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Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation
Developing Faure Island Goats for Long Stapled Cashmere Developing Them for Fibre Quality, Productivity and Genetics
by B. A . McGregor C.P. Ag., Victorian Institute of Animal Science Agriculture Victoria
March 1997 RIRDC Research Paper Series No 97/37
Objectives
Background
Strong cashmere and “cashgora” represent about 15 % of the down sold by the Australian cashmere industry.
Gross margin analysis prior to this project indicated that financial returns from “cashgora” production exceeded returns from cashmere production but this position has reversed. The population studied offered a potential for production of worsted length cashmere and for increasing cashmere production by crossbreeding, an area of research not scientifically explored by the cashmere industry.
Research
The research flock, was grazed under commercial conditions near Horsham, Victoria. Selected bucks were single sire mated to known groups of measured does. Goats were shorn at 5, 10 and 17 months of age. Fleece samples were objectively measured and results used to select sires and dams for the breeding flock and to determine genetic data. Fibre was also trial processed.
Outcomes
All project objectives were achieved. The staple length of goats growing strong cashmere was > 7.5 cm sufficient to enable worsted spinning of this fibre. All the major economic traits were highly heritable including fibre style, down fibre diameter and down production. Generally it was not advisable to rely on the measurements of traits at 10 months of age because much of the additive genetic variation of the more important later trait was unaccounted for at the earlier age. Faure dams were superior to feral cashmere dams for almost all traits except mean down fibre diameter in which case there was little difference and in body weight where the feral cashmere dams’ progeny appeared to grow faster at a later age. Following commercial processing dehaired strong cashmere tops had less than 2% of fibres greater than 30 m. Recommendations for the preparation of further lots of strong cashmere for obtaining good processing performance have been made. Selected strong cashmere style Faure goats offer a valuable genetic resource for the production of long stapled strong cashmere.
Implications
Further development of goats to grow long stapled cashmere has the potential to significantly increase cashmere production and profitability. Preliminary processing has shown that long stapled cashmere produces acceptable textile fibre. Industry can obtain significantly greater financial benefits from this product by improved marketing.
Further development of the cashmere industry depends in large part on the widespread application of genetic improvement programs and the careful use of crossbreeding.
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