Annual Wool Production Research Articles

Commercial sheep production from continuous and rotational grazing over thirty‐five years in the Karoo

Abstract The rainfall and production records of a sheep farm of 915 ha in the 287 mm rainfall region of the Karoo are documented over a period of 35 years. Rainfall records indicate a decrease of 4 mm per annum in rainfall from 1939 to 1973. Production records are presented for a period of continuous grazing (1939 to 1948) followed by a period of rotational grazing on a two‐paddock system (post 1948). Comparison of these periods demonstrates that, at a stocking rate of one sheep to 2,1 ha throughout the entire recording period, the total annual wool production from 3 300 sheep increased from 20 412 kg (pre 1948) to 24 494 kg (post 1948), i.e. 20%. The number of lambs raised annually increased by 19% in the second period. Wool per sheep increased from 5,4 kg to 6,2 kg (13%) per annum, wool production per ha increased from 1,8 kg to 2,3 kg (26%) per annum and wool per unit of rainfall increased from 1 570 kg per 25 mm rainfall to 2 605 kg (65%). The significance of the results is evaluated in relation to co...

Evaluation of Wool Production Performance on Different Lines and Strains of Angora Rabbit at Khumaltar, Lalitpur

Research on wool production performance between different lines and strains of Angora rabbit was started at Swine and Avian Research Program(SARP), Khumaltar, Lalitpur since 1994. The high yielding lines of German (G1) and Chinese Angora were introduced at SARP in 1998 from Chitlang Goat Farm of Department of Livestock Services(DLS) and Lumle Agriculture Research Center. Research on wool production performance of German, Chinese, Russian and British strains of Angora rabbit at Khumaltar, Lalitpur was conducted . Based upon the one year data G1 line of German Angora showed significantly (P ≤ 0.05 ) higher wool production( 949.2 + 101g /rabbit /year) than other lines and strains of Angora rabbit . The average annual wool production in Chinese Angora, G2 line of German Angora, Russian Angora and British Angora were 656.2 g, 511g, 349.5 g and 335 g respectively. Similarly, additional improvement on management for existing lines and strains also showed significant (P ≤ 0.05 increase on wool production performance as compared with the result of previous year(G2 line of German 423.125 g to 511 g and British 305 g to 349 g). Key words: Angora rabbit; F1 generation; wool production. DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4128Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 83-86

Seasonal variations in wool growth and heat tolerance of sheep. I. Wool growth

The monthly wool growth of three groups of rams was studied at Beltsville, Maryland. Group I received natural daylight (at 38° 53' N.) and was shorn monthly. Group II had a 7:17 hours of daylight to hours of darkness rhythm and was shorn every 6 months, once in winter and once in summer. Group III received natural daylight and was likewise shorn every 6 months. The rams of all groups produced more wool in summer than in winter. This difference was significant (P<0.001). The mean body weight and food intake were both greater in the winter months, which indicated that the seasonal rhythm of wool growth was not a consequence of poorer feeding in winter. The rams which were shorn monthly (group I) grew considerably more wool than the other two groups, but the difference was not statistically significant. The short-day treatment of group II did not increase the annual wool production nor decrease the seasonal rhythm of wool growth. The balance of evidence from this and other experiments indicates that temperature rather than light controls the seasonal rhythm of wool growth.