Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Long fibers that have been hand-plucked contain the full fiber length end-to-end and are often
sold at a premium price to spinners because they are easier to spin. Shorter fibers or fibers from
the breeds that need to be sheared are easier to harvest via shearing, but bring a cheaper price
sold to spinners. Angora wool produces a very warm and insulating yarn, and is sometimes mixed
with wool from sheep or alpaca to make it easier to spin and knit with. On average, one shearing
produces enough fiber for a scarf.
Over the Garden Fence
Rabbits raised for fiber need regular grooming and maintenance. A thorough brushing at least twice a
week will help prevent mats, tangles, and wool block. Clip nails once or twice a month, as needed.
English Angora.
Considered one of the cutest types of Angora Rabbits, the English Angora has
long, thick fur that almost covers their face and ears. They have very silky, soft, and fine white
wool, which is sometimes considered one of the best colors. The English Angora also comes in a
range of other magnificent colors, but colored wool is more difficult to dye. This breed of rabbit
has a mature weight between 5 to 7
1
⁄
2
pounds. The longer facial fibers means that you'll need to
stay on top of regular maintenance routines.
French Angora.
Weighing 8 to 10 pounds at maturity, French Angora rabbits have no wool on
their face, ears, head, and feet. This is known as a clean face because the fur is a normal length.
This is the easiest type of rabbit to care for due to its wool's higher proportion of guard hair to
under wool. The fiber qualities are excellent, making it easy to spin and giving the wool a nice
fuzzy bloom.
German Angora.
With the large amount of wool fibers this type of breed can produce, it makes
them popular among handspinners. German Angoras aren't a recognized breed in the United
States, but they are popular for fiber growth. German Angora has a mature weight between 9 and
12 pounds.
Giant Angora.
The largest of the Angora breeds is the Giant Angora, which has been used com-
mercially because of its large size and excellent wool production. They look similar to the German
Angora but have a mature weight of nearly 20 pounds. This breed has three fiber texture kinds and
the most dominant is the under wool, which is very dense and must be sheared.
Satin Angora.
The mature weight of the Satin Angora is 8 pounds. Satin Angora types have shiny
wool fibers but don't have wool on their head, face, ears, and front feet. Their wool feels much
lighter compared with other breeds and has a high-gloss sheen. The grooming routines have to be
maintained on a regular basis.
