear more heav regardless of the stage of maturity. ily than Navels, although from a mar If the are to be stored ket standpoint they will meet more potatoes they competition than the Navel. I be should be mature before digging. Conner's if an frost lieve, however, that through their However, early occurs, the BARBER AND BEAUTY vines should be removed or the heavier producion and with the pres pota toes harvested of the SHOP ent tendency of the Navels on the regardless stage of PHONE 1511-W Mesa to produce very light crops that maturity. 318 N. 4th Avenue the lower price which may be received 2nd door from new Post Office. from the Valencias will be more than ANGORA GOAT BREEDING offset by their heavier production. UNIT IS ESTABLISHED (Continued from Page 4) the automobile industry has become one of the largest consumers of mo hair and has created a marked stim ulus in mohair production. The' al most complete dependence upon mo hair as the sole source of income has led Angora goat breeders to devote particular attention to the production of a heavier and better product. Im provement comes slowly and only after careful systematic management. The complexity of constructive breed ing practices makes it highly imprac tical for the commercial producer to effect an established improvement. A predominance of kernpy, objec tionable, low quality mohair is pro A SPECIAL PAINT FOR duced. Goatmen are generally unde cided as to the type of mohair the EVERY JOB mills require. Only slight differentia tion has been made in the market for of DuPont engineers have built a paint for every need of farm busi price varying degrees quality. ness and home-each one an exact product that will resist the elements A wide divergence of opinion exists to which it is exposed. among breeders of the ideal type of standard to breed to. The future wel Our paint department is prepared to serve you with every kind. fare of the is de Color cards and specifications on request. industry greatly pendent upon the production of an improved standardized product. This THE work is proposed to aid in furthering F. RONSTADT CO. the improvement of mohair in gen "Pioneers In Good Merchandise" eral and especially to ascertain the essential qualities necessary in the TUCSON production of a more desirable prod uct and to fix them in a goat adap table to Arizona conditions.