Characteristics of Angora rabbit fibre 1 - the influence of fibre origin on fibre and medulla diameter in angora wool

• Autores: S. Herrmann, G. Wortmann, F.J. Wortmann
• Localización: World Rabbit Science, ISSN-e 1989-8886, ISSN 1257-5011, Vol. 4, Nº. 3, 1996, págs. 149-153
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The quality of Angora rabbit fibre is known to vary between the countries in which it is produced. A study was made to quantify various parameters of angora fibre quality, including fibre and medulla diameter, and the proportion of medullated fibres, in samples of angora wool obtained from Germany, France and China. The mean fibre diameter of the French angora fleeces (19.8 µm) is significantly higher than in German (12.8 µm) which is related to the higher proportion of coarser hairs in the pelage of French Angora rabbits. French Angora rabbits have a characteristic fleece structure. The down fibres (mean fibre diameter: 14.1 µm) are coarser than in German (12.4 µm) and Chinese (11.8 µm) wool and the degree of medullation in awns and bristles is lower compared to the German and Chinese samples. The characteristics of the German and Chinese Angora coats appear to be very similar. The highest proportion of medullated fibres is observed in the French angora wool (99.9 %). Values of 90.5 % and 96.8 % in the German and Chinese samples are obtained, respectively. The samples of Chinese angora fibre are found to have the highest medulla content (down: 39.2 %; awn: 52.2 %; bristle: 71.9 %). The French angora, in contras!, has a comparatively low medulla content (down: 36.7 %; awn: 29.7 %; bristle: 36.6 %). The medulla content of awns and bristles for German fibres are intermediate to the values obtained from the other samples; the medulla content in the down fibres is relatively low (down: 33.4 %; awn: 41.4 %; bristle: 52.5 %).