How to Shear Angora Goats

Because an Angora goat's hair grows incredibly fast--approximately one inch per month--it is important that they be sheared every six months instead of the once yearly required for other types of wool bearing animals.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sheep shears
• Grooming stand
• Hand held scissors
• Clean bags or baskets

How to Shear Angora Goats

1. Shear the Angora goats in the early spring and again six months later in early fall. The first shearing will keep them cool in the summer and the second shearing needs to be early enough that they have enough hair to keep them warm through the cold winter months. Waiting too late in fall means that the goats won't regrow their hair quickly enough, and you will have to keep them inside the barn until their hair has a chance to grow back.

2. Use a heavy duty hand held blower to blow any vegetation and debris out of the goats' hair before you begin shearing them. Some goat owners like to bath their goats the day before they are shorn, but it really isn't necessary, the hair can be washed after it is removed from the goat.

3. Place the Angora goat onto the grooming stand and fasten the collar around its neck. A smart goat owner will place the goat onto the grooming stand several times and get them used to being handled before the shearing commences.

4. Begin shearing the goat's belly area. Make a long sweep from the goat's brisket (the bottom of their chest) to its udder. When the sheep shears are near the goat's udder, you need to be extra careful, some unfortunate goats have lost teats at the hands of a careless shearer.

5. Continue using long strokes to remove all of the mohair from the goat's belly.

6. Once the belly is neatly sheared, you need to remove the hair from the goat's sides. Shear vertically from the belly to the backbone. Start at the goat's hind leg and move towards its front leg.

7. Next you will want to shear the mohair from the goats hind leg. Start at the point of the leg where the wool starts, and end the stroke at the goat's spine.

8. Once you have finished one side, repeat your actions on the other side of the goat.

9. Shear the bottom of the throat in smooth strokes that run from the goat's jaw all the way to the goat's brisket.

10. Shear the goat's neck the same way that you sheared its sides; the strokes should end at the goat's spine.

11. After the goat's belly, sides and back are sheared, you need to remove the mohair from the animal's back. You do this with one or two long strokes that run from the crown of the goat's head to the goat's tail.

12. Complete the shearing process by using your hand held scissors to remove the long straggly hair that you either missed with your shears or is in an area that you were unable to get at. Most goat owners prefer to use the scissors to remove the hair from the goat's groin area in an effort to prevent cutting the goats udder.

[valcwby01]

on 12/8/2009 As a breeder of Angora goats and a shearer, this is the MOST difficult way to shear an angora. A LOT of unneeded work.