The Effects of Melatonin Treatment on Wool Production and Hair Follicle Cycle in Angora Rabbits

In the 2001 study involving 106 German angora rabbits, melatonin treatment was found to significantly increase wool production and improve fibre quality. Rabbits treated with 36 mg of melatonin either before or after the summer solstice showed a 17.7% increase in total wool production, a 14.1% increase in the weight of first-grade wool, a 5.6% increase in fibre length, and a 17.3% increase in daily wool production. Additionally, melatonin led to a 14.6% increase in wool production per kilogram of live weight, a significant increase in feed consumption and body weight in the initial weeks post-treatment, and a 32% increase in the number of active hair follicles. The treatment was more effective when administered in July and in rabbits that were defleeced rather than shorn. However, melatonin did not significantly affect the content of different fibre types or the dimensions of bristles.