The Growth and Composition of Wool III. Variations in the Sulphur Content of Wool

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Abstract
The sulphur content of wool was measured during experiments in which the nutritive status of sheep was altered by changes in the amount or composition of the diet. Three experiments were carried out, involving 13 sheep and 5 diets given at different levels of feeding. Wool grown on delineated areas was collected and its clean dry weight and sulphur content were determined. Wool growth rates varied between 0.3 and 1.8 mg clean dry wool/cm2/day. The sulphur content of wool was altered by changes in the nutritive status; variations of up to 0.6% sulphur were observed. Wool growth and sulphur content increased as nutrition was improved and vice versa. The sulphur content of wool from individual sheep on the same diet differed by as much as 0.9% sulphur. Sulphur contents ranging from 2.7 to 4.1% were observed, due to the combined effects of individual differences and nutrition. There were differences (up to 0.3% sulphur) in the sulphur content of wool from different sites, and in some sheep the wool from dorsal sites had the highest sulphur content. No relationship was found between sulphur content and fiber diameter in wool samples taken from several sites on the one sheep or when comparisons were made between sheep receiving the same nutritional treatment.