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The aim of this study was to compare the quality characteristics and mineral content of the fiber from male and female cashmere goats raised under different management systems. Male and female Raeini cashmere goats (<1.5 years of age, n = 48) were selected from flocks raised at a government breeding station or raised commercially under either rural or nomadic conditions. The staple length, cashmere fiber diameter, coefficient of variation for fiber diameter, percentage of cashmere in a fleece, percentage of guard hair in a fleece and cashmere tenacity averaged 4.6 ±0.1 cm, 18.0 ±0.1 μm, 20.9 ± 0.4%, 66.1 ± 1.5%, 33.8 ± 1.5% and 1.8 ± 0.2 gf/tex, respectively. The sulfur, copper and zinc content of the cashmere averaged 2.8 ± 0.1%, 0.00065 ± 0.00002% and 0.01276 ± 0.00025%, respectively. Rearing method significantly affected staple length, coefficient of variation of fiber diameter, cashmere tenacity and copper content. Males had a higher coefficient of variation of fiber diameter and cashmere tenacity than females (P < 0.05).

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This research conducted to determine which minerals might be deficient or excess in Iranian Sistani cattle diet based on mostly-grazed plant species. In late spring season of Sistan basin (located in southwestern Iran), four sites including Saberi, Lorg-Bagh, Kuh-Khaje and Zahak were selected and six major forage species consumed by Sistani cows including Phragmites australis, Bolboschoenus glaucus, Aeluropus lagopoides, Tamarix spp, Cyperus longus and Setaria sp were sampled and analyzed for minerals. Average macro-mineral concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chorine, sulfur and micro-minerals of iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt and selenium were 17.37, 0.78, 6.85, 15.40, 3.13, 14.22, 9.49 g/kg and 820.2, 20.0, 72.8, 93.2, 0.43, 0.21 and 0.18 mg/kg for sampling sites and 12.14, 0.77, 6.35, 17.85, 3.59, 14.40, 5.01 g/kg and 1106.0, 18.5, 64.8, 122.4, 0.32, 0.19, and 0.16 mg/kg for forage species, respectively. Comparison of the plant minerals with Sistani cattle mineral requirements showed that Sistani cattle grazing natural indigenous forages was exposed to phosphorus deficiency and iron excess.