What are the precautions for plucking wool from Angora rabbits?
The main economic value of Angora rabbits lies in their wool, and the collection of rabbit wool generally uses shearing or plucking, but shearing leaves the hair uneven and easily affects the quality of the long wool, so plucking is generally chosen. Plucking can stimulate the rabbit's skin, increase wool yield, and improve wool quality, but improper operation often endangers the lives of Angora rabbits. So what should be noted when plucking wool from Angora rabbits? Let's take a look together with Qinnong.net.
1. Three kinds of rabbits should not be plucked
When plucking wool from Angora rabbits, note the three that should not be plucked, namely young rabbits, pregnant and nursing does, and bucks being used for breeding. This is because young rabbits have delicate skin, and plucking at this time can very easily cause skin tears, putting their lives at risk; plucking pregnant and nursing does can cause pregnant does to miscarry or have stillbirths, while nursing does will experience a drop in milk production; plucking bucks used for breeding can affect semen quality, making breeding difficult or unsuccessful.
2. Plucking time
When choosing when to pluck, pay attention to the time; do not pluck in hot weather. After plucking, Angora rabbits are more sensitive to the environment, and if it is hot weather at this time, it is extremely unfavorable, so when plucking in summer, choose early morning or nighttime, and preferably also a rainy day. In addition, when plucking in winter, do it in sunlight and in an environment with sufficient light. When plucking in winter, pluck the long hairs and leave the short ones, to prevent removing all the wool, which would leave the rabbit with almost no cold resistance and cause it to freeze to death.
3. Treat wounds promptly
When plucking wool from Angora rabbits, improper operation may cause skin tears, and the wounds should be treated promptly. Iodine tincture or gentian violet can be applied to the wounds to prevent bacteria from invading and causing disease infection. In addition, if the wound worsens, use medication promptly for treatment.
4. Strengthen nutrition
After Angora rabbits are plucked, regrowth of the wool consumes a large amount of nutrients. If nutrition is insufficient at this time, the wool will not only grow slowly but also be of poor quality and lack luster. Therefore, before and after plucking, maintain sufficient nutrition and increase the content of protein, minerals, and other trace elements, so that they grow wool quickly and economic returns increase.
5. Pay attention to environmental hygiene
After Angora rabbits are plucked, the body's functions focus on wool regrowth, and at this time resistance and immunity decline. If the hygiene of the breeding environment is poor at this time, it is very easy for bacteria and microorganisms to invade, causing disease infection and, in severe cases, death. Therefore, after plucking, strengthen environmental hygiene, regularly replace the bedding straw, keep the hutch clean, hygienic, and dry, and disinfect regularly to prevent the breeding of bacteria and microorganisms. When plucking, try to wear disinfected gloves; even if using hands directly, they must be disinfected, and other disinfection tools should also be prepared.
The above are the precautions for plucking wool from Angora rabbits brought to you by Qinnong.net. When plucking wool from Angora rabbits, be sure to pay attention to the method, use gentle movements, and pluck in small tufts. Do not pull forcefully or pluck too much. To learn more, please stay tuned to Qinnong.net.