Animal welfare and livestock keeping
We pay Kyrgyz farmers a fair price for sustainable pasture management that goes hand in hand with animal welfare. Through our long-term commitment we support them directly in their traditional way of life and their extensive form of livestock keeping.
For much of Kyrgyzstan’s rural population, which makes up two thirds of the country, farming and livestock are the main source of income. Goats are often kept in mixed herds alongside sheep, cattle, yaks and horses, which supports a balanced and ecologically sustainable use of the pastures.
In other cashmere regions of the world – such as Inner Mongolia in China or Khövsgöl Province in Mongolia – which have specialised entirely in cashmere production, goat numbers have grown so sharply in recent years and livestock keeping has intensified so far that the fragile dry pastures are being overused.
Large goat populations are problematic in terms of overgrazing, because they graze pastures far more intensively than other livestock such as sheep, cattle, horses and camels. As goats are less selective in what they eat, they also feed on the roots of grasses, which then cannot regrow. Ultimately such overgrazing leads to increased soil degradation, for instance through erosion, to steppification and finally to desertification.
With our cashmere yarn, species-appropriate animal husbandry and gentle pasture management go hand in hand. Always with one goal: that the people behind this beautiful natural product can continue to live in harmony with their animals and preserve this breathtaking landscape.