Key Points of High-Yield Feeding Techniques for Increased Wool Production in Angora Rabbits in Winter

Techniques for increasing wool production in Angora rabbits are an important part of the rabbit farming industry. This is especially important in the severe cold of winter. Drawing on the practical experience of rabbit farmers in various regions, the winter wool-increasing techniques for Angora rabbits are briefly introduced as follows:
    I. Scientific feeding.
    Angora rabbits are somewhat selective about feed. For example, they prefer leafy feed and sweet-tasting feed, and are especially fond of carrots and sulfur-containing feed. Where conditions permit, adding a small amount of sugar, earthworm powder, or vegetable oil to the daily ration can further improve palatability. Sulfur-containing amino acids such as methionine and cystine can also be added to the feed. In addition, feeding more vitamin A-rich green fodder, such as Chinese milk vetch, carrots, and grasses of the Gramineae family, ensures the nutrients needed for rabbit wool growth and promotes wool production.
    Adding zinc sulfate to the feed can also promote greater wool production in rabbits. According to relevant data, rabbit wool contains 4.2% sulfur, which is much higher than the sulfur content of ordinary protein. It can be seen that feeding ordinary feed alone is far from sufficient to meet the sulfur requirements of Angora rabbits for wool growth. Adding zinc sulfate can not only alleviate this contradiction, but the trace element zinc in zinc sulfate can also directly participate in the synthesis of growth hormones in plants and animals, thereby promoting growth.
    II. Medicated baths to promote growth.
⟧    Medicated baths can accelerate rabbit wool growth, increase wool yield by more than 20%, and make the rabbit wool white and lustrous, loose and not easily matted. At the same time, they can prevent and control the occurrence of sarcoptic mange and reduce other skin diseases.
    Preparation method of the medicated bath solution:
    Use 150-200 g of trichlorfon powder, add to 50 kg of water to prepare a 0.3%-0.5% trichlorfon solution, then add 150 g of sulfur powder, stir until evenly dissolved, and use for bathing. Alternatively, use 100 g each of hibiscus bark and sophora root, add 2.5 kg of water, decoct, strain the liquid and discard the residue, then add 100 g of sulfur powder and 5 kg of boiling water, stir well, and use for bathing after it cools to warm. This amount is sufficient for bathing 20 Angora rabbits. Bathing method: within 10 days after shearing, choose warm
    III. Raise more female rabbits.
    Female rabbits of the same breed produce about 30% more wool than male rabbits, and the wool quality is better than that of males. Therefore, when breeding young rabbits, separate or remove the male rabbits within 10 days so that the young female rabbits can eat their fill, which helps them develop quickly and have fewer diseases.
    IV. Reasonable wool harvesting.
    The methods and techniques of wool harvesting are directly related to the yield and quality of rabbit wool. Wool harvesting techniques should be mastered proficiently to benefit the health of Angora rabbits, promote wool growth, and improve the yield and quality of rabbit wool.
    V. Post-harvest management.
    1. Adding an appropriate amount of mineral trace element additives such as copper and zinc to the feed can promote epidermal cell growth and also increase the crimp, toughness, and elasticity of rabbit wool.
    2. After shearing, use old ginger slices dipped in 60-degree baijiu to wipe the rabbit's whole body, but do not wipe the mouth, nose, or eyes. In this way, after 5 days the rabbit's body will be covered with fine wool, and it will be relatively neat.
    3. Each rabbit can be fed an additional 5-6 g of fresh chives, along with soaked soybeans (soy) at 7-8 grains per rabbit per day, which can make the rabbit wool grow faster, increase the coat, and give the wool a glossy color.
    4. Comb the wool with a comb about once every three days to promote skin blood circulation and hair follicle cell vitality, stimulate the skin layer and accelerate metabolism, speed up rabbit wool growth, and help improve wool quality.
    5. Appropriately increasing the rabbit's light exposure time can also improve the yield and quality of rabbit wool.
    6. After shearing, inject 250 mL of vitamin B into the rump muscle, which has a clear wool-promoting effect and generally allows shearing about 10 days earlier.