Kathi, Jordan and Gabe Visit: Studying French Angora

We are going to study the French Angora.

Lipton on the table.

So much more guard hairs than the English Angora...

... and so much bigger and stronger!

Gabe shows Kathi and Jordan what the French Angora wool looks like under all these guard hairs.

Betty comments that it's so hard to groom the French Angora tummies, Gabe shows how to do it!  Lipton is under Gabe's control, has to accept the tummy blowing.

Looks good?

Gabe shows Kathi and Jordan how to do the finish touch after grooming.

 

A fun and successful day!

Kathi, Jordan and Gabe Visit: Studying White English Angora

 

On the two grooming tables are two 4-month-old white English Angora.   One buck and one doe.   Kathi and Jordan examine the two, Gabe helps to explain the wool structure.

More discussions.  Kathi is handling the buck and Jordan checks on the doe.

Jordan likes the little white buck.

Kathi compares the SOP with the two juniors.   Gabe decides to groom the doe's underside.

Gabe is so good at grooming French and Satin Angoras but hasn't grooming one for a few months now.   He is having some fun grooming the English Angora.

How does she look?  Didn't I do a good job.   Yes, Gabe, you still got it.

Kathi, Jordan and Gabe Visit: Studying Colored English Angora

   

Betty got guests!  Jordan, Kathi and Gabe come by to visit.

Betty and Gabe take two senior English Angora out for some checking.

Two littermate English Angora are on the table, one is a first coat and the other a second coat.  Can you tell them apart? 

Compare, compare, compare.

SOP in hand, Jordan and Kathi checks out the tort senior doe.

My hand feels silky and crimpy...

A mature junior buck is out for comparison to the senior coat. 

Doesn't it feel good?  Look at the soft junior guard hairs.

That's a nice junior, Gabe says.

 

RHDV Vaccination at Corralitos: Part 3 Veterinarian at Work

Rachel and Chris chatted while they are waiting for people to show up for the clinic.  They scheduled over 400 rabbits for the day.

Chris and her helper getting things organized and waiting for her veterinarian to arrive.

 

Doctor at work, one of Casey's Satin Angora on the table.

Needle in hand, injection starts.   Once injections started, the pace became fast, thus less photos taken.  Casey gives a detailed report:

"The young lady by Chris did all the check in. Very good helper. We loaded then she checked ear numbers.  Then the veterinarian did injection handed the rabbit to me to put away. The young lady handed her the next rabbit.  The veterinarian's system worked perfectly.  I was the slowest part. So I just put a rabbit in any cage.

24 holes in each table. The veterinarian finished my table then went on to next loaded table.  Carol loaded our table then the veterinarian came back to her.

Chris was loading syringes in little baskets for the veterinarian. Awesome.

Carol and I were early before the tables came. I loaded early so I was ready for the veterinarian when she came. She started on mine by 8:10. I was probably done in less than 30 minutes.    Everyone was very nice and friendly.  I told Chris how very much I appreciate all she did for us. I brought eggs. I told her how much of a relief it is to my heart because I am afraid I will bring something back from a show and hurt my rabbits." 

 As Casey and Carol were scheduled early in the morning, they left before the other breeders and their rabbits arrived.   It was a highly successful day with over 400 rabbits vaccinated.   Our greater San Francisco/San Jose/Sacramento area has been clean of the RHDV virus so far.  We would like to keep it this way.   Biosecurity and vaccination are the ways to go.

RHDV Vaccination Clinic at Corralitos - Part 2 Carol's Rabbits

Carol's rabbits are scheduled right after Casey's rabbits.   She arrived with her French Angora and American Fuzzy Lops.  

Carol unloading her 30 rabbits.

When Casey is loading the holding coops, Carol spreads out her carriers to get ready to load the table as soon as Casey's are done with the shots. 

Another look at Carol's rabbits in carriers.

Carol's Fuzzy Lops in the holding coops.

Carol finished loading her rabbits.

 

RHDV Vaccination at Corralitos: Part 1 Casey's Rabbits

This is view from the back of Casey's SUV.  Is it a show day?   Nope, it is not.

This is on the passenger side of Casey's SUV, all full.

This is behind the driver.   Where is Casey going?

 

Here they are, Casey's 26 Angoras, some English and some Satin, all made it to Corralitos for the RHDV vaccination clinic.   

These 26 Angoras were vaccinated in August 2020, just one day before the fire burned down Casey's barn.  These are the lucky one that were rescued.   It has been 10 months since the last vaccination.  With a chance of getting into the vaccination clinic, Casey took the opportunity to vaccinate them a bit earlier than the one-year effective time frame.

Casey is checking in, her rabbits are the first batch to be vaccinated.




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The holding coops are set up under the giant redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountain.   Casey starts to load her rabbits for the veterinarian to do injection.  

Casey's rabbits are all loaded, she is doing the final check with paper work.

Here is the vaccination clinic "boss", or the great facilitator for the clinic to happen.  Chris Zemny in cooperation with her veterinarian did the paper work and leg work to get the vaccine imported.     She provided the opportunity for fellow breeders to have access the vaccine at cost, she donated all her time and effort without any compensation. Chris also uses her equipment to set up a system for the rabbits to be vaccinated by the veterinarian efficiently.  The reward is to see rabbits protected and keep our area as safe as possible. 


  

Basic Color Genetics: Blue Cream and Lilac Cream

Cream is the dilute version of Fawn, it's characterized by "dd".

In the SOP, there are distinction between blue tort and lilac tort but no distinction between blue cream and lilac cream.   Actually these are symmetrical: the agouti version of blue tort is the blue cream and the agouti version of lilac tort is lilac cream.  

This photo is used in the ARBA Standard of Perfection (SOP) on page 49 of 2016 -2020 edition and on page 50 of 2020-2025 edition.    Her name is Chu's Zoey and she is a blue cream.   The color genes of the blue cream are: A-B-C-ddee.   Translate into: agouti pattern, black family, full color, dilute color, non-extension color.   Color of eyes: Gray.
Blue cream is the agouti version of blue tort aaB-C-ddee.
Blue cream is also the non-extension version of opal A-B-C-ddE-. 

 

The color genes of the chocolate cream are: A-bbC-ddee
Translation: agouti pattern, brown/chocolate family, full color, dilute color, non-extension color.
Color of eyes: Gray.
Lilac cream is the agouti version of lilac tort aabbC-ddee.
Lilac cream is the non-extension version of lynx A-bbC-ddE-.

I happened to be holding these two French Angora brothers that are blue cream and lilac cream.   I wish I had put them side by side for a photo op but it was not done.     This photo of holding them gives a pretty good comparison.   Can you tell which one is the blue cream and which is the lilac cream?