Abstract

The wool of Kazakh coarse-haired goats presents a promising avenue for agricultural diversification and economic enhancement. This study explores the prospects of obtaining marketable down from these goats and its potential impact on the agricultural sector. Based on the analysis of statistical and literary data on the number, gene pool of goats and production of goat wool, as well as on the results of our own research, the article substantiates the expediency of orienting goat breeding of Kazakhstan to the production of new products – marketable down. It is emphasized that in the breed aspect the goat population is 90% or more represented by aboriginal coarse-haired goats with a down fineness that meets the requirements of cashmere down – up to 18 microns. In terms of the variety assortment, 88.4% of 300 kg of wool harvested from goats of the southern region in terms of the content of down corresponded to the requirement of “the Semi-down” class. The yield of marketable down when manually combed from the coat of a goat was insignificant – 114 g with the traditional and 124 g from 1 head with English methods, which is due to the peculiarity of the wool of goats of this gene pool. With a single carding of sheared wool on carding and dehairing machines of European production, the yield of marketable down was 39.7%, with a residual awn content of 14.3%.