The Endocrine Control of Fibre Growth and Shedding in Cashmere Goats
March 1989
in “
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production
”
TLDR Hormones and daylight changes control when cashmere goats shed their hair.
The study discussed the endocrine control of fibre growth and shedding in cashmere goats, focusing on the two types of fibres in their coat: coarse guard hair and fine cashmere. It highlighted that the timing of the moult in these goats could be manipulated by changes in photoperiod or treatments with melatonin or prolactin. Similar hormonal influences on moulting were observed in other species, such as the Blue-fox and Djungarian hamster, where melatonin and prolactin played significant roles in regulating the shedding process.
