Author(s)

Nosratollah Taherpour, Mahnaz Salehi, Farhad Mirzaei

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Evaluation and grading of wool based on sex and age can help to improve economic value of wool. This study was conducted to investigate the wool production and fleece characteristics of Arabi sheep in Khuzestan province The right mid-side wool samples were taken from 90 Arabi sheep (1 - 4 years; 16 male and 74 female) by hand shearing. The staple length of shoulder, flank and rump were 13.18 ± 0.27, 13.31 ± 0.22 and 14.27 ± 0.25 cm, respectively. The greasy fleece weight, wool wax, vegetable matter, yield percentage, fiber diameter and its coefficient variation measures were 1.72 ± 0.06 Kg; 2.77% ± 0.12%; 0.54% ± 0.07%; 73.36% ± 0.68%; 30 ± 0.41 μm; 30.23% ± 0.3% respectively. Correspondingly, the medulated fibers, true wool fiber and Kemp fibers were 21.6% ± 1.9%, 76.1% ± 2.04% and 2.5% ± 0.57% respectively. Age and sex had a significant influence on staple lengths. Fleece weight (P < 0.01) and wool wax were (P < 0.05) affected by sex. There was no significant interaction between age and sex groups for fiber characteristics, but it was important for staple between body location (P < 0.05). There were a low considerable kemp and CV of wool diameter percentage on Arabi sheep in comparison with the other Iranian native sheep. The wide variation in fleece weight (0.8 - 3.9 kg); mean staple lengths (8.8 - 19.2 cm); medulated and kemp (0 - 84.04 and 0% - 30.22%); fiber diameter (24.9 - 37.43 μm) suggest potential for improvement of economical traits.

Wool; Fleece Characteristics; Arabi Sheep

Taherpour, N. , Salehi, M. and Mirzaei, F. (2012) Evaluation certain environment factors on wool characteristics of Arabi sheep breeds. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 2, 11-14. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2012.21002.