The Altai Mountain Goat was conceived sometime between 1944 and 1982; these goats were bred specifically for their wool. First bred in the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Region of what was formerly known as the Soviet Union, the Altai Mountain Goat is a cross breed of Don goats and the local mountain goats of the time. This goat is noted for their ability to fatten quickly in a notably short amount of time as well as they stay in the pasture all year long. The goats have a great cut of meat; it is tender and not at all fatty. These goats can withstand extreme temperatures and are all very similar in size, color, and overall build.

The wool of the Altai Mountain Goat is of very high quality, making it a coveted commodity for many industries requiring the material. The color of the goat’s wool is dark grey; they also have “guard hair.” This guard hair helps protect the goat from the extreme cold of the Siberian climate. Pure breeds will have a slightly different color wool than a cross bred animal. The wool is often used in cashmere.

These goats remain quite popular in Eastern Europe. The largest factor for their popularity is their wool; their high quality meat also makes them coveted among the farmers of the native region. From 1970 to 1983, the breeding of these mountain goats increased steadily. In recent years, while not decreasing, has leveled off. Although leveled off, there is no immediate sign of this breed of goat disappearing anytime soon. Extinction is not a thought for many farmers in Russia who breed these creatures.

This animal is slow to mature; it reaches its full adult stature later in its life. It takes a minimum of five years for the animal to reach its full maturity. This is surprising, as the mountain goats are constantly grazing almost all the time that it is awake. Its diet consists mainly of grass and grains.

The Gorno-Altai Autonomous Region, found in the former Soviet Union, is more modernly called Russia. The part of Russia that these goats are found is Siberia. The goat has a large layer of fat surrounding it; the fat allows the animal to withstand extreme temperatures.

With some wool producing breeds of goats, it is very unlikely that anywhere near the same amount of wool will be produced from one goat to the next. This is not the case with the Altai breed. All of these goats yield pretty close to the same amount of wool per animal; the highest percentage of difference per animal is ten.

Nine centimeters is the average length for the goat’s wool to be at its breaking point. This is true for both the male and female goat. The fiber length of the wool is eight to nine centimeters. This is regardless of gender as well.

Known as “Gornoaltaiiskaya” in Russia, these animals have proven to be fairly popular. Due to its quality meat and fine wool, these goats have remained quite coveted. Because the wool yield stays relatively consistent, it is a very stable investment for farmers.