While journeying toward Achaleshwar Mahadev temple we saw the display board of Angora Rabbit Farm on the left-hand side. We decided to visit on the way back and had a meeting with Jitendra Saxena – the owner of Angora Rabbit Farm (cooperative society). Upon the query, he enhanced over knowledge about rabbits and their fur products.

Angora Rabbit is a German breed brought from Germany to Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh has the very first unit and in 2007 the unit was started in Oriya, Rajasthan. There is more unit in Uttarakhand.

Angora Rabbit Farm was started with five German Angora Rabbits purchased from Himachal Pradesh. Currently, Angor Rabbit Farm is having 175 rabbits, and they all are for fur purposes not for meat.

Rabbits can survive up to 35 degrees temperature. If more temperature they may start bleeding from the nose. German breeds can survive in the minus degrees also.

The age of rabbits is a maximum of seven years. Every alternate month they can go for breeding and the maximum number of baby rabbits produced by a rabbit is 11 at least I have seen – said Jitendra.

The birth cycle of rabbits is a maximum of 40 days.

They eat green grass and ready-made food is available.

Every three months fur is clipped and thread is made and used at hand-loom. Each Rabbit during one clipping provides 250-300 gm of fur. After removing waste it is up to 225-250 gm. As the process of making thread is costly fur is packed into bags and sent to Himachal Pradesh in Govt. unit and after the process, the thread is sent back in half or one kg spindle. And then it is used with handloom for products.

We made shawls, stoles, and mufflers. A plain shawl can be made in four hours. Three plain shawls can be made in a day. The plain shawl cost Rs. 2400/-. The design shawl is Rs. 7000-8000.

The natural color of the fur is white but organic dye is also used to color fur.

If you compare the wool, it is 7-8 times warmer than the normal wool.

There is one black and grey rabbit that we are thinking of for black fiber which is not available anywhere. It is an Australian breed and we mix it with the German Angora breed to make natural black fur.

We sell products here or at an exhibition organized by NABARD. Though there is nowadays power-loom but demand is still for Hand-loom. We have currently 7-8 employees and from time to time training session goes on.

Fantastic information was shared. Thanks to Jitendra ji. Thanks a lot. Knowledge enhanced about rabbits and their fur products.