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The fleece tests for No.s 20 & 22 indicate that their mean fibre diameter for their second clip for the year is the same as their first, around 16.3 microns. Their curvature has surprisingly increased to 44 deg./mm for No. 20 and 53 deg./mm for No.22.  However both their yields have dropped by about 20%.

Down lengths were 90-100 mm at both shearings. Total Raw down weights were No. 20= 513g, No. 22= 343g. Total  Clean , skirted, down weights were: No. 20=393g, No.22 = 271g.  In contrast, No. 27 produced only 113g clean, 16.2 micron down for the whole year from 1 shearing. No. 20 has produced around 3 to 5 times the weight of down of some non Angora infused goats in her first year of growth, and has produced a healthy kid.

Although the quality of the down produced is not as good as I want it to be, these results are encouraging. I suspect that an 87.5 % cross or higher, will produce both down quality and quantity.

 Unfortunately No. 22 was euthanased due to a ruptured uterus, during an attempt by my Vet to deliver a deformed, schistosome kid, that had developed inside out, with its viscera ( guts) growing on the outside and its skin and hair growing on the inside.

Pictures of their Ofdagrams will be in a new gallery. The ofdagram of No.20 shows a slight right side bulge that indicates some intermediate fibres are starting to grow. Her CV is much higher. I may cross her back to Syco to see if this can be corrected. I will also get her kid from a cross with No. 11 tested as she is the only 87.5% Cashmere I currently have.

No.22's ofdagram looks reasonable apart from the low yield. I hope that there will be better fleece types in the current drop of kids.

Kid No. 34, 33's sister which had a long backmane has gradually lost it and is also essentially free of this condition.see new gallery.  She also had the longest fleece and the heaviest. Samples of all the out of season kid's fleeces have been sent for testing. I will post the results when the data is returned.

The Perennial Ryegrass/Tall Fescue mix does not look suitable for my fodder zone production. The grasses do not grow high enough without falling over, to allow my goats to graze them at a hight high enough above their droppings for them to eat readily.  The first few grazings went well but as their droppings accumulated they became very reluctant to graze.

I have found that mowing the grass short then allowing regrowth produces  more erect growth which my goats are eating reasonable well now.

I would also not sow Perennial Ryegrass with the Tall Fescue again as it has smothered it and most of the pasture is ryegrass which is lower growing.

I will change the grass zones to cowpeas and corn for Summer fodder.

The Serradella has grown well and in combination with the grasses, has filled the dam paddock with excellent feed just in time for the kidding season, which begins next week.

My neighbour sowed the same mix of Serradella,Tall Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass as I did on half her property, and despite constant grazing by wild ducks, has produced a good amount of feed. Her 2 goats are enjoying the improved pasture but her 2 horses do not like the Serradella and refuse to eat it.

Now that the Serradella has died off her horses are eating it and are doing very well.