COMMERCIAL RABBIT RAISESTG 



57 



table equipped with straps or cords 

 for restraining the rabbit is ad- 

 vantageous. 



A hairbrush %nth single steel 

 bristles set in rubber, for brushing 

 and removing foreign material from 

 wool. 



A pair of barber's scissors or 

 electric clippers. 



A ruler for measuring the length 

 of wool. 



Containers for storing wool. 



Grooming. — Commercial woollers 

 require little, if sltij, grooming be- 

 tween shearings provided the}' are 

 properly cared for and sheared 

 every 10 to 12 weeks. If you allow 

 the coat to grow for a longer period, 

 the fibers may become webbed, 

 tangled, or matted. 



For grooming, place the rabbit 

 on the table. Part the wool down 

 the middle of the back. Brush one 

 side, stroking downward. As you 

 reach the end of the wool, brush 

 upward and outward to remove all 

 foreign material. Make another 

 part in the wool about half an inch 

 farther down the side. Repeat the 

 operation until the job is com- 

 pleted. Groom the other side the 

 same way. 



For grooming the head, front 

 legs, and belly place the rabbit on 

 its back in your lap. Hold its 

 hindquarters gently but firmly be- 

 tween the knees. Separate small 

 areas of wool and groom the way 

 you did the sides. 



For grooming the hind legs, 

 place the rabbit on its back in your 

 lap. Hold the head and front feet 

 under the left arm. Use the left 

 hand to hold the rabbit's hind 

 legs. 



Shearing. — Before shearing, cut 

 off all stained ends of wool. Place 

 the back of the scissors against the 

 rabbit's body to prevent cutting 

 the skin. Begin at the rump and 

 shear a strip about an inch wide to 

 the neck. Repeat this operation 

 until you have removed all the wool 



from one side. Turn the rabbit 

 around and repeat the shearing 

 operation on the other side, starting 

 at the neck and shearing toward the 

 rump. For shearing the head, 

 front legs, belly, and hind legs, 

 restrain the rabbit as for grooming. 

 Separate small areas of wool and 

 shear the way you did the sides. 

 Do not injure the doe's teats. Do 

 not shear wool from the belly of a 

 pregnant doe. After shearing, 

 lightly brush the rabbit to 

 straighten out the wool fibers and 

 prevent the formation of mats. 



During cold weather, newly 

 sheared rabbits need protection. 

 A nest box in the hutch affords ade- 

 quate protection during cool spells. 

 ^Yhen the temperature is as low as 

 30° to 40° F., keep the animals in 

 a building where you can maintain 

 comfortable temperatures. In mu- 

 ter, leave a half inch of wool on the 

 body for protection. 



GradinS/ Preparing, and 

 Marketing Wool 



Label a container for each grade 

 of wool and place it near the shear- 

 ing table. Grade the wool as 

 sheared. Following are the usual 

 commercial grades: 



Plucked wool : 



Super Scinches or longer 



No. 1 3 inches or longer 



No. 2 2 inches or longer 



Sheared wool : 



No. 1 214 to 3 inches 



No. 2 1% to 2 inches 



No. 3 1 to 1% inches 



Shorts % to % inches 



(may be slightly 

 webbed ) 



No. 4 Matted 



No. 5 Stained and unclean 



While the above have been 

 the usual accepted commercial 

 grades for Angora rabbit wool, 

 some grading systems have been 

 simplified to the extent that only 

 three grades ai-e considered: No. 



