Pygora

The cross was deliberate, not a barnyard accident: Pygmy for the fine down and the manageable size, Angora for the long silky fleece. The Pygora Breeders Association formed in 1987 to register and promote the breed, and Pygora is the association's registered trademark: only goats registered with the PBA may carry the name. A registered Pygora cannot exceed 75 percent of either parent breed.

The registry recognizes three fleece types: type A is mohair-like and lustrous, type C is fine and cashmere-like, and type B is a blend of both. In figures, type A runs six inches or longer and under 28 microns, type B three to six inches under 24 microns, and type C one to three inches under 18.5 microns. Which one an animal grows is not fully predictable from its parents.

Does run 65 to 75 pounds and bucks and wethers 75 to 95. They live 12 to 14 years, the fleece does not coarsen as the goat ages, and colors include white, red, brown, black and gray.

They are small, gentle and easy to handle, which is much of the appeal for a small holding. The association sells them on personality as much as fiber, and not wrongly: they are affectionate, engaging animals.

Handspinning fiber first, then pets and companions, 4-H and FFA projects, and show animals. Does can be milked, at about a liter a day at peak.

Harvesting matched to the fleece: type A clips like a small Angora, while type C and B animals need combing or dehairing rather than a straightforward clip. A wether often grows the best fleece of all, since he puts no energy into breeding.

The trade is the fleece lottery. You may not get the type you wanted, and the fleeces are small.

Registration with the Pygora Breeders Association is what makes the animal a Pygora at all, since the name is trademarked to the registry. Ask the fleece type of the animal and of both parents, and ask to handle a sample before you bid.

Recent sale prices on HoofnHorn, where there are any, are further down this page.