56 AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK NO. 3 09, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



11514-D 



FicrRE 27. — Angora rabbit. 



save labor. Castration of bucks 

 that are to be reserved for wool 

 production may reduce fighting in 

 the herd, but wool production is 

 not increased by castration. 



To prevent infestation with in- 

 ternal parasites and to keep wool 

 clean, install self-cleaning floors in 

 the pens. 



Wool should be harvested prior 

 to breeding to prevent mauling, 

 and soiling of the wool. 



Angoras are generally sheared 

 or plucked every 10 to 11 weeks 

 though some producers pluck their 

 animals monthly and some at in- 

 tervals beyond o months. 



Feed and care for Angoras in 

 the same way as for other breeds. 

 Because of their long wool, how- 

 ever, you must handle Angoras to 

 find out how much flesh thev are 



carrying; determine the amount of 

 flesh by running the hand along 

 the backbone. Reduce or increase 

 the quantity of feed to keep the 

 animals in condition, 



A properly constructed manger 

 for hay and green feed, or the use 

 of a hopper, protects the wool 

 from foreign matter and prevents 

 contamination of feed. 



Equipment for Groomins and 

 Shearing 



You will need the following equip- 

 ment for grooming and shearing: 



A tabled waist-high, with a 12- by 

 24-inch top covered with carpet or 

 a feed sack to keep the rabbit from 

 slipping, and equipped with cas- 

 tors to allow easy turning. A 



