Effect of stocking rate on fleece measurements and their relationships in merino sheep

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Abstract
The wool characteristics of Merino wethers were measured for 6 yr in a stocking rate experiment. The decline in fleece weight due to increasing stocking rate from 4.9 to 12.4 sheep/ha was usually accompanied by a reduction in fiber diameter and staple length and an increase in staple crimp frequency. The magnitude of these responses differed considerably between years; in 1 yr clean fleece weight was reduced by 50%, with an associated reduction of 5 .mu.m in mean fiber diameter and 1 of 2 cm in staple length. In 4 of the 6 yr of the experiment, variation in fiber diameter accounted for at least 50% of the variation in wool production between stocking rate treatments. The relationships between clean fleece weight and fiber diameter were similiar between years, mean fiber diameter being reduced by about 1.8 .mu.m for each kg reduction in clean fleece weight. Fiber diameter is the major determinant of wool price; this information should improve the prediction of economic responses to changes in stocking rate.

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