Author Topic: Cross breeding Guersney/Togg with an Angora (Read 4185 times)

AH · « **on:** August 03, 2013, 10:10:21 am »

Hi

I have some Guernsey x Toggs and want to breed them with my Angora male this year. Has anyone done this and what were the results? Thanks

Anke · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2013, 09:51:33 am »

why? you loose milk (in the offspring) and won't gain any fleece I think....

AH · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2013, 11:56:24 am »

We own an Angora male and I want to keep everything 'in-house'. I don't know about the fleece, or the milk. I know Angoras aren't known for their milk, but mixed with good milkers who knows! We can but hope.

Dogwalker · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2013, 01:35:21 pm »

I used an angora buck on a GG and a GGxSaanan last autumn.

I've got some chunky looking twin wethers from the GG with soft coats and a chunky wether and dinky doe kid from the GGx. The wether is growing a lovely soft thick but straightish coat.

I only wanted to hire in one buck and don't need any more dairy goats this year. These are intended for meat and do look chunkier than the GGx BS last year.Don't think the female will be meat anytime soon though, she's very dainty.

AH where are you? How many angors do you have.

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2013, 07:20:10 pm »

I was thinking of using an angora on oneof my goats this year, meant to last year but my billy got her first.
I'm sure I've seen an old book on line where it shows different carcases and the angora X is much chunkier, which is why I was thinking of it. If I remember rightly the book claimed it was as good as lamb. (presumably if well fed)

jinglejoys · « **Reply #5 on:** August 04, 2013, 09:11:46 pm »

Doesn't have to be crossed to get lammb like meat and yes that was one of the selling points of the Angora when they came over

shygirl · « **Reply #6 on:** August 04, 2013, 09:14:49 pm »

how does the angora coat influence affect husbandry? are they less tough in bad weather?

Dogwalker · « **Reply #7 on:** August 05, 2013, 11:18:26 am »

My angoras stay out grazing in the rain more than the dairy goats who run to shelter as soon as it starts.
The angoras have dreadful feet, don't know if it's just these, they're older does. I have heard from other owners it's a problem keeping they're feet right.
Maybe as they've been bred to grow fleece quickly that's influenced speed of hoof growth as well.

Old Shep · « **Reply #8 on:** August 05, 2013, 10:13:31 pm »

I've had a problem with my angora's feet too mainly with scald. Mine still run and hide in the rain, but are better grass grazers than my previous pygmies.

Where are you AH? I might be looking to use an Angora billy this autumn.

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #9 on:** August 06, 2013, 11:14:47 pm »

Quote from: AH on August 04, 2013, 11:56:24 am

I know Angoras aren't known for their milk, but mixed with good milkers who knows! We can but hope.

I would think they would be a bit of a pain to milk if they grow a full fleece, it's bad enough with the Toggs, or would you keep them clipped?
Would be interesting though - you could breed an all rounder, meat, milk and fleece! Are angoras more of a grazer of still a browser like the dairy breeds?

Dogwalker · « **Reply #10 on:** August 07, 2013, 08:10:15 am »

My angoras are definately more interested in grass than the dairy goats. They don't tend to put their feet up on the fences so much but will eat low hedge in reach, except the hedge by the track between the shed and field which seems to be fair game for everyone.
They also eat less thistles than the others.
There's still too much grass and thistles in the field though.
6 dairy + 4 kids
5 angoras + 6 kids
2 ewes + 2 lambs
1 ram
definately need more animals don't I.

AH · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2013, 09:55:34 am »

Hi

Sorry for late response. I'm in Wales.

I have problems with Angora hooves too, I think it is to do with the fleece growth. The two seem to be connected. I was doing their hooves every 7-8 weeks, but I'm changing that to every 5-6 weeks instead.

All mine, milkers and angoras, tend to run for cover when it rains.

We're not sure what we would do with the offspring. They would probably go for meat. I agree milking could be a problem if it looked feasible, but we tend to keep our Angora bellies clipped anyway. Stops it from getting too tangled when we get round to shearing time.

Old shep - we don't have vehicles suitable for transporting livestock, need to get that sorted out soon! If you were looking for a buck, maybe have a look through the classified sections of some of the smallholding mags, and try one of the breeders from there? There are normally a couple of them advertising.

Dogwalker · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2013, 05:40:44 pm »

Hi there, where in Wales, I'm near Llanidloes, right in the middle.

I hired a buck last year from a herd south of Cardigan. Collected him in October and took him home in December.
Have a look at the society website and see if there's a breeder near you.