Cross Tasman differences

[sandgrubber]

https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/300136566/kiwi-dogs-eat-70000-possums-in-a-year-demand-for-pest-pet-food-grows

 

Somehow I don't think Possy-yum brand will sell so well in Oz. 

[PossumCorner]

On 20/10/2020 at 5:36 PM, sandgrubber said:

 .... We’re in the bush by 10am and working long days clearing tracks, processing and plucking . ....

I thought that was odd.  Guess processing is just nice-speak for slaughter as usual, but plucking??? The fur out?  Wouldn't they just skin them for dog food - or is 'plucking' how they get the possum fur used in knitting wools and fabric.  Creswick Mills in Vic sell beautiful soft skeins made from possum spun with merino etc, all the possum content is imported from NZ as native protected species here. Despite Ghandi's dim view of countries that commercialise their own (or any) wildlife, kangaroo features muchly in dog food - if possum meat was imported I bet it would attract a pet food buying niche market.  (Although Covid has been a good warning bell re consuming/handling wild animal meat product).  

[persephone]

10 hours ago, PossumCorner said:

but plucking??? The fur out? 

I would imagine that's it! tedious work - no wonder it's expensive ! Absolutely beautifully light & warm though - I have a possum/merino (NZ made ) beanie which almost never leaves my head for several months of the year! 

[PossumCorner]

We've kind of lost the huge Akubra production that once was.  How did they harvest fur from rabbits for the hat-felt industry?  Must have been mechanised for the millions used.  If there was a good viable value-added industry besides low-value pet food for rabbits it might reduce their numbers here in the same way as NZ/possums.

[Sue]

The only good possum is a dead one! When I was a kid, it was common for boys to go out and trap possum or poison them, then skin the carcasses and sell the pelt to the buyers.  It was a good income for a young boy. Nowadays the possum carcass is plucked using a machine.
Possum fur products are lovely and warm.  Nothing better than a pair of possum fur lined ugg boots to keep the chill away.  
Possums are a huge pest in NZ, very much as unwanted as foxes are in Australia. They prey on our native birds, strip our forests and can spread TB amongst dairy cattle.