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The Effects of Age and Finnsheep Breeding Wool Properties and Processing Characteristics^1,2

Montana State University, Bozeman 59717 and USDA, Berkeley 94710

Abstract

A study was made comparing the shorn wool and processing characteristics of yearling and 2-yr-old ewe fleeces shorn from straightbred western whiteface ewes and their contemporaries bred to Finnsheep rams. Fleeces were randomly selected from each age group of straight-bred Rambouillet, Targhee, Columbia, Finn x Rambouillet, Finn x Targhee, Finn x Columbia, Rambouillet x (Finn x Rambouillet), Targhee x (Finn x Targhee) and Columbia x (Finn x Columbia). Analysis of variance of shorn fleece measurements indicated a highly significant difference among breed groups within each age class for staple length, fiber fineness and bundle strength. For analyses of variance of groups and ages, the breed groups were combined into straightbred, V* Finn and Vi Finn groups by age. There was a difference (P<.05) between age groups and among breed groups and an age x breed interaction for fiber fineness and staple length. There was an increase (P<.05) of fiber diameter as the percentage of Finnsheep breeding increased. The fleeces of 2-yr-old ewes shorn were coarser (P<.05) than those of their yearling counterparts. The processed wool top was coarser than the shorn fleece. The difference between the age groups was greater for shorn wool than for wool top. The yearling breed groups had a greater loss of finer fiber during processing than the 2-yr-old groups. The yearling groups had the longest (P<.05) shorn wool and the difference in length between age groups was greatly reduced during processing. Age of ewe at shearing had no effect on tensile strength of shorn wool. There was an increase (P<.05) in tensile strength as the percentage of Finnsheep breeding increased. Yearling ewe wool top had a more desirable color than the 2-yr-old shorn wool top fleeces.

Key Words: Finnsheep • Wool • Top • Sheep • Processing

¹ Approved for publication as Scientific Paper No. 1107 of the Montana Agr. Exp. Sta., Bozeman.

² The authors acknowledge the assistance of R. H. Stobart with this project. They also acknowledge the US Sheep Exp. Sta., Dubois, ID, which made the purchase of wool possible; Dr. J. W. Bassett, Texas A&M, for scouring the wool, and Dr. E. P. Smith, for statistical analysis.

³ Montana Wool Lab., MAES, Bozeman 59717.

⁴ USDA, Western Regional Research Center, Berkeley, CA 94710.