The relative importance of sources of variation in fibre diameter for Australian Merino sheep

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Variation in fibre diameter was estimated in five Merino strains under the headings: between sheep; between sites over the body of the sheep; between fibres within sites; and between points along the fibre. The variation between fibres constitutes some two-thirds of the total, and that between sheep, on which the classer can operate, is about one-fifth. By means of correlations between crimps per inch and fibre diameter together with selection differentials, the differences in fibre diameter which a classer is likely to achieve in making clips into two and three lines respectively were estimated. These were less than 1 µm in all cases. Between-line variances computed on the basis of these between-line ' differences in fibre diameter will reduce the total variance within a resulting line by fractions that are always less than 2%. It is concluded that the elimination of crimp-based classing should not produce bulk wools that are unacceptable on the basis of variation in fibre diameter.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: