Bruce A. McGregor

• PhD
• Senior Researcher at Deakin University

The presence of medullated fibers affects the textile processing, comfort and appeal of alpaca apparel. Measuring the incidence of medullated fibers is slow and expensive. Previous reports of the incidence of medullated fibers are often based on small test samples. The objectives of this work were to: 1. evaluate the Fiber Med device which uses art...

This study determined the digestibility of three common supplementary feeds, faecal whole grain loss and the energy requirements of adult Huacaya alpacas (live weight 62 kg) using individual pens and feeding at a range of initial notional energy levels approximating maintenance (M) to 1.6 × M. The diets were lucerne (Medicago sativa) chaff (LC), oa...

The effects of feeding lucerne hay (Medicago sativa) and or barley grain to grazing reproducing Angora does on birth weight, live weight, body condition, quality and production of milk and mohair and gastrointestinal parasitism were investigated in does and kids. The design was supplementation for the last 8 weeks prepartum to 8 weeks postpartum wi...

There is little information available on the nutrient requirements of suckling Angora kids weighing less than 10 kg which has resulted in nutrition recommendations being based on older, heavier and weaned goats. This experiment determined the energy intake of suckling Angora kids to estimate maintenance ME requirement (MEm) and ME required for grow...

Knowledge of associations between skin follicle development in Angora goats and development of mohair fleeces is limited. These associations were investigated using data from a controlled nutrition experiment which had 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN), with single and twin litters. S...

The inaugural Brian Nettleton Lecture links two of Brian’s views: 1) that it is important to get to know a certain area to be more a part of it and of nature; and 2) that areas suitable for outdoor adventure lie unnoticed near the centre of Melbourne. Nature needs our help given the serious and escalating threats. Increasing evidence shows that hum...

The objectives were to determine the phenotypic correlations between biometric characteristics and obtain predictive functions of vicuña body weight (BW) at shearing. Measurements were recorded in 69 males and 119 females in the area of influence of the Campesino Community of Huachocolpa, Huancavelica region of Peru, during the annual management fo...

Objective To assess the effectiveness of controlled‐release devices (CRDs) for providing zinc and for estimating faecal output in alpacas and sheep at pasture. Methods The study groups of 10 alpacas and 10 sheep at pasture were paired within species and allocated at random to receive by mouth either one CRD containing chromium sesquioxide designed...

There is little information on permanent effects of nutritional manipulation of Angora does on the development of skin follicles of their progeny in utero and during the early postnatal period. This report investigates the combined effects of 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN) on skin...

Australian research on the influence of the rate of stocking on pasture, animal and mohair growth, parasitism, mortality, and other nutritional and husbandry requirements are reviewed. Liveweight of Angora goats is the main determinant of clean mohair production, fibre diameter and meat production, but not of staple length. Both liveweight and fibr...

Recommendations for the nutrient management of lactating Angora goats are mostly based on theoretical calculations as little empirical data is available. This report investigates the combined effects of 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN) providing 6 nutrition patterns, with both single...

Free online access to the publication (up to 50 colleagues): http://www.emeraldinsight.com/eprint/67CKKYAZN3JXSEBWXPKY/full Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the significant factors important for prickle discomfort properties of commercial wool knitwear and to analyse information on variability of garments manufactured ov...

The null hypothesis of the experiments reported is that the cuticle and cortical morphology of rare animal fibres are similar. The investigation also examined if the productivity and age of alpacas were associated with cuticle morphology and if seasonal nutritional conditions were related to cuticle scale frequency. Cuticle and cortical cell dimens...

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), identifies chemical bands related to chemical bonds including amino acid groups. The potential for FTIR to differentiate animal fibres from different origins was investigated using cashmere (Chinese, Australian, Iranian), wool (Chinese, Australian), bison wool, qiviut from Musk-ox, vicuña and guard ha...

There is little research on the nutrient requirements and the effects of nutrient manipulation on the productivity of lactating Angora does. The study design investigated the combined effects of 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN). ×. 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN) with both single and twin bearing does, providing 6 nu...

Cuticle scale edge height and frequency are used to identify animal fibres but exhibit a large range in dimensions, the reasons for which have not been elucidated. Cuticle and cortical cell dimensions along with the ellipticity of fibres were investigated in cashmere samples from a controlled nutrition experiment. Cuticle scale frequency, cuticle t...

Real-time ultrasound scanning is an accurate non-invasive technique used to improve quality in sheep, cattle and pig meat production but has been overlooked in meat production from heavy goat carcasses. The aims of this study were to: determine subjective and objective carcass attributes of 6 year old Angora castrate goats prior to and following sl...

This study aimed to determine the relationships between skin surface area, animal size and mohair physical properties using estimates of skin area determined on animals prior to slaughter and compare these with skin weight and skin area determined after slaughter. Angora kids born in late winter were shorn at 18 weeks of age. Prior to slaughter at...

Farmers report low Angora kid birth weight associated with high kid mortality. As breeding goats are likely to face energy restrictions during winter when pregnant this study investigated the effects of energy intake during mid pregnancy on Angora kidding losses, birth weight, placenta weight and productivity of does. The design was three levels of...

The mean fibre diameter (MFD) of wool is the primary determinant of price, processing performance and textile quality. This study determines the primary influences on MFD as Saxon Merino sheep age, by allometrically relating MFD to fleece-free liveweight (FFLwt). In total, 79 sheep were grazed in combinations of three stocking rates and two grazing...

Merino breeders use textural greasy wool handle in ram buying and breeding decisions. The effectiveness of the current wool handle scoring system has not been objectively evaluated. The assessor repeatability of textural wool handle was quantified using three different methods of assessment (on the live animal, as a greasy wool mid-side sample, and...

Weathering refers to the degradation of wool fibres that occur during growth from exposure of the fleece to sunlight, water and air. Weathering damage to Merino wool reduces quantities of fibre that are harvested, reduces length in both raw and processed wools, reduces spinning performance and dyeing outcomes. This work aimed to aimed to quantify i...

The handle properties of single jersey fabrics composed of superfine wools (17 μm) of different fibre curvature (114 vs. 74 °/mm) in blends with cashmere (fibre curvature 49 °/mm) were investigated. There were four blend ratios of cashmere (0, 25, 50, 75%) plus 100% cashmere. Each of the nine fibre blend combinations were replicated three times, an...

Colour properties are measured prior to the sale of merino wool as they are of commercial importance when greasy wool is sold and when wool is dyed. With the paucity of knowledge of the colour properties of commercial mohair, this study aimed to identify and quantify the factors affecting the brightness (Y) and yellowness (Y-Z) values of commercial...

Previous investigations have shown that prickle discomfort sensations of wool fabrics are primarily determined by the mean fiber diameter of the wool. It is also known that differences in wool fiber curvature (crimp) affect softness of handle of greasy wool and of wool textiles. In a replicated experiment, we investigated if wearers could detect th...

To quantify if, and to what extent, permanent incisor wear differed with age of goat and farm of origin on commercial Australian Angora goat farms. Observations were made on three Angora goat farms in the wheat-sheep zone of Victoria, each managed according to the farmer's practices. Farmers provided a representative flock of does. The proportion a...

Handle-related properties of woollen fabrics have been demonstrated to be major factors affecting consumer buying attitudes. Handle is the combination of both textural and compressional attributes. Compressional handle has demonstrated processing advantages in woven and knitted fabrics. The handle of processing lots can be manipulated using a varie...

The relationships between wearer-assessed comfort and objectively measured comfort and handle parameters were investigated using 19 pure wool single jersey garments made of single ply yarns. Wearer trials were used to determine prickle discomfort, and whether wearers ‘‘liked’’ the garments. Fabrics then were objectively evaluated using the Wool Han...

The handle properties of knitted wool fabrics were investigated using the Wool HandleMeter. The fabrics were single jersey knitted with three different loop lengths, where the yarn linear density was kept constant. The effect of a treatment using a continuous plasma treatment device was compared with untreated fabrics. The results confirm that the...

The relationships were investigated between the prickle discomfort scores, assessed by human response from wearer trial garment assessment, and sleeve trial, Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) and Wool HandleMeter (WHM) assessments of fabrics, and fiber diameter characteristics including mean fiber diameter (MFD). Sleeve trial assessment followed exercise, th...

Visual assessment of the fleece of Merino sheep is an accepted method to aid genetic improvement but there is little evidence to support the use of visual assessment for improving mohair production. This paper examines the extent that visual traits, including staple length, character (staple crimp), staple definition, tippiness, style and staple en...

Softness of apparel textiles is a major attribute sought by consumers. There is surprisingly little objective information on the softness properties of rare animal fibres, particularly cashmere, alpaca and mohair. Samples of these and other rare animal fibres from different origins of production and processors were objectively measured for fibre di...

Felting is a unique attribute of animal fibres used for the production of a range of industrial and apparel textiles. Felting can be an adverse attribute as a consequence of dimensional shrinkage during laundering. As there is little objective information regarding the feltability of rare animal fibres or the factors which may affect felting three...

The association between the incidents counted by the measurement wire of the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) and the previously published neurophysiological basis for fabric-evoked prickle have been investigated for lightweight knitted woolen fabrics. The fiber lengths and diameters capable of triggering the fabric-evoked prickle sensation were calculated...

This study aimed to quantify the skin comfort and handle properties of a range of wool fabrics produced from ultrafine wool (13.7-15.1 µm) and in doing so determine if differences in fiber diameter and staple crimp frequency (5.3-7.1 crimps/cm) were important in these properties. The fabrics were evaluated using a range of subjective and objective...

The present report has been prepared to determine the precision of the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) based on 4 passes of the measurement head across a fabric surface. Previous reports on the WCM have been based on 10 passes. The request to reduce the test time and therefore cost came from the initial commercial users of the instrument. The experiments c...

This study investigated the relationships between the sensations of sweaty, damp, muggy and clingy, as assessed by human response from wearer trial garment assessment, and fiber type, fiber, yarn and fabric properties and instrumental fabric measurements of next-to-skin knitwear. Wearer trial assessment of 48 fabrics followed a strict 60 minute pro...

Gastrointestinal nematodes limit the growth, production and welfare of goats but there are few reliable sources of information for recommending management practices across flocks. The effects of animal species (Angora goat, Merino sheep, mixed-grazed goats and mixed-grazed sheep at the ratio of 1 : 1) and stocking rate (SR: 7.5, 10, 12.5 animals/ha...

Variation in textural greasy wool handle across the fleece of Merino sheep was explored. Results demonstrate that there were significant differences across nine sites on the fleece. The inclusion of the covariates fibre diameter, fibre diameter co-efficient of variation, staple length, dust penetration, staple structure, greasy wool colour and resi...

The sale of alpaca fiber is the main income for thousands of families in the Central Andes of Peru. Little information exists on the fiber length growth rate of alpaca (FLG), especially throughout their first year of life when the fiber is most valuable. We aimed to determine the monthly FLG of 22 alpaca offspring of two genotypes (9 Suri, 13 Huaca...

Despite cereal grains being grown on 5 continents where goats are kept, there is little information on the excretion of whole cereal grains when fed to goats. We determined the effects of various dietary treatments on whole grain and starch loss in the faeces of Angora goats. In Experiment 1 there were 4 replicates of the factorial design: (a) 2 gr...

In a range of animals, increasing mean fibre diameter (MFD) of fibre is associated with an increasing incidence of medullated fibres (Med). It would thus be expected that Med in mohair fleeces, from animals in a flock, would be related to the MFD of those fleeces. MFD of mohair is not the only dimensional attribute of fibres. Med in mohair is pheno...

The comfort properties of yarns and single jersey knitted fabrics composed of pure superfine wools and wool/cashmere blends were investigated. A notched template enabled the rapid testing of yarns to predict the ?comfort properties? of fabric made from these yarns using the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM). Reducing yarn winding frequency on the template fr...

The prickle evoked by 48 knitted fabrics was assessed by wearers under a defined evaluation protocol. The relationship between the average wearer prickle score and known properties of constituent fibre, yarns and fabrics and fabric evaluation using the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) was determined using linear modelling. After log transformation, the best...

In this replicated experiment, we investigated the comfort properties of single jersey fabrics composed of cashmere in blends with superfine wools of different fibre curvature (crimp) where the fibre diameter of the wool and cashmere were tightly controlled. The 81 fabrics were evaluated using the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) which has been calibrated u...

This study examined the feasibility of assessing yarns with the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) to predict the comfort properties of the corresponding single jersey-knitted fabrics. The optimum yarn arrangement to predict the comfort value of a corresponding control fabric was determined using nine wool and wool/nylon-blended yarns (mean fibre diameter ran...

The aim of this study was to determine if textural greasy wool handle can be accurately predicted from a suite of currently assessed and measured wool traits. A multivariate regression analysis indicated that greasy wool handle can be predicted with medium to low accuracy. Greasy wool handle assessment captures additional information on wool surfac...

The comfort properties of the pique and single jersey knitted wool fabrics were investigated using the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM). The fabrics were knitted in three cover factors and treated with either plasma or a silicone softening agent and were compared with untreated fabrics. Plasma treatment did not show significant effects on the comfort value....

The presence of even a small amount of medullated fibre, in otherwise high quality mohair, may have a pronounced adverse effect on its value and end-use potential. However, there is considerable confusion about the effects, if any, of environmental variables and management upon the incidence of medullated fibres in mohair. This study examined how t...

To investigate the effects of the timing and duration of eruption of the first permanent incisors, live weight, sex and other factors on contemporaneous live weight gain in Angora goats. Goats were previously part of a pen study on the effects of energy intake of Angora does during pregnancy and lactation on kid development. The design was 3 levels...

The Wool ComfortMeter provides an objective measurement of the fabric-evoked prickle discomfort rating provided by wearers. This work aimed to quantify the sensitivity of the Wool ComfortMeter over a range of different temperature and humidity conditions to determine the recommended test conditions for its operation. The design was: three temperatu...

Staple entanglement in mohair fleeces occurs when adhesions form between longer and faster growing fibres and shorter and slower growing fibres. This results in accentuated crimp of the longer fibres and an “apparently” reduced staple length. The appearance in the fleece of Angora goats of staple entanglements can lead to the downgrading of the moh...

A single focus on mean fibre diameter (MFD, μm) as the definition of cashmere quality overlooks the effects of fibre length, softness and fibre curvature on cashmere processing, textile quality and consumer acceptance. Many farmers overlook the importance of cashmere staple length (SL, cm) in their fleece assessments. We aimed to determine the impo...

The feasibility of assessing yarns with the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) to predict the comfort properties of the corresponding single jersey-knitted fabrics was examined. The relationship between WCM readings of wool knitting yarns and direction and frequency of yarns wound onto a test template were investigated. Using a notched template, yarn winding...

Previous work has shown that, within an Angora goat flock, clean fleece weight is proportional to fleece-free liveweight (FFLwt)2/3 and for goats of the same age and cohort, the mean mohair fibre diameter is proportional to FFLwt1/3. This indicates that fibre length might not be related to the size of animals. This study examines how mohair staple...

Clean fleece weight (CFWt) is affected by liveweight and change in liveweight in Merino sheep, Angora and cashmere goats. However, how these relationships progress as animals age has not been elucidated. Measurements were made over 12 shearing periods on a population of Angora goats representing the current range and diversity of genetic origins in...

Mohair is a luxury fibre produced by Angora goats. Mohair has special textile properties and is famed for its lustre. There are many reports of the relationships between mohair attributes and processing1. While mohair production can be profitable to farmers there are severe price discounts for faults and poor quality2. While genetics is known to af...

This work aimed to quantify factors affecting the reflectance attributes of Australian white mohair sourced from five different farms and to evaluate the effect of season and year on mohair grown by goats of known genetic origin in a replicated study. For the season study the mohair was harvested every three months for two years. All goats and thei...

In the Huancavelica region of Peru alpacas form the main and often only means of deriving an income for 3300 poor families in 60 communities. Ninety percent of alpacas in the region are Huacaya which are grazed at altitudes 4000–4800m. Little attention has been paid to alpacas grazed in the High Andes. We aimed to: (i) quantify the variation in alp...

As mean fibre diameter (MFD) is the primary determinant of mohair price we aimed to quantify the lifetime changes in mohair MFD as Angora goats aged and grew. Measurements were made over 12 shearing periods on a population of Angora goats representing the current range and diversity of genetic origins including South African, Texan and interbred ad...

A substantial up-to-date reference manual has been prepared which documents important issues for the supply chain of rare natural animal fibres. New developments in textiles have been included. Cashmere, mohair and camelid fibres have special properties of softness, smoothness and lustre, when compared with sheep wool. They also have other attribut...

This book focuses on the most important areas of goat meat production. It is divided into 15 chapters discussing the role of genetics, breeding, reproduction and nutrition in producing good quality, profitable goat meat. The mineral, amino acid and fatty acid composition of goat meat is also addressed, along with a discussion of its nutritive value...

Objective and subjective evaluations of goats for meat production are related to important determinants of production and profitability. The most important attributes in assessment of goats for market are: live weight, body-condition score and age. As goats grow, their carcass and body organs increase in weight in proportion to the empty body weigh...

To investigate the effects of live weight, sex and other factors on deciduous (first incisor) loss and permanent first incisor development in Angora goats. Goats were part of a pen study on the effects of energy intake in Angora does during pregnancy and lactation on kid growth and development. The design was three levels of nutrition in mid-pregna...

We aimed to determine whether the concentration of minerals and trace constituents in blood of Merino sheep and Huacaya alpacas grazing the same pasture differed with species and time of sampling. Blood samples and pasture samples were collected at frequent intervals over a period of 2 years for mineral and trace-nutrient assay. The concentration o...

We aimed to quantify if and to what extent permanent incisor wear affected mohair production in adult Angora castrate goats. The goats were grazed on annual temperate pastures for 6 years. During their sixth year mohair was harvested every 6 months and liveweight measured. Incisors were inspected at age 6 years and the amount and pattern of wear qu...

We aimed to quantify the sources of variation contributing to the main quality attributes of cashmere produced from goats in the Pamir mountain districts of Murghab, Shugnon and Vanj in Tajikistan. In early spring 2010, mid-side samples were taken from 194 adult females, 43 adult males and 20 castrates belonging to 58 farmers and pastoralists in 14...

The review investigates the use of permanent incisor wear and loss by farmers culling sheep from flocks, summarises investigations into incisor development, factors affecting incisor wear and loss, impacts on production and economics and practices designed to prolong incisor life and makes suggestions for future research. Periodontal disease is out...

While white cashmere is preferred by processors, its whiteness and brightness is affected by country of origin, amino acid composition, nutrition and cashmere production of goats. This work aimed to quantify the factors which affect the whiteness and brightness of 36 batches of processed Australian white cashmere sourced from nine different farms....

We aimed to quantify the number, type and arrangement of skin follicles in Huacaya and Suri alpaca skin and correlate their follicle characteristics with fibre traits of harvested fibre and compared these relationships with those of Merino sheep. Fibre and skin samples were collected from the mid-side of 12 Huacaya alpacas, 24 Suri alpacas and 10 M...

American bison grow a thick coat of fibres which assists them to withstand severe climatic conditions. Bison fibre was traditionally used in textiles by native North Americans. This study aimed to quantify the production, fibre attributes and dehairing processing of bison fibre produced from bison grazed in north-eastern Victoria. Three age/sex cla...

Alpacas establish long-lasting communal latrine sites or dunghills. To quantify the extent of nutrient transfer and accumulation associated with alpaca latrine sites and to provide a three-dimensional assessment of a pasture paddock with 11-year-old latrine sites, three comparisons were made: (a) centres of latrines were compared with non-latrine c...

Nutritional and environmental effects on the amino acid, wax, and suint contents and color of raw cashmere were investigated. Cashmere was obtained from goats fed with or without dietary protected protein, goats fed different levels of dietary energy and feeds, and goats from Australia, China, and Iran. The determined attributes included the produc...

Cashmere fibre curvature (crimp) impacts on the softness and quality of cashmere textiles, the efficiency of cashmere processing and cashmere production. This study investigated the relationship between cashmere fibre curvature standard deviation (FCSD) and other fleece attributes, and how this relationship differs with animal and farm attributes,...

In the absence of financial information on Australian mohair enterprises we aimed to determine the gross margins (per dry sheep equivalent, DSE) and their relationships with farm inputs, productivity and mohair quality in Australian mohair enterprises. Using established Victorian Farm and Sheep Monitor Project protocols we collected data for the fi...

To identify methods to improve growth and mohair production of weaned Angora goats (mean liveweight 18–20 kg) during their first winter, two supplementary feeding experiments using whole-grain barley and lupins were conducted on a farm in southern New South Wales, in a region where weaner illthrift had been reported. Experiment 1 was a 2 × 2 + 1 fa...

Cattle grow and shed fibre which assists them adapt to seasonal changes in the environment. In the absence of cattle fibre production data for southern Australia, Angus, Hereford, Simmental and Limousin cows and crosses between these breeds grazing perennial pastures at Hamilton, Victoria were sampled in late winter. The fibre-growing area on the s...

The effects of animal species (AS; Angora goats, Merino sheep, mixed-grazed goats and sheep at the ratio of 1 : 1) and stocking rate (SR; 7.5, 10 and 12.5 animals/ha) on fibre production and quality were determined in a replicated experiment on improved annual temperate pastures in southern Australia from 1981 to 1984. Separately grazed sheep produ...

Differences in live weight and mature size associated with farm of origin, age and sex were quantified for commercial Australian cashmere goats. Goats from 11 farms in four Australian states, consisting of 1367 does and 98 wethers aged 1–13-year-old were monitored between December and June (early summer to mid winter). We used the live weight for M...

The effects of animal species (AS; Angora goats, Merino sheep, mixed-grazed goats and sheep at the ratio of 1 : 1) and stocking rate (SR; 7.5, 10 and 12.5 animals/ha) on the liveweight, body condition score, carcass yield and mortality of goats and sheep were determined in a replicated experiment on improved annual temperate pastures in southern Au...

The effects of animal species (AS; Angora goats, Merino sheep or goats and sheep mixed grazed together at ratio 1 : 1) and stocking rate (SR; 7.5, 10 and 12.5 animals/ha) on the availability, botanical composition and sward characteristics of annual temperate pastures under continuous grazing were determined in a replicated experiment from 1981 to...

Median weaning weight and its relationship with the median mature liveweight of does was quantified for four commercial Australian cashmere farms in various parts of Australia. Individual liveweights, of does of all ages at the time of weaning in December, ranged from 9 to 61 kg. Individual farm means of adult does (>1 year old) ranged from 24.6 to...

This report provides factual evidence on the financial and production performance of real mohair farms for the first time. This process engaged mohair farmers in detailed record keeping and measurements of their animals. The project involved farm business economists in comparative financial studies of mohair and wool enterprises. Exhaustive statist...

Indigenous goats of Central Asia and Afghanistan produce cashmere, the warm undercoat grown annually to protect them from cold winters. Cashmere is appreciated in luxury markets, but there are no efforts to conserve these goats. Commercial assessments of their fibre quality have recently been undertaken. Poorer villagers in the most climatically di...

The present study aimed to determine how the average mohair staple length (SL) differences between nine sampling sites vary between sex and flock, to identify differences in SL variability between sampling sites as a result of between-animal and between-sire variability and to determine SL correlations between sampling sites in between-animal and b...

The present work aimed to determine how the average fibre diameter coefficient of variation (CVD) and fibre curvature (FC) differences between nine sampling sites vary between sex and flock, to identify differences in variability between sampling sites as a result of between animal and between sire variability and to determine correlations between...

In a replicated experiment, we investigated the impact of cashmere in blends with superfine wools on the wear attributes of single jersey knitted fabrics. We also investigated the relative performance of low crimp/low fiber curvature superfine wool when compared with cashmere and also when compared with traditional high crimp/high fiber curvature s...

We aimed to quantify the sources of variation contributing to the production and quality of cashmere produced in five districts in Osh and Naryn provinces of Kyrgyzstan. In early spring 2008 mid-side cashmere samples were taken from 719 cashmere adult females, and 41 cashmere adult males and castrates. Samples came from 53 villages and a total of 1...

The scientific literature contains divergent views about the effects of nutrition on cashmere. The consequences of ignoring nutrition will be an increase in the number of goats suffering lower production, increased welfare risks and premature mortality. This review evaluated published reports to identify current knowledge and best practice in regar...

Production and financial benchmarking was undertaken with commercially motivated mohair, cashmere and goat meat farmers in Australia. There were large differences in animal and fleece production and financial returns between the best and worst performing farms. Farmers and industry groups reported that the process and results were helpful and resul...