Some Cashmere Characteristics of German Fawn x Hair Goat (B_1) Crossbreds and Shami (Damascus) Goats of the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Authors: MAHMUT KESKİN, OSMAN BİÇER, SABRİ GÜL

Abstract: This study was carried out with Damascus (Shami) goats and German Fawn x Hair goat (B1) crossbreds at Mustafa Kemal University. Animals were housed in semi-open sheds under semi-intensive conditions. Both groups were fed 600 g/head per day of concentrate and grazed in a pasture during lactation. Moulted cashmere was harvested by combing in February, March, and April, 2005, at 14-day intervals. The dimensions of cashmere fibres were determined by measuring 25 cashmere fibres from each goat using a Visopan microscope; fibre length was measured with a ruler. Mean diameter and length of cashmere for Shami and the crossbreds was calculated as 13.5 ± 0.1 \mum and 18.3 ± 0.2 cm, and 12.6 ± 0.1 \mum and 18.5 ± 0.2 cm, respectively. Results also revealed that both diameter and length of cashmere showed considerable variation for both genotypes across the moulting days during the season.

Keywords: Cashmere, Shami goat, German Fawn x Hair goat (B_1) crossbreds

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