The Pygora goat is a cross between the Pygmy goat

Pygmy goat

A pygmy goat is a small breed of domestic goat. Although they produce a very large amount of milk for their size, and can be eaten, pygmy goats are not typically used for milk or meat, unlike larger dairy and meat goat breeds. Pygmy goats tend to be more robust and breed more continually throughout...

 and the Angora goat

Angora goat

The Angora goat is a breed of domestic goat that originated in Ankara , Turkey and its surrounding region in central Anatolia...

 that produces three distinct kinds of fleece and has the smaller size of the Pygmy.

History

The Pygora was a purposeful cross, bred by Katharine Jorgensen of Oregon City, Oregon

Oregon City, Oregon

Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...

. In 1987, the Pygora Breeders Association was formed in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, and has since then been registering and promoting Pygoras. Today, the registered Pygora goat may not be more than 75% AAGBA

American Angora Goat Breeders' Association

The American Angora Goat Breeders' Association is the only American breed registry for the Angora goat. Established in 1900, the association is headquartered in Rocksprings, Texas.- External links :* * * *...

-registered Angora goat or 75% NPGA-registered Pygmy goat.

Characteristics

Pygoras live from 12-14 years, and are commonly used as pet

Pet

A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...

s, along with being show, breeding, and fibre-producing animals. Pygora fibre is frequently used by artists for spinning

Spinning (textiles)

Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...

, spindling

Spindle (textiles)

A spindle is a wooden spike used for spinning wool, flax, hemp, cotton, and other fibres into thread. It is commonly weighted at either the bottom middle or top, most commonly by a circular or spherical object called a whorl, and may also have a hook, groove or notch, though spindles without...

, knitting

Knitting

Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...

, crocheting

Crochet

Crochet is a process of creating fabric from yarn, thread, or other material strands using a crochet hook. The word is derived from the French word "crochet", meaning hook. Hooks can be made of materials such as metals, woods or plastic and are commercially manufactured as well as produced by...

, weaving

Weaving

Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...

, tapestries, and other fibre arts. It is also commonly used in clothing

Clothing

Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...

. Pygoras can also be milk

Milk

Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...

ed, producing about one litre per day.

Registered Pygora goats will produce cashmere

Cashmere wool

Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from Cashmere and other types of goats. The word cashmere derives from an old spelling of Kashmir. Cashmere is fine in texture, and strong, light, and soft. Garments made from it provide excellent...

-like fleece (Classified as Type-C), a mohair

Mohair

Mohair usually refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. The word "mohair" was adopted into English before 1570 from the Arabic: mukhayyar, a type of haircloth, literally 'choice', from khayyara, 'he chose'. Mohair fiber is approximately 25-45 microns in...

-like fleece (Type-A), or a combination of the two fleeces (Type-B). Type-A fleece is composed of fibres averaging 6 or more inches in length that drape in ringlets. It may occur as a single coat, but a silky guard hair

Guard hair

Guard hairs are the longest, coarsest hairs in a mammal's coat, forming the topcoat . They taper to a point and protect the undercoat from the elements. They are often water repellent and stick out above the rest of the coat...

is usually present. The fibres are typically less than 28 micrometres in diameter. Type-B fleece fibres average between 3 to 6 inches (152.4 mm) in length with one, possibly two, guard hairs. The fibres are usually less than 24 µm in diameter. Type-C fleece is very fine, typically 1 to 3 inches (76.2 mm) in length and less than 18.5 µm in diameter.