Local business people received an informative, and sometimes amusing, account of the workings of Guyra’s Angora City Rabbits at this months New England Credit Union Business Breakfast. Dorothy Vickery was the guest speaker and gave an overview of her time there from the early days of quarantine restrictions to the present day.

Angora City rabbits was established 7 years ago on the site on the old abattoirs with angora rabbits being imported from France. The beginnings were fraught with frustrations due to restrictive quarantine arrangements imposed by the government. After 3 months of quarantine and 12 months of quarantine surveillance they were given the all clear.

There are currently 600 rabbits on site which are shorn every 90 days and each rabbit will yield about 3kg of fleece a year. And apparently they breed like rabbits, having anywhere from 1 to 15 babies at a time!

As with any intensive animal production, disease can be a problem and any animal that dies is autopsied to find out the cause. Rabbits also need to be handled with care to avoid broken bones.

Angora is a very light, soft and warm luxury fibre, ranging in micron from 9-13 micron and is mostly exported for processing into top of the range suiting and thermal clothing. Currently employing four people, this small industry continues to quietly go about producing a unique product from the Guyra district.