Northern California Angora Guild

Saturday, April 01, 2017

If You Are Not Busy Enough With Your Angora ...

 
 
 
 
 
Get a Dog!

(Source: San Jose Mercury News)


 

Friday, March 31, 2017

Territorial Cats

 
 
 

Some screaming and howling in the back, what's going on?  
 

Two look alike cats are having their heated discussions.
 

This is my territory, go away!
 

This is my land, this land is mine!
 

He's gone, I am the winner.

 

Am I the loser?




 

Thursday, March 30, 2017

To Steel or Not To Steel

 


Steel E(s) is a more advanced subject in color genetics discussion because the appearance is not very obvious.   The best way to identify it is at the bunny stage.
 
 
These three bunnies all have black skin at birth.   The two on the right are fairly easy to distinguish one from the other.  
 The one on the right is chestnut agouti, A-B-C-D-E-, at birth, the back and the side are black but the tummy is pink and the inside of the ears is also pink.
The middle one is a black  aaB-C-D-E-, the entire body including the tummy and ears are all black at birth.    When the fur start to grow, the black stays black but the chestnut will show brown/tan mix with black all over the back and side while the tummy turns white or very light tan.  In addition, the eye cycles and half moon under the nose all become visible.
The one on the left look totally black at birth then then it'll show some brownish color underneath.  The tummy and the back are similar color.   It's an indication of the steel gene, --B-C-D-E(s)-   It could be a self steel, then aaB-C-D-E(s)- and it could be an agouti steel  A-B-C-D-E(s)-

The same three bunnies, from left to right are chestnut, black and steel.
 

The tummy of a steel looks about the same as the back.

 


A junior steel.
 

 

An adult steel mainly identified by the mask.  There should be tip colors to indicate steel but it's hard to see in a photo.

The order of dominance is steel E(s)-, extension E-, non-extension ee.

If you have fawn or tort, you can be sure there won't be any steel as ee is recessive to it.   Though extension E is also recessive to steel E(s), it's a lot harder to tell in wool breeds.

Since E(s) is dominant of E and ee, if your herd does not have steel, it won't "pop up".   Unless acquired via an outside animal, you are not going to get a steel.

The breed being used in the above illustration is French Angora.
 

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Scenes from the Ohio Show

 
 
 
Judge Pam looking at an English white senior doe.

This beautiful French Angora belongs to Emily; she won Four Class on Saturday, the day prior.
 

The Satin Angora exhibitors watching the judging.
 

This pointed white Satin Angora is the BOB winner.
 



Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Big Time Saroja Wins Four Class in Ohio

 
 
 
Beautiful English Angora Big Time Saroja sitting on the grooming table waiting to be judged on Sunday, March 26 in Ohio.
 

Saroja and her sister Cecilia are the BOV, competing for the BOB.



Saroja on the table competing for Four Class (Best Lightweight).
 
Judge Nita B. loves Saroja and awarded her the Four Class, owner/breeder Maureen gets to hold the cash award and the Four Class certificate.

 

 

Monday, March 27, 2017

King of Free Throw - In Memoriam



 


Dr. Tom Amberry and Chu's Emilia

In 2006, Betty was invited to appear in the game show "I've Got A Secret", see

http://englishangoraontv.blogspot.com/
(The video is at the end of the post)

and met the Guinness World Record holder of basketball free throw Dr. Tom Amberry, see:

http://ncag.blogspot.com/2006/04/king-of-free-throw-meets-queen-emilia.html

On internet today, I read the news that Dr. Tom Amberry has passed away at 94.   
https://www.yahoo.com/news/podiatrist-set-free-throws-world-record-dies-94-231558197.html
 
He was interesting and witty when I met him 11 years ago when he was in his 80s; he was already living in an assistant living facility but as active and vibrant as he could be.   RIP.  
 
 
 

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Hi, World! Here We Come!





We are itty bitty newborn babies, we have no fur, what you see are our skin colors.


We are only days old, just having some fur to cover our little bodies.


We have nice fur coverage now, and we enjoy sleeping with out tummies up.



Want to see more of our tummies?



We like to huddle together and we like our Angora wool blankies.


Hi, World, we are ready to explore you.
 

It's a big world out there, we are a little tired after all the adventure.
 

The best place is still our bed, it's getting a little crowded but it's our bed, we like it.