All recognition for the crossbreeding of Registered Angora and Pygmy goats to produce Pygoras are given to the esteemed Ms. Katharine Jorgensen of Misty Meadows. While traveling from her home in New Mexico in 1967, Ms. Jorgensen spotted lovely, different-colored goats grazing on a Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona. She was immediately mesmerized by their beauty. Unexpectedly, Ms. Jorgensen was indoctrinated into the goat world when her brother gave her son an orphaned Angora doeling for his 3rd birthday. As an Art Teacher, her interest grew into spinning; this led to the classroom children devising a Navajo style hip spindle for her.
In 1977, Ms. Jorgensen moved to Oregon where she began raising Pygmy goats and eventually started crossbreeding Pygmy and Angora goats. The fine down undercoat, barrel-shaped body, and playful nature of the Pygmy mixed with the long-curly fleece, fragile bodied, docile Angora made an excellent chose to produce a medium sized, good natured, fleece-bearing Pygora goat.
In reality, her dream was to produce a genetic line of goats with silver-grey mohair. However, after years of a vigilantly managed crossbreeding, it was evident three types of fleece had evolved. Ultimately, she achieved the silver-grey color, but not the characteristics of mohair type fleece. To her surprise, the fluffy Pygmy undercoat lengthened into a long under down.
In 1987, Ms. Jorgensen assisted in founding the Pygora Breeders Association (PBA) goat registry herdbook. Subsequently, in 1990, the PBA Breeding Standard was established. As with all goat associations, these standards established the allowable colors and markings, conformation or physical specification of the animal’s body structure, and sanctioned show rules.
Registered PBA Pygora goats produce three kinds of fleece Type A, B, and C. Several characteristics determine the fiber types: fleece length, luster, guard hair variances, and the fineness or micron count of the fiber.
According to the PBA, Type A, “Angora” fleece is a long, lustrous fiber approximately 6 inches or longer that hangs in long curly ringlets with guard hair not obvious. Type A fleece needs to be sheared not combed.
Type B, “Blend” is a blend of Pygmy goat undercoat having a more cashmere characteristic than the Angora mohair. Type B fleece grows a fine down 3-6 inches long that displays a nice crimpy curl that can be shorn, combed or plucked. Type B can exhibits a lustrous shine or may have a more dull matte finish. Type B Pygora fiber is unique; no other animal in the world produces this special fiber.
Type C, “Cashmere” produces a very fine lack luster like down only 1-3 inches that grows past the guard hair into a puffy cloud that is shorn or combed. Type C is prized for its softness due to a very small hair diameter. Type C Pygora can qualify as commercial cashmere if the diameter of the hair is fine enough to compete with the cashmere standards of 18.5 microns or less.
The in between “Types” can be categorized as A/B or B/C, but these categories are no longer recognized by the PBA. Pygoras are the only animal with Type B fleece making it one of many of their unique qualities. With good genetic management, Pygora goats can produce an offspring with fine quality fleece, disease resistance bodies, hardy birthing females and a fiber that does not coarsen with age. Pygora fiber is inflammable, wrinkle free, naturally stain resistant, nonflammable, durable, blends well with other fibers, shrinks little, and takes dyes easily even though it has gorgeous natural colors. For clothing articles that need a nice drape, mixing or blending a percentage of other wools eliminates any out of shape stretching on sleeves and lower edging of tops and sweaters.
PYGORA BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
The Pygora Breeders Association (PBA) has strict requirements for Pygora Registration. Inception of the PBA is to administer standards to ensure the quality of the registered Pygoras. Although, I believe that every generation is creating hardier Pygoras with finer fiber. Peruse the PBA website for more information http://www.pygoragoats.org/index.html The following information is merely a summary of the requirements. The PBA is a nonprofit organization to promote and educate the public regarding Pygora goats and their fiber.
For those who would like to create their own herd without starting with Pygoras can breed Registered American Angora Goat Breeders Association (AAGBA) with Registered National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) to produce a a first-generation “F1” goat as noted on the Registration Certificate. The second-generation goats are true Pygoras. The Pygora can breed with other Pygoras or with Registered AAGBA or NPGA goats. However, the ratio cannot exceed 75% of either parentage.
All Pygora goats must have fleece as described in the PBA Breed Standard set out by PBA. The “Breed Standard” outline size, breed characteristic such as colors, fleece Types A, B & C, allowable patterns (markings), and expected body conformation. Conformation is the physical structure of the goat and is a very important aspect if you plan to show your Pygoras. The PBA maintains an online “Herdbook” database that can go back many generations and also give you the ratio of Angora versus Pygmy for each Pygora. Only members of the PBA can access this database.
Membership is a minimal fee of $20 for a family and $10 for a youth per year to obtain your PBA membership number. A onetime $5 fee will guarantee your herd name and tattoo designation for life. If you plan to become a formal breeder, a $10 yearly fee will place your name, herd name and contact information onto the PBA Breeders Directory organized by states. We have found this “Directory” a very useful tool, and it has been the major avenue for people to make inquires to us about our Pygoras and processed fiber. The advantages of becoming a PBA member are quarterly PBA Newsletters, discounts on animal registration fees and advertisements in the Newsletter, active participation in PBA Board meetings and voting through official elections for PBA Board seats. I am currently the appointed PBA Education Fund Committee Chair.
Registration is a process, not just a onetime application. Within a week after birth, a full side photograph must be taken of the kid. No other animals or objects are allowed in the picture This is considered the out-of-fleece picture, which dictates the out-of-fleece color. Preferably, the photograph should be printed on the back of the application. If the Pygora kid has unusual markings, a number of pictures must document these patterns. Kids under one year old can be pre-registered to receive a Pre-Registration Certificate with a pending number appointed to your Pygora. Member fees for registration are between $3 to $7, for non-members the registration fees range between $6 to $12 depending on if it is a buck, doe or wether. All Transfer of Ownership applications cost $4.
Permanent registration requires the goat to be in full fleece, usually right before shearing. A full side color photograph (on back of registration form) with a 2 by 2 inch sample of fleece taken from the mid-barrel of body must accompany the Application for Registration Form. If you already pre-registered, there is no additional fees. Within 4 to 6 weeks, you will receive your official Registration Certificate. If the sire and the dam are not registered, their kids do not qualify for registration.
We hope those of you who are interested in being a Pygora owner will review the website. Please do not hesitate to contact anyone from the PBA or myself, if you have any questions.