How to Shear a Pygora Goat
Pygora goats are a cross-breed of Pygmy goats and Angora goats and are known for their soft, silky fleece which is ideal for hand-spinning. Creating craft projects with Pygora fibers is very popular due to its versatility. Harvesting the hair of Pygora goats is much easier than dense sheep's wool.
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Instructions
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1
Know which type of fleece your Pygora goat has. Type A goats have silky hair that grows in curls of about 6 inches in length. Type B goats have a fleece with a good crimp, about 3- to 6-inches long. Type C goats have a coarser coat than the other two types, only about 1- to 3-inches long.
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Decide which method to use to harvest the hair from your goat. You have four choices--shearing, combing, plucking, or letting it blow off in the wind. Shearing is a good choice for all of the fleece types and is the only option for Type A fleeces. Combing or plucking hair off by hand is possible for some Type B and Type C fleeces. Letting it blow off in the wind is only possible with Type C, when they naturally shed their coats in the spring, but you run the risk of it matting if left on too long.
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Pick the right time. Harvest the fleece in the late winter before kidding. Ensure the goat has adequate warm bedding and shelter if the weather is still cold.
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Pluck or comb the coat by running your hand or the comb through the fleece and gently tugging. The fibers release easily if it is ready to be shed, usually in the spring. Avoid pulling hard. If it does not release easily, try again in a few days. The fleece releases in stages, so repeat this every few days.
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Prepare to shear your goat by lightly combing it to remove any debris caught in the fleece. Blow with a leaf blower to remove loose vegetative matter.
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Use a pair of scissors or small pet grooming shears. Cut closely to the skin of the goat to get the longest fibers possible without any second cuts.
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Run the scissors or shears over the goat using long strokes. Watch out for delicate areas, such as the genitals and teats, the bulge of the stomach, the loose skin where the legs meet the body, and the tendon along the back of the leg.
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Tips & Warnings
Store the sheared fibers in a box or paper bag, and label it with the date of shearing and an identification of the goat sheared.
