Coats on Angora Goats?

[Ana Bluebird]

My two angora goats have really long hair right now and it's picking up leaves, twigs, etc. and is a matted mess. I have to cut out anything that sticks to it cause it won't pull out. Should I consider putting coats on them next time they are sheared? Would it help or just make the fibers felt? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Sweet Goats]

How long ago did you sheer them? I know lots of Angora people and the only time they put coats on their goats is when they are first sheered and it is cold. After they start with some growth. I think that just comes with the goats.

[Jotun]

Angoras should be sheared 2 times a year, once in march-april and again in sep-oct for example, as opposed to sheep which are only sheared in the spring. If it is november and you have long dread locks I would guess you're goats missed a fall shearing. You can still shear them, mohair grows quickly and unless you're somewhere exceptionly cold they'll be allright. I bought an unsheared angora in late dec. one time and sheared her immediatly. We put a sweater on her for a couple weeks and she was fine. I should note that I hand shear and so I leave a little extra on.
Jotun

[Ana Bluebird]

You are right. I could NOT find anyone that would shear a goat, so she didn't get sheared last fall. I suppose I could cut some of it off now---am doing a little each time she picks up sticks and such anyway, but is that fiber still useable? Can it be carded and used? Do you use hand shears? How dangerous is it? Any tricks to keep from cutting something important?

[Jotun]

Yes I use hand shears and yes they can be dangerous. I never shear what I can't see, one lock at a time and carefully. It takes me a while to do a goat but not since my first time have I even nicked one. I am not a professional, I have a spinners herd of 2 animals and no training in shearing other than observation and books. You can do it with scissors too and you may well find this more comfortable. As far as wether or not the mohair will be usable depends, how tangled is it and what will you use it for. My suspicion is that if you had her sheared in the spring you can still probably card it. It probably looks worse than it really is.
Jotun