Nutrition

• Lucerne Hay - Is 2nd Grade better than 1st?Lucerne hay is considered one of the best and most available sources of feed in the Karoo region. It is used in combination with other feeds as roughage or in pelleted form (often with maize) and it is often fed ad lib on its own with a lot of succes...
  Tuesday, 4th June 2024
• Selenium Deficiency- White Muscle DiseaseIt has been suspected that Angora goats are more susceptible to Selenium (Se) deficiency than sheep and other goat breeds.Most kids affected by white muscle disease are in good condition and are 2–3 months old (1 week to 4 months).
  Wednesday, 22nd May 2024
• Protein: How much of a good thing?Protein: How much of a good thing?
  Tuesday, 14th May 2024
• White Muscle Disease in Angora GoatsWhite muscle disease, Selenium deficiency in Angora goats It has been suspected that Angora goats are more susceptible to Selenium (Se) deficiency that sheep and other goats.
  Wednesday, 22nd November 2023
• Mineral and Vitamin OptionsList of Common Mineral and Vitamin Supplements
  Tuesday, 7th November 2023
• Mineral analysis of the liver of goatsIf an idea of the mineral status of the farm/grazing is required then samples should be from goats not be affected by any other condition or disease. It should have grazed in a specific area ideally for 6 months or longer.Liver samples are an especia...
  Friday, 24th February 2023
• Effect of Season on Mohair Fibre DiameterFibre diameter is an important price-determining variable of mohair and is important in determining the textile qualities and final manufacturing applications of mohair.
  Thursday, 3rd June 2021
• When should we feed Angora ewes?The seemingly endless drought has led farmers to review what the effect of supplementary feeding has had on their ewe and kid production.
  Wednesday, 13th March 2019
• Effect on Mohair quality traitsExtracted from research by Margaretha A Badenhorst, J C Diedericks & P A Schlebusch (Grootfontein College of Agriculture, Middelburg Cape) and N M Kritzinger (Mohair Board)
  Friday, 25th January 2019
• ZINC Deficiency in Angora GoatsAngora goats are the most efficient fibre producing animal. Keratin being a major component of the fibre requires certain critical minerals, Zinc (Zn) being one of them.
  Monday, 26th November 2018
• Copper Deficiency in Angora GoatsAn indicator of the mineral content of the karoo region would be the mineral content of tissues animals that consumed the plants of the area. Angora goats are mixed feeeders and both browse and graze. Springbok (intermediate mixed feeders) would hav...
  Monday, 26th November 2018
• Cobalt, Vit B12Cobalt (Co) deficiency in Angora goats is seldom seen largely due to the use of lucerne (good cobalt source) in many Angora goat production systems.
  Monday, 26th November 2018
• Milk production by the Angora EweKid survival is dependent on a number of factors (excluding predators). Milk production by the ewe is an important factor in kid survival and growth. Angora goat ewes are naturally poor milk producers.
  Thursday, 1st November 2018
• Amino Acid requirements for Mohair fibre growthAngora goats are the most efficient animals in producing fibre. The genotype determines the fibre producing capacity by the number density of the hair follicles.
  Thursday, 1st November 2018
• BST use in Angora GoatsBovine somatotropin (bST), also known as bovine growth hormone, is an animal drug used to increase milk production in dairy cows.
  Thursday, 26th April 2018
• Feeding Ewes in Good Seasons - Is it Economical?Many kids die in the period just prior to birth up till approximately seven days after birth. Research has shown that up to 80 percent of these mortalities are associated with the ewe's nutrition during the last few weeks before kidding and the first...
  Thursday, 26th April 2018
• The Effect on Mohair ProductionNUTRITION- The Effect on Mohair Production
  Thursday, 26th April 2018
• Growth Rate of Angora KidsText Extracted from research by Gretha Snyman, Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute
  Wednesday, 21st March 2018
• Importance of METHIONINE in Angora goatsThe importance of specific nutrients affecting mohair production has not been established in Angora goats, apart from one study showing that mohair growth responded to parenteral supplementation with methionine.
  Tuesday, 6th February 2018
• Urea PoisoningUrea poisoning can occur when Angora goats take in excess amounts through a lick or if a lick gets wet (urea dissolves easily in water).
  Tuesday, 24th October 2017
• Botulism 'lamsiekte'Botulism in Angora goats is seldom diagnosed but has been seen in the Karoo where goats have been fed chicken litter. It is intoxication and not an infection and follows ingestion of decomposed organic matter mostly of animal origin. There are 7 type...
  Tuesday, 18th April 2017
• Copper Toxicity 'Geelsiekte'Copper (Cu) toxicity may occur in the Karoo particularly in iron ‘ysterklip’ dolomite veld as well as on planted pastures. Angora goats are much less prone to toxicity than sheep  so toxicity is rare.
  Tuesday, 18th April 2017
• Is supplementing Selenium (Se) in Angora goats justified?Angora goat farmers often ask me whether supplementing Selenium (Se) is cost effective?
  Tuesday, 18th April 2017
• Hand rearing 'Hansies' - orphaned Angora kidsHand rearing ‘hansies’ is unfortunately often part of Angora goat farming. Hand feeding is expensive in time and money so farmers will often first try fostering these orphaned kids with ewes that have lost their kids by various methods.
  Thursday, 15th September 2016