Investigation of Mohair Production, Clean Yield, and Fibre Characteristics in Coloured Mohair Goat and F_1 Cross-Bred Kids of Angora Goat x Coloured Mohair Goat

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare some fleece and fibre characteristics of kids of Coloured mohair goat with F_1 cross-bred kids of Angora x Coloured mohair goat to reveal the effects of this cross-breeding on mohair production, clean yield, and fibre quality. This study was carried out using goats of the Coloured mohair goat breed at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Yüzüncü Yıl University. Four Angora goats were used as male material. In 2001, greasy fleece weight, clean mohair yield, fibre diameter, fibre length, fibre elasticity, breaking strength, kemp fibre content, and medullated fibre content of kids at 12 months of age (36 F_1 cross-bred, 18 pure) were examined. Greasy fleece weight and clean mohair yield were 420 g and 74.3% for kids of Coloured mohair goat, and 830 g and 75.9% for F_1 cross-bred kids. Mean values for fibre diameter, fibre length, fibre elasticity, breaking strength, kemp fibre content, and medullated fibre content were 36.4 \mu m, 7.4 cm, 32.4%, 8.2 g, 16.2%, and 13.1% for kids of Coloured mohair goat, and 30.1 \mu m, 7.8 cm, 31.6%, 6.3 g, 3.4%, and 2.3% for F_1 cross-bred kids, respectively. The effect of genotype (but not sex) on greasy fleece weight, fibre diameter, breaking strength, kemp fibre content, and medullated fibre content were significant (P < 0.001). Effects of genotype and sex on fibre length, fibre elasticity, and clean yield were not significant (P > 0.05). In conclusion, an overall improvement of mohair production traits was observed on F_1 kids developed by crossing Angora goat and Coloured mohair goat. It could be supposed that Angora goats have been selected more for mohair production compared to Coloured mohair goats. Thus one way to improve the quality of mohair of Coloured mohair goat could be crossbreeding.