The Navajo Angora Goat (NAG) is a primitive type of angora goat that closely resembles the original angora that came to the U.S. from Turkey in the 1840's, arriving in the southwest during the later part of the 19th century. Also known as Navajo-type or Navajo-style, the name "Navajo Angora" is respectfully borrowed from a great nation of people who have lived in the Colorado Plateau area for centuries.
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Modern
Style Colored Angora Buck |
Their lives depended on their flocks of sheep and goats, much like the ancient herdsmen of Asia Minor. These angora goats flourished in this high elevation with its arid, and often harsh climate.
Due to the isolation of the area, they escaped upgrades made to the breed for the modern commercial mohair industry. There were no true breeding programs in the Navajo herds in those days, and though their angoras did interbreed with indigenous goats, many of the offspring exhibited angora characteristics and fleece types (along with acquiring colored fleeces). The modern angora of today is a beautiful animal, with a thick lustrous coverage of mohair from head to tail. However, there are those who feel they have lost some of the hardiness and good mothering abilities that the ancient goats retained through centuries of natural selection and genetic diversity.
The Colored Angora Goat Breeders Association used these NAGs in the early days, aiming to bring natural color back into the mohair industry. They succeeded, and in over 20 years they have selected for a beautiful and heavily covered colored angora that meets the standards of the registered white goats of the American Angora Breeders Association. Once this standard was attained, the original colored goats from the reservation were no longer needed, and those animals were used to breed "up" for the more modern style. The characteristics of the NAG were all but lost.
Today, when going to sale barns bordering the Navajo Nation, one may have to look very hard to find this ancient style of angora goat, as economics dictate that even the Navajo herds have moved toward the heavier fleeced and more commercial type of animal.
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Navajo
Angora Buck |
This is a mohair producing goat, not a cross-bred (i.e., cashgora) goat. The main physical differences are in the area of coverage, the grease content, and the variable lock style. NAGs will have a more open face and clean legs, compared to the full face and leg coverage of today's modern angora goat. Horn type can be variable or polling may occur. NAG fleeces are either grease-free or with a grease content that would be termed "buttery". Lock style can be curly, wavy or even straight. Fleece weight is less than the commercial angora, usually 3-4 pounds from an adult animal, but will have less waste.
NAGs come in all colors and patterns, have been known to keep a fine, silky fleece into maturity, along with deep, rich color. This primitive style of angora is a hardy animal, with a substantial body frame, good feet, and good mothering abilities.
Recording your goat is easy. Angora goats that meet the standards
of the NAG, and are breeding stock can be recorded (wethers will not be recorded).
Your goats will need to be over a year of age. The record form requires a good
color or black and white photo of your goat in 4-6 months fleece growth, and
a small representative lock sample. A record number will be assigned to your
animal and entered into the NAGR database and you will receive documentation
for your records. If you have goats that you would like to have recorded, the
form is here, in pdf, and you will need Adobe
Reader. 
For questions or more information on the Navajo Angora Goat
and the NAGR, please contact:
Debra Haden
Navajo Angora Goat Record
PO Box 304
McIntosh, NM 87032
cuestafarm@navajoangoragoat.org
505-384-5301
American Angora Goat Breeders Association
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
Colored Angora Goat Breeders Association
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