The Mohair Story

Angora goats evolved on the Anatolia Plains of Turkey near the city we now know as Ankara and from which the name “Angora” derives. The term “mohair” apparently derives from Arabic (mukhayyar). Angora goats were highly regarded and jealously protected from exportation until the sixteenth century when the Angora goat was introduced into Spain and France. However, the goats were not introduced to the United States until 1849.

From the importation of a small flock of seven does and two bucks, the United States has developed into one of the two largest producing nations in the world with an annual production of a half million pounds. The other principal mohair source is South Africa and Turkey. Texas, with a herd of 200,000 goats is the primary mohair region of the United States, producing 90% of the total US mohair. The main region is on Edwards Plateau in Southwest Texas, where the mild dry climate and hilly, brushy terrain are particularly well suited for raising Angora goats due to their dry mountain origin. Additional range and animal husbandry studies now allow Angora goats to be raised in many states of the Union.