ANGORA RABBITS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5383, 4 February 1929, Page 4

ANGORA RABBITS.

UOLONY AT OKAUIA. It is only since last July that Angora rabbits have been allowed to be imported to New Zealand. The Government placed earful Safeguards on their impOjr.tation and farming in order to prevent any possibility of the rabbits becoming a pest. Among the third 1 shipment to reach Auckland were five Angora rabbits which werej consigned to Mr T. C. Fogerty, of Okauia. They are pure snow white with pink eyes, and their woiql is beautifully fine, soft, and silky, if allowed to grow the woeil. reaches a length, of eight or, ten inches, but it. is shorn every three months, when it is about three inches long. The wool from rabbit at the; present time will fetch from t.wenty tpi thirty 'shillt is used in the manufacturing of ladies’ and children’s underwear, gloves, jumpers, and linings for aeroplane coats.

Three grades o£ thq yarn .ar, e manu-( factured: 'Pure Angora wool, called “Furida,” Angora wool and artificial silk known as “Layette,” and an embroidery twist in Angora wool and artificial silk known as “Angpreen.” One English factory uses five hundred pounds of rabbit wool every week, which requires the production bf about 35,0*00 rabbits. There are many, rabbit fartn's in Engjand, and some are run by wpimen. One; English lady, Rachel Byng, keeps Angora rabbits in hutches, in ain Old stable, and buys all the food necessary at an aver,age cost of l%di per week for each rabbit. Another lady has established a large rabbitry of 1000 rabbits ‘near Windsor,, whejre apprentices are taught Angjora wool farming. From Lady Byng’s strain of. Angoras; are descended the rabbits now in Okauia.

To, hhear the animals they are placed on a 'high stool, the wool, is divided down the back and cut down thq sides in the same fashion as when a sheep is shorn. Round-nosed scissors are used. The wood may be sent direct to England, or to Auckland agents, with very little trouble, as it is easjly packed) into small packages. START OF NEW INDUSTRY. One ton of Angora wool, at the; present market price, is worth over £4OOO. It is expected that the industry will develop rapidly in New Zear land because of the genial Every month consignments are arriving from England and are being, distributed throughout the Dominion. Angora rabbits will eat almost anything that grows on farm, garden, or waste ground, and even house scraps, so that it is no trouble; to feed them, and they are always hutched. They breed very rapidly, having four litters a year. At the time of writing one of the Okauia Angoras has had a Utter of. nine ; another has littered, but the number has not yet been ascertained.