Seasonal fibre replacement and harvesting of fur in brushtail
possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)
A.J. Nixon
Department of Botany and Zoology, Massey University, Palmerston
North
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1990, 50: 317-322
Annual patterns of fur growth are described from captive possums
skin biopsied at three-weekly intervals between April 1985 and May 1987.
Counts of hair follicles showed that follicle activity was poorly
synchronised between individual possums, with maxima occurring mostly in
spring and summer. No more than 40% of follicles sampled were active at
one time in any individual. Derived follicles continued to develop in
adult animals, increasing the follicle population by 23 ± 6% per annum.
Follicle neogenesis therefore accounted fro much of the fibre growth in
possum skin and there was no marked seasonal coat change. However,
shedding and regrowth cycles like those of other mammals were apparent
in primary follicles. The mean duration of follicle activity induced by
plucking was 82 ± 2 days. The estimated rate of fibre replacement from
all follicle types was 12 ± 7% per annum. Management of either farmed
or wild possums for their fur should be conducted with consideration of
the diffuse, asychronous growth, and absence of true "moult" or "prime"
condition in this species.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
fibre; fur; hair cycle; hair follicle; moult; possum;
seasonality; shedding
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
