GERMAN
ANGORAS
Senior Doe size 5 to 11 lbs
Senior Buck size 5-11 lbs
Recognized Colors: REW ( Ruby eyed white)and Black. The IAGARB is starting to except other colors
The German Angora rabbit is a rabbit that has been developed mainly for wool production.
Their body shape resembles a loaf of bread. They are bred this way because drastic rises and valleys are difficult to shear. These rabbits are sheared usually every 90 days and not plucked.
The German Angora rabbits do not molt in large patched but slowly shed through out the growing period. They have a synchronized coat. That is where one coat is growing in at a time. That is why these rabbits need to be sheared and not plucked.
Their fiber is very dense and the fiber is much heavier then most other Angora breeds. Like the Giant Angora they also have three types of fiber, Under wool , Awn Fluff and Guard hair.
A good quality German angora
will produce on an average of 6-8 ounces of fiber each shearing. There
are some award winning Germans that are now producing 12 -16 ounces a
shearing.
A true German Angora is one that is a descendant of one of the few German imports brought over to Canada and the United States or direct import from Germany.
Hybrid Angoras
Senior Does Size 5-12 lbs
Senior Bucks Size 5-12lbs
Recognized Colors: These rabbits are not recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association or the International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders so just about any color will do.
A hybrid Angora is a rabbit that has been bred with one of the other breeds of Angoras. Many breeders will do this to develop a certain quality in a rabbit.
Some will cross the French Angora for its large variety of color. The English for the softness, and the Satin for the sheen.
I only like to cross the German and the Giant Angoras because they are similar in Coat. I do not want to cross a non -synchronized coat with a synchronized coat. That way it will help to eliminate the appearance of short cuts in my harvested fiber.
Now I do have a few rabbits that have French Angora in their back ground. These rabbits do produce very nice fiber but for the ones that inherited the non- synchronized coats I make sure that I grow their coats out to at least 3 1/2 to 4 inches long so that the second coat growing in will ,when sheared off be longer then 2 1/2 inches. This will help to reduce any shedding once it is spun into yarn.
I enjoy the German/Giant hybrids because you can get the best of both worlds. I love the personalities of the gentle Giants and the density of the Germans. I also found that I can get a longer fiber from the Giant and lovely crimp from the Germans. You will get a variety in the body shape though. Some will have the loaf of bread shape and some will have the larger hindquarter with a slight taper from the shoulders to the rump like the Giants.
I do have to say these
guys are some of my
favorites
Shhhhhhhh Don't tell the others
GIANT ANGORA
Senior Doe Size-
10lb and over
Senior Buck
9 1/2 lbs and over
Recognized colors: 1 ruby eyed white. but there are breeders working on black.
This
breed is relatively new and was developed to be an all around breed,
meaning good for exhibition , wool production and full bodied for meat.
Along with the German Angoras the Giant also have three different types of fiber.
Under wool-
The underwool is prodominant over the other two fibers. It has a medium
fin, soft texture with a gentle shine and is delicately waved
Awn Fluff-
This fiber is stronger and has more wave than the under wool and has
the same flat tip to the hair shaft as the guard hair. Awn Fluff is
found between the Underwool and Awn Hair ( Guard Hair) and is to be
longer than the Underwool
Awn Hair- ( Guard Hair)
The Awn hair is a strong straight hair that is to be present and event.
It will also have a flat tip which will allow the ends to slip out and
create a halo when spun.
The Giant Angora is usually sheared rather than plucked because they are a synchronized coat.
The original Giants developed by crossing with the German Angora , French lop , Flemish Giant
The Giant Angoras have a
gentle personality and at
times could be mistaken
for the Easter bunny.
ENGLISH ANGORAS
Senior Does Size 5-7 1/2 lbs
Senior Bucks Size 5-7 lbs
Recognized Colors - 28
The
English is one of the most popular breed because of its fluffy ears and
face. They are smaller in size compared to the other Angora breeds and
have a charming personality.
The body is compact / cobby with a good uniform coat of wool giving the appearance of a round ball of fluff.
The legs and feet and tail are all covered with wool to the extreme ends.
The wool is soft due to its fine diameter and should have a silky feeling to it.
The
English Angora does have a lower percentage of guard hair then the
other breeds. This will require more grooming and coat management.
When plucked the re-growth of guard hairs will become significantly heavier.
When plucking the coat it will come off in small amounts at a time
because on most rabbits their coats grow in sections over the body. They
have a non- synchronized coat and produce at least two layer of fiber growth.
I like to shear my English to maintain the softness of each coat.
On an average you can get about 2-4 ounces a shearing.
I shear the English about every 4 - 5 months.
We are no longer
competitively showing our
English.
Pheeeeew !!! It is nice to
not have to maintain that
show coat anymore.
Grow it out, Cut it off
Spin it up
FRENCH ANGORAS
Senior Does Size
7 1/2-10-1/2
Senior Buck Size
7 1/2- 10 1/2
Recognized colors- 30
The French Angora is a medium to large sized rabbit and is classified as a " Commercial" type body.
Their fiber is one of the courses of all the Angoras with the most guard hairs to under wool ratio. One advantage is that it mats and felts less.
The
French Angora are the easiest of all the angoras to maintain because
they have normal fur on their face and feet. These are the areas that
will mat and felt the most on the other breeds.
They
have a non- synchronized coat and is often plucked. I will also shear
these rabbits because I want to maintain the softness of the coat.
Because
of the higher percentage of guard hairs these coats will produce a yarn
where more of the tips of the fiber will slip out from the spinning
and give its' halo a more fur like appearance.
The
colors on the French Angora will be generally more intense than on the
English due to the greater amount of guard hairs and the coarser coat.
On an average you can get about 3-4 ounces a shearing.
Now
remember when we
are talking course you have
to keep in mind that this is
still
an Angora rabbit and
your micron count is
ranging in the 8-10 count .
Very Fine
SATIN ANGORA
Senior Doe Size
6 1/2 to 9lbs
Senior Bucks Size
61/2 to 9lbs
Recognized Colors: 31
The Satin Angora is a distinct and separate breed that is a sport or mutation of the normal furred Satin rabbit breed.
The head and feet have short normal fur but display the satin sheen.
The Satin Angora has it's own unique wool that is finer than the wool of other Angora breeds. They are one of the rabbits higher to maintain due to their very fine coats. They can mat very easy.
The
surface and shape of the cuticle scales covering the Satin Angora coat
fibers are more reflective than that of other varieties and the wool
glistens with a fine luster of bright color.
The Satin fiber is one of the finer of the Angora fibers but it is also the strongest.
The
Satin Angora is one to be treasured because there are so few in the
United States and they do not produce the volume of fiber that the other
breeds can.
Just a little heads up on these guys. They have a stronger personality and are a little harder to handle.
Once you understand their temperament and the level of their kick, they are a delight and beauty to raise.
Their fiber is exquisite and usually demands a high price.
The average Satin will produce about 1-2 ounces a shearing.
