Zhongwei Goats

Zhongwei Goats

　　Zhongwei goats have a sturdy build, medium size, short and deep bodies that are nearly square-shaped. Their heads are refined, with straight nasal bridges and a tuft of long hair on the forehead. Their backs are level, their limbs are well-formed, and their hooves are solid. The body is well-proportioned. Male goats have large, twisted horns that curve backward and outward, with well-developed forequarters and strong masculinity. Female goats have sickle-shaped horns that curve backward and upward, with very few being polled. The coat is predominantly pure white and consists of two layers: an outer layer of coarse hair that is lustrous and has gentle waves, reaching about 10 cm in length; and an inner layer made up of soft, fine downy hair and a small amount of two types of hair with a silky, silvery sheen.

　　 Newborn kids are covered with wavy hair tufts. By 35 days old, the hair reaches 7 cm in length, with the curly parts accounting for about 1/2 to 2/3 of the tuft, forming beautiful flower-like patterns that cover the kid’s body uniformly, especially on the main body areas. These patterns are clear, glossy, and as white as jade.

　　 Zhongwei goats experience rapid weight gain before 6 months of age, then grow more slowly from 6 months to 1.5 years. Male kids weigh 2.60±0.31 kg at birth, females 2.43±0.38 kg; male kids weigh 5.57±1.01 kg at 35 days, females 4.80±0.56 kg; male kids weigh 10.5±1.61 kg at weaning, females 10.21±1.42 kg; male goats weigh 15.94±2.91 kg at 1.5 years, females 13.79±2.69 kg; adult males weigh 30.16±5.34 kg, females 23.23±3.64 kg. Adult males stand 59.04±3.95 cm tall at the shoulder, are 65.31±4.87 cm long, and have a chest circumference of 74.91±4.49 cm. Adult females measure 55.52±3.59 cm in height, 63.90±3.89 cm in length, and 69.42±5.35 cm in chest circumference.

　　 Zhongwei goats reach sexual maturity at 5 months for males and 5–6 months for females. The recommended initial breeding age is 2.5 years for males (when they weigh 30.16±5.54 kg) and 1.5 years for females (when they weigh 13.79±2.69 kg). Males are most fertile between 3 and 4 years old, while females are most productive between 3 and 5 years, generally remaining usable until 6–7 years of age.

　　 The peak mating season for Zhongwei goats is from July to September each year. The estrus cycle lasts 14–16 days, with estrus lasting 24–48 hours. The gestation period is around 150 days, and the kidding rate is 103.95%, with only 2.2% of births being twins. Kids are typically weaned at 6 months old.

　　 Zhongwei goat meat is tender, with evenly distributed fat and a mild gamey flavor. Eight-month-old kids weigh 14.93±0.65 kg, with a dressing percentage of 44.36%±1.45%, carcass weight of 6.68±0.29 kg, and a meat yield of 75.36%±1.38%. After two months of intensive fattening, their weight reaches 24.23±0.57 kg, with a dressing percentage of 58.47%±1.03%, carcass weight of 14.48±0.58 kg, meat yield of 85.76%±0.78%, and a feed-to-weight ratio of 4.5:1. Culled female goats, under grazing without supplemental feeding, average 11.72±0.92 kg in weight, with a dressing percentage of 37.48%±0.92%. Thirty-five-day-old kids average 2.33±0.35 kg in carcass weight, with a dressing percentage of 50.53%±2.00%.

　　 Sha wool pelts are harvested from kids around 35 days old when their hair reaches 7 cm in length. The skin is soft, dense, and averages 2171.39±414.01 cm² in area, weighing 0.52±0.11 kg per pelt with a thickness of 0.66±0.04 cm. Each hair tuft has an average of 3.28±0.76 curls, featuring many curls, attractive flower patterns, tight tufts, and characteristics of being lightweight, warm, and soft. They can be compared to Ningxia Tan sheep's second shear pelts.

　　 Zhongwei goats are shorn and combed for wool and cashmere once a year, from late April to early May. Young male goats produce 0.18±0.04 kg of coarse wool and 0.20±0.04 kg of cashmere; young females produce 0.18±0.04 kg and 0.22±0.04 kg respectively; adult males produce 0.27±0.08 kg and 0.24±0.06 kg; and adult females produce 0.20±0.05 kg and 0.17±0.06 kg.

　　 Zhongwei goat cashmere is fine, soft, and pure white, with a diameter of 14.17±0.98 microns, a straight length of 7.20±1.13 cm, an absolute strength of 3.07±0.27 grams, and an elongation of 39.18%±1.94%. The weight proportion of coarse wool to cashmere in the fleece is 75.86% and 24.14% respectively. The coarse wool is long and slender with a silk-like luster, and 77.33% of the non-medullated fibers are strong, with a diameter of 51.28±11.52 microns and a straight length of 18.82±1.14 cm. Since the structure and physicochemical properties of this goat’s coarse wool are similar to those of Angora goat wool, the coarse wool is classified as mohair type.