Goat Breed · Turkey (Ankara region)
Angora
A fibre goat with long, lustrous ringlets — the source of mohair.
By WARN Research & Conservation TeamLast updated
In brief
The Angora is a fibre goat from the Ankara region of Turkey, prized for its long, silky, ringletted fleece — the source of mohair. It is small and gentle but relatively delicate, shorn twice a year and needing good nutrition and shelter to sustain heavy fleece growth.
What are the key facts about a Angora?
The Angora is a goat breed from Turkey (Ankara region): small–medium (does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg), gentle, timid, calm. A fibre goat with long, lustrous ringlets — the source of mohair.
| Origin | Turkey (Ankara region) |
|---|---|
| Size | Small–medium (does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg) |
| Typical weight | Does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg |
| Lifespan | 10–12+ years |
| Coat & colour | Long, lustrous, ringletted mohair fleece (usually white); shorn twice a year |
| Temperament | Gentle, timid, calm |
| Kept for / suits | Fibre (mohair) production; experienced keepers with good shelter |
Should you keep a Angora?
Keep a Angora only if you can meet livestock law, land, feed and veterinary care — not because the goat looks friendly online. This Turkey (Ankara region) type is small–medium (does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg) and gentle, timid, calm.
A Angora is husbandry, not a house pet. Check local zoning, neighbour rules, and whether you can provide species-appropriate shelter, forage and handling. A fibre goat with long, lustrous ringlets — the source of mohair.
Impulse “micro” livestock and Easter-gift birds are how goats end up dumped. If you cannot commit for 10–12+ years, do not start. Rescue and rehoming exist; buying a cheap animal you cannot keep is the problem this page is trying to prevent.
What is a Angora?
A fibre goat with long, lustrous ringlets — the source of mohair. Origin is Turkey (Ankara region); coat or markings are described as Long, lustrous, ringletted mohair fleece (usually white); shorn twice a year.
Kennel and registry labels describe a type. Individual Angoras still vary, and rescue animals may be mixes.
Where does the Angora come from?
Angoras come from Turkey (Ankara region). The Angora is an ancient breed from the Ankara (historically Angora) region of Turkey, later established in South Africa, Texas and Australia to supply the mohair trade.
Selected entirely for fleece rather than milk or meat, it is more delicate than other goats and needs careful feeding and shelter, especially after shearing.
That origin still shows. A Angora is small–medium (does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg) and gentle, timid, calm, typically living 10–12+ years. Use the history as context for care and conservation, not as folklore to repeat without sources.
What husbandry does a Angora need?
Angora husbandry is land, feed, handling and veterinary access — for 10–12+ years. This Turkey (Ankara region) type is small–medium (does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg) (Does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg) and gentle, timid, calm.
Shelter, clean water, species-appropriate forage and a plan for parasites and feet or hooves are the baseline. Coat notes (Long, lustrous, ringletted mohair fleece (usually white); shorn twice a year) tell you about weather and grooming, not whether the animal can live in a garage.
Know what you will do with offspring, and do not keep a single highly social goat alone if the species is a flock or herd animal.
What surprises people about the Angora?
A few details about the breed, alongside the practical care information in this guide.
- Angora goats produce mohair — not 'angora' wool, which comes from rabbits.
- They are shorn about twice a year.
- Each goat can yield several kilograms of mohair annually.
- They are delicate and need shelter, especially just after shearing.
What health issues should you know about in a Angora?
Health concerns to discuss with your vet, including changes to watch for and everyday care. This is general guidance, not veterinary advice — always speak to your vet.
Parasitic gastroenteritis (barber's pole worm)
Gut worms — especially Haemonchus contortus, the 'barber's pole worm' — cause anaemia, bottle jaw, weight loss and death, particularly in warm, wet climates.
Care: Use faecal egg counts and targeted, rotational worming rather than blanket dosing; pasture management and the FAMACHA anaemia check help control resistance.
Pregnancy toxaemia
A metabolic disease of late pregnancy — common in does carrying multiple kids — where energy demand outstrips intake, causing dullness, poor appetite and collapse.
Care: Feed rising-plane nutrition in late gestation, avoid over-fat or under-fed does, and treat early cases urgently with veterinary support.
Coccidiosis (kids)
An intestinal protozoan parasite that causes diarrhoea, poor growth and sometimes death in young kids, especially when housing is crowded or dirty.
Care: Keep pens clean and dry, avoid overcrowding, and seek veterinary treatment and coccidiostats when kids scour.
Who should skip a Angora?
Skip a Angora if you are anyone without land, zoning permission, and a vet. This Turkey (Ankara region) goat is small–medium (does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg) and gentle, timid, calm — the mismatch is usually lifestyle, not a missing accessory.
This page is allowed to say no. Skip if you are anyone without land, zoning permission, and a vet.
A different goat breed on this site may fit. Wanting “a Angora” after a film or a colour photo is not a reason to ignore the skip list.
What are the hidden catches with a Angora?
The hidden cost of a Angora is usually not the purchase price. It is years of care, the health list on this page, and the mismatch between a gentle, timid, calm animal and a busy home.
The impulse-buy catch
A Angora from Turkey (Ankara region) is often sold on looks. Coat, colour and size are not a temperament test. Meet the adult animal, ask about health screening, and walk away from pressure sales.
The parasitic gastroenteritis (barber's pole worm) catch
Gut worms — especially Haemonchus contortus, the 'barber's pole worm' — cause anaemia, bottle jaw, weight loss and death, particularly in warm, wet climates. Use faecal egg counts and targeted, rotational worming rather than blanket dosing; pasture management and the FAMACHA anaemia check help control resistance.
The pregnancy toxaemia catch
A metabolic disease of late pregnancy — common in does carrying multiple kids — where energy demand outstrips intake, causing dullness, poor appetite and collapse. Feed rising-plane nutrition in late gestation, avoid over-fat or under-fed does, and treat early cases urgently with veterinary support.
How does a Angora compare with Nubian (Anglo-Nubian) and Boer?
A Angora is not interchangeable with Nubian (Anglo-Nubian) and Boer. Compare origin, size, lifespan and temperament before you choose — those four lines prevent most regret.
| Goat fact | Angora | Nubian (Anglo-Nubian) | Boer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Turkey (Ankara region) | England (from African & Asian stock) | South Africa |
| Size | Small–medium (does 30–50 kg; bucks 50–80 kg) | Large (does 64+ kg; bucks 80+ kg) | Large (does 90–100 kg; bucks 110–135 kg) |
| Lifespan | 10–12+ years | 15–18 years | 12–20 years |
| Temperament | Gentle, timid, calm | Affectionate, hardy, famously vocal | Docile, hardy, fast-growing |
What is the verdict on the Angora?
Choose a Angora only if the care, skip-if and health sections still look like your life after a week of thinking. Otherwise pick a different goat or wait. Rescue is usually the better first door than a waiting-list puppy or kitten.
If the match is real, budget for 10–12+ years of vet care and do not skip health screening. If it is not, walking away is the kind choice — for you and for the animal.
Goats are herd animals, not lawn ornaments
Goats are intelligent, social browsers that suffer when tethered alone on short ropes. Whatever the breed, they need at least one companion, secure fencing, browse and hay, hoof care and shelter. WARN's working-animal programmes support rural veterinary access where goats and equines share the same routes.
