Michael Woodward farms 250 Angora goats in the Ōtorohanga district.
Among the lush pastures of the Ōtorohanga district, 250 Angora goats live an idyllic life alongside 300 dairy cows and a few breeding bulls.
Welcome to Cowgora Hills, a 170ha property that has been the home of Michael and Susie Woodward and their family since 2019.
Not only is their day busy with milking and tending their young stock, the Angora goats easily fill up the rest of their working day.
Goats can need a bit more preventative healthcare compared to sheep, with feet and worms being the main two issues that need to be monitored.
They also need good fencing, preferably a standard seven-wire, and as long as they have plenty of feed, they will happily mingle with their mates cleaning up the gorse and thistles along the way.
Michael originally grew up on a dry stock farm south of Pukekohe and Susie came to New Zealand from the United States in 2005 with a dairying background.
They met on a dairy farm in Canterbury which led to 15 years of progressing through the industry before eventually buying their own farm.
The move up north was for the Woodwards to operate and invest in areas that aligned with their values, and it was an opportunity to create a legacy to pass on to their family.
Being hard workers with a real desire to make things happen, has seen the Woodwards grow their Angora numbers over the years.
They have now formed a company called Mohair Fibres NZ that markets the bulk of the fibre produced by New Zealand’s goats.
Michael’s parents were one of the country’s original Angora goat breeders, so he has grown up with goats.
When the Woodwards farm was purchased, they knew the goats would partner well with their dairy cows.
Nowadays Cowgora Hills is the collection point for other breeders’ mohair fibre from around the country and while some farmers will deliver their clip, Mohair Fibres NZ runs a pickup from Kerikeri in the north to Canterbury in the south and Hawke’s Bay in the East across to Taranaki in the West.
Every six months, about 6-7 tons of fibre are pooled and up to 17 lines are made available to be marketed on behalf of New Zealand producers.
Depending on market demand the stronger lines of fibre are sold in New Zealand, and the finer higher quality lines are exported, usually into South Africa.
The goal is always to maximise the returns to the producer and provide competitive returns on investment.
It then finds its way into European fashion houses, where it is blended with other fibres, the result of which are bespoke high-end suits.
Mohair fibre is known for its ability to hold vibrant colours, and a standout feature is its lustre, with just 10% needing to be blended into this suit fabric to highlight the quality and add that sense of luxury.
While farming Angora goats reached popularity in the 1980s, the removal of subsidies in the mid-to-late 80s saw the goat market plummet and a lot were culled.
The fibre prices have always been strong, and these saw a lift coming out of Covid with a big return to hand knitting.
Now the next generation of farmers is coming through.
With wool at rock-bottom prices, farmers are looking to diversify into something that will work well with their way of farming — Angoras could be a great fit.
”A lot of interest in the mohair fibre is coming from farmers whose parents had originally bred Angora goats,” Michael said.
“They are wanting to know where and how they can procure these goats.”
Presently it is by word of mouth but by going on to the Mohair Producer’s website, interested parties will be able to see a list of contacts who can offer sound practical advice about the purchase of stock.
Mohair fibre is currently selling at an average of between $25-$30 per kg per animal, so returns of between $100-$150 per annum per goat are easily achieved and the meat price sits at approximately $4.80kg for a 17kg carcass.
Together this can work out to be quite lucrative compared to sheep.
While there is still a slow decline in Angora numbers as older farmers retire, there certainly is a newfound interest from farmers and small block holders looking for diversity in their business.