Angora goat

Angora goat

Angora goat

(credit: Grant Heilman Photography, Inc.)

Breed of domestic goat that originated in ancient times in the district of Angora in Asia Minor. Its silky coat yields commercial mohair. Angora goats are generally smaller than other domestic goats and sheep and have long, drooping ears. Both sexes are horned. The Western mohair industry developed after the animal was established in South Africa in the mid-19th century. Importation to the U.S. followed shortly, and breeding there has centred in the Southwest. The coat, with its strong elastic fibres, differs from wool primarily in its smoothness and lustre.