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Wool Traits of Panama and Finn x Panama Yearling and Two-Year-Old Ewes¹

University of Idaho, Moscow 83843

Abstract

This study was conducted over a 2-year period, 1975 and 1976. In 1975, 130 Panama (P) and 139 Finn x Panama (FP) ewe lambs were bred as ewe lambs and maintained in drylot without access to pasture. Composite and britch (breech) samples of wool were taken prior to shearing.

In 1976, fleeces were obtained from 111 P and 118 FP 2-year-old ewes from the original group started in 1975. After breeding, ewes were assigned at random, within breed, to three energy (E) levels. Low (L) 85, medium (M) 100 and high (H) 115% of NRC (1975) digestible energy levels for mature ewes for the appropriate production function.

Data from both years showed that shorn P ewes were 3.3 and 5.4 kg heavier and produced 1.1 and 1.5 kg more wool per ewe than FP ewes as yearlings and 2-year-olds, respectively. Panama ewes had higher composite and britch fiber medullation scores than FP ewes both as yearlings and 2-year-olds. Composite fiber diameter of P ewes tended to be greater as yearlings and was greater (P<.01) than FP ewes as 2-year-olds. However, no significant difference was found in staple length. As 2-year-olds, P ewes had more crimps per circumference fiber than FP ewes which in turn had substantially higher cotty wool scores than P ewes (essentially no cotty wool for P ewes). Mean shorn body weight for LE ewes was lower (P<.01) than for either the ME or HE ewes indicating that LE was not adequate to maintain body weight. This was further reflected in a lower (P<.01) grease fleece weight for LE ewes.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station as Research Paper No. 7747.

² Department of Animal Sciences.

³ Department of Agricultural Economics.