Comprehensive evaluation of fleeces with measurement of the basic properties of wool in breeding work

Abstract

Despite the general crisis in sheep breeding, lack of demand, low prices for the main type of raw material as wool, scientific breeders and farm specialists continue to work on developing new, more competitive breeds and types of sheep. They also carry out targeted selection to achieve high productivity of animals, since in general the level of productivity and especially the quality of wool do not always meet today’s requirements. The main disadvantages of wool supplied to processing plants are its increased contamination, reduced strength and insufficient uniformity. Their elimination is possible only with proper feeding of animals and constant attention of breeders to the quantity and quality of wool products. In the successful implementation of the tasks facing sheep farmers of the Stavropol Territory to increase the production of fine merino wool with its simultaneous improvement, the use of an objective evaluation of the products produced is of no small importance. The purpose of the research was to study the indicators of a comprehensive evaluation of fleeces with the measurement of the basic properties of wool to identify the effective use of stud rams in the breeding campaign. A positive point is the stabilization at a certain level of quality indicators of wool productivity. The average diameter of wool fiber is in the range of 20,6–22,5 microns, which meets the requirements for the production of fine wool. The yield of pure wool, which is influenced by arid natural conditions, ranges from 60,3–65,2 %, which is rated “excellent” on the scale of comprehensive assessment of runes. Fineness less of wool (on average for the breed) occurred according to the breeds: Stavropol, Manych merino, Soviet merino and Dzhalginsky merino by 2,3; 2,4; 0,8 and 1,2 microns, respectively. The yield of pure wool, in turn, increased by breeds by 1,2; 1,6; 0,9 and 8,3 abs.%, respectively. The ratio of clippings to live weight of animals decreased by 0,9; 1,0; 2,7 and 0,5 abs.%, respectively.