Effect of shearing intervals on the growth and wool parameters of German Angora rabbits

Abstract

An experiment was undertaken on 138 German Angora weaners divided into 3 equal groups of 46 each, kept individually in standard size iron cages and provided similar housing and management. After first shearing at the age of 50 days; rabbits of the group 1,2 and 3 were sheared at 65, 70 and 75 days interval, respectively, from second to seventh shearing. Parameters recorded were body weight after shearing (kg), wool yield (gm), staple length (em), fiber diameter (/Lm), medullation (%) and guard hairs (~%). In each group, significant gain in the body weight was observed from second to seventh clip; however, between groups this gain was significant (P<0.05) from second to fourth shearing. At seventh shearing body weights in all groups were same. Overall pooled body weights for each group had a non-significant increase with decrease in the shearing interval from 75 to 65 days. For wool yield no definite trend was recorded, however, the correlation between the body weight and wool yield for different groups was highly positive. Average pooled wool yield for group 3 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the group 1 and 2, and was numerically more in group 2 than group 1. However, the wool yields per clip in the group 1 and 2 were obtained at the lesser age of rabbits than group 3. The staple length decreased significantly with decrease in the shearing interval. The pooled staple length at 70 days shearing interval was more than 5 ems (first class wool) as desired for the spinning of yarn. Decrease in the shearing interval made fibers finer; but had no effect on the medullation and guard hairs. Thus, it was concluded that the shearing at 70 days interval is practically more profitable and could be implemented under Indian conditions for better wool production.