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Buying Cashmere Goats
As with any livestock, a potential buyer would do well to begin by learning
about the animals. Try to visit as many farms or ranches as possible to see a
variety of animals and to gain inspiration about housing, fencing, feeders, and
pasture management. |
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Look for healthy, alert animals which move easily on sound legs and feet and are
well fleshed out. Take time to feel the animals. Check to see if the teeth meet
the dental pad squarely and that the relevant reproductive parts are properly
formed. If things related to health or management puzzle you, ask questions. If
you are buying breeding stock rather than a pet, look for the bigger, more
robust animals in an age group.
Do your homework about fiber. Learn to distinguish cashmere from cashgora, and
decide which you want to grow. If the goal is cashmere, look for crimpy, fine
down surrounded by much courser guard hair. If you are selecting animals after
they have shed or have been shorn, ask to see the last year’s fleece – all of
it, not just a sample. If the fleece has been assessed at a fiber testing
facility or evaluated subjectively by a trained fiber classer, utilize the
evaluations to assist your selection.
Don’t overlook the importance of guard hair. Ranchers who run their goats
through dense brush look for heavy guard hair to protect the down. Some people
prefer long, flowing guard hair for aesthetic reasons. Other breeders have
selected for minimal guard hair to increase the ratio of down to hair. The
length of the guard hair should be appropriate to your situation and your
preferences. Whatever its length, it should be coarse enough that a mechanical
dehairer can easily distinguish it from cashmere.
When you have made your selection, be certain that you and the seller agree on
the terms of the sale. If there is to be a veterinarian’s inspection, who pays?
Who pays for shipping? What if the bred doe really wasn’t bred? Ask questions.
Avoid misunderstandings. And then enjoy your goats. |
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CudRow
Cashmere Goats
Breeding Stock - Black or White
Four (4) Years of Linage
Fiber Tested Adults
Bucks and Does
Original Stock from Texas and New Zealand |
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For Faster Response
Call 865-856-5264
Or Email
cudrowcashmere@msn.com |
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