Plucked vs. Cut Angoras; Why?

Reading elsewhere on the Web about Angoras--breeds, care, grooming, whatever I can find--it seems that most current English Angoras have been bred to not release their coats but rather to require "shearing," whether that be with actual clippers or with scissors. Either method of removing the coat would seem to yield both long and short fiber, not what a fiber-seeker is looking for. (However, the only case I've found of shearing with clippers is the incredible New Zealand video where the rabbit lies in a sort of trough on a table with its feet restrained, completely inert, while a woman very professionally runs clippers over its body.)

French Angoras, OTOH, still seem to have the traditional 3-month natural release of the coat so that they're plucked and the full-length fiber is ready to let go, or has already let go and simply needs to be removed. (Like packed coat on a long-haired dog.)

I haven't been able to find particulars on Giants or Satins; does anyone know their coat requirements--pluck, cut, or either/both?

Since "pluck" was the original (i.e., natural) coat condition, why was "cut only" developed? I've read one breeder's website (Betty Chu) but find it difficult to understand how an Angora rabbit would be comfortable with those extra months of growth, even if the owner was conscientious about brushing/combing every week or even every day. Wow. Almost no houses where I live have air conditioning; maybe this is another factor? :?: What would be the advantage of a "cut-only" English Angora in my non-A/C house, either to me or to the bunny?

Input/feedback sought on this and related points; thank you! You need not touch on fiber quality and rabbit care and breeding and everything; any help will be...helpful.

My understanding is the cut-only grows more coat and thus has an advantage in a rabbit show. Plus since they don't molt their whole coat like other Angoras, you don't have to miss a show due to a rabbit going through an ugly molt.

So if you wanted to show an Angora, hard to beat a shear-only!!!

For woolers, I would personally rather have one that is plucked. Personal preference though.

English and Germans are generally shear only. This is mostly a show invention the longer the wool the more glorious. However, the longer wool is also more prized with spinners--think of the sheep breeds like BFL that have longer staple lengths. You have to know how and when to cut it, to avoid second cuts. And sometimes plucking irritates the follicles and the coat grows back in with less density.

I don't have AC either, but you've got to breed at the right time to have that coat ready for shows. Generally it's a one time deal, the first coat is the show coat, and after that, the bun is clipped and it's never grown that long again. They are bred, an if retired, become woolers. and if it's too hot EA breeders don't go to the shows.

Also, some FA's don't molt. Mines don't. I clipped the jr coat in May, and the new coat will stay on until I am sure I am not attending Convention, or after Convention, or maybe even until the end of the show season in December. He sheds a few pieces here and there, but I'd be hard presses to get that entire coat off by plucking, it would take many weeks (tried it before on REW woolers).

English and giants are non-molting breeds, however some giants do molt. Louise Walsh created the giants in the 80's and she says they are supposed to molt. Mine do not.

Some english lines do, mine do not. The problem with non-molting english is when a rabbit doesn't ever molt, it's always the same old hair. The color fades out and by the time they are 2 years old, the colored animals have white coats. The color only returns if they shed and start over with new growth. That is how the satins and french stay so colored as they get older.

This is an inherent problem in the colored giants. Janet Gruber has the COD for the blacks and she is having trouble with the seniors holding color. IF they don't molt, they don't stay black. If they are going to be passed for showing, they need to hold their color.

From the other aspect, plucked wool is better for spinning as it doesn't have a sharp, cut end.

Now that explains why that English coat is a one shot and the breeding has the be timed perfectly. I guess too long holding that coat and the bun looks washed out?

Washed out is ok to a point. Alot of english show people hold them in coat until they are about a year old. then shear them and they are done. There is only so much color in the hair shaft and it fades as the hair gets longer. A true non-molting english never starts over so the color never returns.

Wow. So I should probably say my French are not quite non molting, but they hold that coat much longer than 90 days, because if they were true non molting rabbits, then the wool would never be it's original color again.

Actually, there are still quality lines of EAs that do molt ... mine do and I wouldn't have a non-molter for nothing!

Also, according to the SOP for English Angoras: "The animal is to be assessed on wool quality only." Meaning that length is not to be a factor except as stated further: "Length - Points 12: Length of wool is to be balanced over the entire body. Gradually blended length variation from the back and sides to the belly is permissible. Ideal length is 3-1/2 to 5 inches. Wool exceeding 5 inches in length is NOT to be given any advantage. Wool should not be so long as to spoil the English type appearance of a round ball of fluff. Evenness of growth of wool is desired - remembering that a gradual decrease in length will appear when looking at the underside of the animal."

FYI: Density = 25 possible points, Texture = 20 possible points.

There are pros and cons to either coat. As a spinner, the plucked wool is much better for spinning. No second cuts when you pluck! No short ends, no sharp ends, it's just a little nicer end product when the fiber is plucked. However, plucking takes a LOT longer and the end product isn't THAT much nicer so a lot of the bunnies around here get sheared. A bunny can be sheared in about twenty minutes whereas plucking would take hours. The coat does seem to come in denser when they are sheared, too. Usually, though, I'll do a little of both. The best wool will be plucked and kept separate for hand spinning 100% angora yarn. Then the rest of the bunny is sheared with clippers and then tidied up with scissors/embroidery snips.

I generally shear in the summer and the winter wool is definitely more dense when it grows in ... myself, I am not that concerned about cut ends vs plucked ends, but it does make a difference in the asking price 2 hours or more (mostly more LOL) to pluck vs an hour more or less to shear ... but it is quality time and the buns love it!