A Review of Sheep Wool Quality Traits
B. W. B. Holman
Animal Production and Genetics, School of Agricultural Science/Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54 Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.
A. E. O. Malau-Aduli *
Animal Production and Genetics, School of Agricultural Science/Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54 Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The commercial value of unprocessed wool is determined by its intrinsic quality; an indication of capacity to meet both processor and consumer demands. Wool quality is evaluated through routine assessment of characteristics that include mean fibre diameter, coefficient of variation, staple characteristics, comfort factor, spinning fineness, fibre curvature and clean fleece yield. The association between these characteristics with wool quality stems from their correlation with raw wool processing performance in terms of speed, durability, ultimate use as apparel or carpet wool, and consumer satisfaction with the end-product. An evaluation of these characteristics allows wool quality to be objectively quantified prior to purchase and processing. The primary objective of this review was to define and explore these aforementioned key wool characteristics, focusing on their impact on quality, desirable parameters and methodology behind their quantification. An in-depth review of relevant published literature on these wool characteristics in sheep is presented.
Keywords: Wool, fibre diameter, staple strength, staple length, sheep, spinning fineness.