Greasy Wool Research Articles

Carbon Footprint of an Extensively Raised, Low-Productivity Sheep Population

Extensive traditional livestock systems currently face various threats, leading to their disappearance. An example of these extensive livestock farming systems is the production of the Lojeña sheep breed in the Sierra de Loja (Granada, Spain), with a census of 24,511 ewes in 2021. The aim of this work is to calculate the carbon footprint (CF) of this local breed in this region. This study is based on data collected from 27 Lojeña sheep farms producing weaned lambs (≤14 kg, 25 farms), fattened lambs (≈25 kg, 7 farms), culled animals (24 farms) and greasy wool (27 farms). Most of these farms (78%) were organically (ORG) certified and seven were conventionally (CONV) managed. The analysed farms represent 93% of the total number of farms producing Lojeña sheep in the Sierra de Loja. The CF was calculated with a “cradle to farm gate” approach. The average C footprints were 27.5 ± 6.8 kg CO2eq kgLW−1 for weaned lambs, 21.8 ± 8.5 kg CO2eq kgLW−1 for fattened lambs, 4.1 ± 2.6 kg CO2eq kgLW−1 for culled animals and 2.2 ± 0.6 kg CO2eq kg−1 for greasy wool, with a not statistically different average CF in ORG than in CONV farms. Enteric fermentation represents the main source of emissions (>60%) in all the products, and external feeding (including transport, and emissions from producing the feed) represents the second one (>10%). There was an inverse relationship between CF and productivity (lambs sold ewe−1 year−1), leading to lower footprints on those farms with the higher productivity. A direct relationship between CF and stocking rate (livestock units ha−1) has been identified.

Modelling of on-farm greenhouse gas emissions from dual-purpose meat and wool sheep production in different geographical regions of Norway

The whole-farm model, HolosNorSheep, was developed to estimate net greenhouse gas emissions from dual purpose sheep production in Norway. The model adopted a cradle-to-farm gate system boundary and is based on the International Panel on Climate Change methodology and includes direct emissions from enteric and manure methane (CH4; GWP100=27), direct and indirect nitrous oxide (N2O; GWP100=273) from manure and soils, direct carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy use and indirect CO2 emissions from the production of input factors. Soil carbon balance is calculated using the ICBM-model. Emission intensities (CO2-eq/kg product) for sheep carcass and greasy wool, was estimated for five geographical regions of Norway (East, West, South, Mid and North). The geographical regions varied considerably in climate, feed resources, days on pasture and herd/farm management. Estimated emission intensities per kg carcass and greasy wool varied from 23.5 to 19.9 (Mid region) to 26.8 and 22.8 kg CO2-eq (North region) respectively. The difference between the Mid and North region was mainly due to higher CO2 and N2O emissions from use of fuel and N-fertilizer in the North, where a short growth season, and thus reduced grass yields, are compensated by using greater land area. Based on the distribution of sheep in the regions, and the emission intensities in each region, weighted average emission intensities per kg carcass and greasy wool were estimated as 25.1 and 23.3 kg CO2-eq, respectively. Five alternative methods for the allocation of the co-products were compared with the amounts allocated to greasy wool ranging from 0 % when using no allocation (i.e., all emissions allocated to the sheep carcass), 11 % for economic allocation, 12 % for mass allocation, 19 % for biophysical allocation based on energy requirement up to 31 % for allocation based on protein mass. The emission intensity for wool was highly sensitive to the allocation method used (range from 0 to 61 kg CO2-eq per kg greasy wool), while the effect on sheep carcass was lower (range 19 to 28 kg CO2-eq per kg carcass). For production systems where meat is the main product, as in Norway, allocation should be based on biophysical allocation based on energy requirement.

Wool Agro-Waste Biomass and Spruce Sawdust: Pellets as an Organic Soil Amendment

The production of wool is an economic burden and an issue for sheep breeders in many countries of the European Union because shorn greasy wool is defined as an animal byproduct (category 3) and must be sent to landfill as a special waste if not addressed in the textile supply chain. Nevertheless, wool is an important source of nitrogen, with high potential as agricultural renewable and sustainable organic fertilizer. To apply wool to soil, any contamination from harmful bacteria (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.) should be excluded. In this study, we developed sheep wool pellets to test their suitability for use as an organic fertilizer. Wool was rich in N (12% of dry material) and was mixed to spruce sawdust at sawdust: wool ratios of at 2:1; 1:1 (v/v) to increase soil organic carbon. Despite the different mix of wool and sawdust, pellets were similar in size (diameter and length), and the content of the elements suited the requirements of fertilizers and did not present harmful bacteria after pelletization. Therefore, wool pellets may represent a feasible solution to provide sheep wool with an added value, introducing it in a circular economy process. However, further study is needed to test the effects of the produced fertilizing pellets in real cropping systems.

Thermal Performance, Microstructure Analysis and Strength Characterisation of Agro-Waste Reinforced Soil Materials

The use of raw-earth materials reinforced by natural fibres, i.e., livestock waste in the form of greasy wool, represents an eco-friendly alternative for a variety of construction applications. This proposal is based on the analysis of unfired adobe blocks stabilised with wool fibres for use as both structural and non-structural building materials. The influence of fibre length on the thermophysical and mechanical properties of the tested material was investigated. The thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) of raw-earth samples was assessed by following three different test setting procedures (T = 20 °C, and HR at 30%, 50%, and 70%), with the aim to evaluate the effects of different fibre lengths in the raw-earth mix. Samples reinforced by fibres 20 mm in length exhibited the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient (λ = 0.719 W/mK) obtained by a test reproducing typical indoor conditions within the Mediterranean area, i.e., T = 20 °C, and HR 50%. The best mechanical performance was exhibited by samples reinforced by fibres 40 mm in length, with a flexural and compression strength of 0.88 MPa and 2.97 MPa, respectively. The microstructure of these biocomposites was also examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) to qualitatively evaluate the variation of thermal and mechanical properties due to the different adhesion among the fibres and the soil. The experimental data show good efficiency and a significant improvement in the behaviour of these materials compared to the control samples. The evaluation of the results, with the length of the fibres being the only variable of the analysed samples, allowed for the identification of the mix suitable for the best mechanical and thermal performances, depending on the final use of the material.

Effects of Sumac (Rhus coriaria) Seeds and Exogenous Fibrolytic Enzymes on Wool Growth of Awassi Male Lambs

Nutrition can have a significant effect on animal production. In recent years, many compounds have been widely used as feed additives to stimulate animals’ appetites and consequently improve animal productivity. Exogenous fibrinolytic enzymes are one of these feed additives, which have been used as a digestive stimulant in different types of animals. Sumac (Rhus coriaria) seeds and leaves have been widely used as an appetite stimulant. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the dietary effects of using 0.3% exogenous fibrolytic enzymes and 3% of grinds Rhus coriaria seeds on wool production and some physical traits of the Awassi lambs. Twenty-four male Awassi lambs with an average age of 4 months were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments, each containing six animals. The control group received a basal diet equivalent to 2% of body weight. The second group received the same diet supplemented with 3% sumac (Rhus coriaria) powder. The third group received the basal diet supplemented with 0.3% exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (protease, amylase, and cellulase). The fourth group received the basal diet supplemented with both 3% Rhus Coriaria powder and 0.3% exogenous fibrolytic enzymes. The experiment lasted 130 days in the animal house belonging to the College of Veterinary Medicine in Iraq. Some wool traits, including wool staple length, clean wool weight, greasy wool weight, wool fiber length, and wool fiber diameter, were measured. The results revealed significant differences in all measured wool quality traits among the treated groups compared to the control group. The group receiving the diet supplemented with a combination of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes and Rhus coriaria powder exhibited the most significant improvements in wool growth, overall wool production, and physical characteristics. These findings highlight the potential of using exogenous fibrolytic enzymes and sumac as effective appetite stimulants and enhancers of wool production in Awassi lambs.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Worsted and Woollen processing in wool production: ReviWool® noils and other wool co-products

The textile and fashion industry is becoming increasingly active in measuring its environmental performance. As far as wool is concerned, there is quite abundant literature on environmental impacts available. However, previous studies very rarely distinguish between the different co-products of the wool transformation, and often attribute the same impact to fibers produced from worsted processing (longer and more expensive fibers) and woollen processing (shorter and cheaper fibers). This study firstly provides a detailed mapping of processes and products involved in the wool production chain, from sheep grazing to yarn production, with particular attention to the shorter fibers, which have been mostly neglected in previous literature. Secondly, this study uses the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to analyze the environmental impacts of the different intermediate co-products. In particular, when multi-output processes occur, impacts are distributed proportionally to their relative economic value, using therefore an economic allocation. This approach enabled the calculation of environmental impacts of fibers used both in the worsted and woollen processing. It results that shorter fibers generally have lower impacts than longer fibers used for the production of fine yarns. Specifically, most short fibers have an impact on climate change ranging from 25 to 30 kg CO2 eq/kg, while, longer fibers have an impact of 78–97 kg CO2 eq/kg. The physiological variation in the ratio between worsted and woolen co-products of multi-output processes appears to have little effect on the final impact results. Finally, since the grazing phase is highly variable, impacts on climate change of the analyzed intermediate products have been re-calculated using, for the greasy wool, the lowest and highest values of impact found in literature. Impacts of the analyzed products vary sensibly according to the value considered for the greasy wool, but the relationship between them is rather stable.This paper contributes with detailed information and easily replicable data which could be used as a basis for the environmental assessment of wool garments and for improving the sustainability in the wool sector.

Assessment of sheep wool waste as new resource for green building elements

Within the context of circular economy framework and green deal statement, the valorization of greasy wool into new resources for insulation building components, represents an important challenge. The sustainable and innovative alternative uses of this livestock waste could create new opportunity for the growing of sheep farming sector and reduce environmental issues. By using Geographic Information Systems tools a tailored methodology has been carried out to evaluate the availability and geographical distribution of sheared sheep wool, with the aim of quantifying the correct scale required for a sustainable production of sheep wool insulation products. In detail, the hypothetical production of insualtion material based on wool waste, soft mats (100% wool) and semi-rigid panels (80% wool and 20% polyester), has been evalueted, at regional level and it was obtained that by reusing the computed sheep wool, i.e., 9,839,700 kg/year, more than 1,5 millions of soft mats or more than 11,5 millions of semi-rigid panels could be produced, which correspond, respectively, to more than 6.5 million and more than 17 thousand of square meter. These results, obtained by the conversion of raw wool into new resources, represent the first step for developing a new wool valorization chain.

Wool scoured colour: Heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations with wool traits in Corriedale sheep

Scoured wool colour determines the potenti al colour range and dye-ability of wool tops. Improvement of scoured wool colour of fleeces from Corriedale sheep through multi-trait breeding programmes is currently not possible due to limited existing information on its heritability and genetic correlations with other fleece traits. The present study aimed to determine genetic parameters of scoured wool colour traits, with emphasis on their genetic and phenotypic correlations with objectively and visually assessed fleece traits. Data from 1181 hoggets of two experimental flocks were used. Heritabilities were estimated for scoured wool yellowness (Y-Z) and scoured wool brightness (Y), greasy fleece weight (GFW) and clean fleece weight (CFW), wool yield (WY), mean fibre diameter (MFD), coefficient of variation of fibre diameter (CVD), staple length (SL), staple strength (SS) and a range of visual wool traits (greasy wool colour, wool character, handle, staple formation, dust penetration and cross-linking). Trivariate statistical models under a Bayesian setting were used, including the environmental effects of flock, sex, litter size and climatic variables (accumulated precipitation, maximum temperature and relative humidity) and the animal genetic effect, Y-Z was moderately heritable (0.22 ± 0.06) and should respond to selection. Its genetic correlations with GFW, CFW and SL were significant, positive (unfavourable) and moderate (0.43 ± 0.15, 0.56 ± 0.14, and 0.44 ± 0.14, respectively). There was a positive (favourable) association between MFD and Y-Z (0.25 ± 0.17). The genetic correlation between Y-Z and greasy wool colour was 0.70 ± 0.13, although this trait showed a low heritability value (0.13 ± 0.04). Wool brightness showed low heritability (0.10 ± 0.04) and only appeared to be genetically correlated with SL and wool character (0.56 ± 0.17 and 0.39 ± 0.22, respectively). Phenotypic correlations of Y-Z and Y with wool production and quality traits were all less than 0.20 in size. Overall, this study reports new genetic parameters for wool colour and their associations with fleece traits in Corriedale sheep. Our findings suggest that it could be possible to select against wool yellowness, with some caution, given the possible detrimental effects on economically important wool traits, especially fleece weight and staple length. More investigation is warranted. Indirect selection via greasy wool colour is an alternative approach, but the responses would be slower. Easy and cheap measurement should be balanced against the size of the response from direct selection versus indirect selection.

Chemical residue trends for Australian and New Zealand wool

Textile consumer trends towards improved product safety and high environmental standards have significantly influenced regulators in key consumer markets. The apparel wool industry sector has responded to regulators, and for three decades the Australia and New Zealand wool industries have managed advancements in ectoparasiticides and improved sheep treatments targeting high environmental, animal health and welfare standards leading to safe wool products. Australian and New Zealand chemical residue data from greasy wool have been consolidated and analysed for organophosphate, synthetic pyrethroid, insect growth regulator, neonicotinoid, macrocyclic lactone and spinosad active. Trend analysis has been applied to time domain data to evaluate advancements in ectoparasiticide technology after revising environmental, animal health and welfare standards. Analysis shows impacts from technology improvement, regulatory change and compliance by sheep farmers meeting or exceeding published European Union residue limits for regulated ectoparasiticides namely organochlorine, organophosphate, synthetic pyrethroid and insect growth regulators. Implications from advancements in ectoparasiticide technology, industry management and regulatory measures, include healthy sheep growing in clean pastoral environments with evidence of reduced wool residue levels which complement high and rising proportions of Australian and New Zealand wool fibre meeting European Union Ecolabel criteria.

Five SNPs Within the FGF5 Gene Significantly Affect Both Wool Traits and Growth Performance in Fine-Wool Sheep (Ovis aries).

Fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) gene, a member of fibroblast growth factor superfamily, plays significant roles in the regulation of the hair growth cycle during the development of mammalian hair follicles as well as the skeletal muscle development. In this study, DNA sequencing was used to scan the putative SNPs within the full-length of FGF5 gene, and SNPscan high-throughput technique was applied in the individual genotyping of 604 crossbred sheep. 10 SNPs were identified within FGF5 gene while five of them located in intron 1 could be genotyped, namely SNP1 (g. 105914953 G > A), SNP2 (g. 105922232 T > C), SNP3 (g. 105922244 A > G), SNP4 (g. 105922334 A > T) and SNP5 (g. 105922340 G > T). All these SNPs were in accord with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P > 0.05), and displayed the moderate polymorphism with PIC values ranging from 0.302 to 0.374. Thereafter, the correlation analysis between each SNP locus and economic traits including wool length, greasy wool weight and growth performance of sheep was systematically implemented. In our results, SNP1, SNP3, SNP4 and SNP5 were significantly associated with wool length, greasy wool weight and growth traits of SG sheep (P < 0.05); SNP1, SNP2, SNP3, and SNP4 were significantly correlated with wool length and growth traits of SSG sheep (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, our study revealed a strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) relationship among these SNPs (r2 > 0.33), except for SNP3 and SNP4 sites (r2 = 0.30). Combination genotype analysis showed that combination genotypes were significantly associated with mean fiber diameter of SG (P < 0.05), and body weight trait of SSG (P < 0.01). The above findings suggested that these SNP loci might affect economic traits synergistically and could be regarded as potential molecular markers for improving both wool production and growth performance of fine-wool sheep, which lay a molecular foundation for the breeding of fine dual-purpose sheep thereby accelerating the pace of sheep breeding.

Two strongly linked blocks within the KIF16B gene significantly influence wool length and greasy yield in fine wool sheep (Ovis aries)

A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified the kinesin family member 16B (KIF16B) as a candidate gene related to sheep wool production. In this work, DNA pool sequencing and SNPscanTM high-throughput genotyping methods were used to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the sheep KIF16B gene. The correlations between the SNPs and wool length and greasy wool yield were systematically assessed. Forty-five SNPs were identified and 37 of them were genotyped, including 10 exon mutations, 26 intron mutations, and 1 promoter region mutation. Most of the SNPs were of medium genetic diversity and at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Among them, 10 SNPs were associated with greasy wool yield and 28 SNPs impact the wool length. Five specific SNPs were found to exert significant effects on the wool length in all body parts analyzed in this study. Furthermore, linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis was conducted among SNP loci and they were found to be significantly associated with economically important traits. Two strongly linked SNP blocks were identified within these SNPs and they might exert significant impacts on the greasy wool yield and wool length. The identified SNPs exert significant effects on wool production and could be considered as potential DNA markers for selecting the individuals with superior phenotypes. How to cite: Zhao H, Hu R, Li F, et al. Two strongly linked blocks within the KIF16B gene significantly influence wool length and greasy yield in fine wool sheep (Ovis aries). Electron J Biotechnol 2021:53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.05.003

Factors affecting greasy fleece yield in Rambouillet sheep

Greasy wool yield in sheep is an important trait governed by genetic and environmental factors during pre- and postnatal life. A study was therefore, undertaken to study the wool yield and some environmental factors affecting it in Rambouillet sheep. The data spread over three years (2018 to 2020) pertaining to Rambouillet sheep maintained at Government Sheep Breeding Farm Balnoi was analyzed by least squares and maximum likelihood computer program, PC-2 version (Harvey, 1990). The least square mean of 1.77±0.01 kg for greasy fleece yield (GFY) in Rambouillet sheep was observed. All the factors non-genetic (age, sex and year) included in the model influenced GFY significantly (P

Lamb and Wool Provisioning Ecosystem Services in Southern Patagonia

In Southern Patagonia, grasslands are the principal food resource for sheep reared for meat and wool as the main provisioning ecosystem services (ES). The main objective of this study was to model lamb and wool production as provisioning ES at a regional scale using climatic, topographic, and vegetation variables from sheep farms across Santa Cruz province. At a regional level, animal yield ranged from 0.25 to 0.69 g lamb/m2/yr and 0.10 to 0.19 g greasy wool/m2/yr. We used multiple regression models to produce maps of lamb and wool provisioning ES across Santa Cruz province. The model for variation of lamb production explained 96% of the variance in the data and the most significant predictor variables were temperature seasonality, normalized vegetation index (NVDI, dimensionless), and desertification index. The most important variables for the model of greasy wool production were isothermality, temperature seasonality, and NVDI, which together explained 98% of the variance. The lowest CF values of both products (lamb and wool) were located in more productive grasslands. There were differences in lamb and wool production across vegetation types with the highest values being located in more productive grasslands (0.51 g lamb/m2/yr in Nothofagus antarctica forest and 0.15 g greasy wool/m2/yr in Magellanic grass steppe and N. antarctica). Lamb and greasy wool yields decreased with desertification gradient due to erosion processes. The main limitation of the model is related to the data availability at landscape level, which must be improved in future studies by accounting for soil type, fertility, and soil water content. The results of lamb and wool production found in the present work assist in characterizing the provisioning ES ecosystem of livestock products in Southern Patagonia. The successful management of livestock becomes an important challenge to the commercial and policy communities to satisfy society’s need for food and wool products under sustainable grassland management.

Detergent properties of aqueous extract of Aatreelal (Ammi majus L.) and Babchi (Psoralea corylifolia L.)

Aim of the study: To evaluate the detergent activity of aqueous extract of Ammi majus L. and Psoralea corylifolia L. Materials and methods: The detergent activity of aqueous extract of test drugs was evaluated by using a standard physicochemical test with Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) as a standard drug. Surface tension was measured by Du Nouytensiometer; Dirt dispersion by using Indian ink; Cleaning ability by greasy wool yarn test; Foaming properties by cylinder shake method and Wetting ability by canvas disc method. pH values and total saponin was also determined. Both the test and standard drugs were analyzed in 1% and 5% concentrations. Results: The aqueous extract of both the test drugs produced a significant detergent effect at both the concentration but less than SLS as it exhibited a pronounced effect in all the parameters except detergency. The test drugs were found to be acidly balanced; exhibited a prominent surface tension reduction, high foaming, wetting, and cleaning ability with a good quantity of saponin. Conclusions: Based on the above results it can be concluded that the aqueous extract of test drugs has significant surface-active properties thus these drugs can be used as a natural surfactant.

Pre- and post-partum variation in wool cortisol and wool micron in Australian Merino ewe sheep (Ovis aries).

An individual merino sheep’s output of wool production is influenced by synergistic interactions of sheep genetics, climate, farm management, and nutrition available to the whole flock. The price paid to the producer for this wool commodity is determined via numerous tested parameters and /or subjective appraisal of the raw greasy wool. This research investigated the level of variation in wool cortisol (a physiological stress biomarker) and wool micron (MIC) in Merino ewes (Ovis aries), pre-partum and post-lambing (lactation/lambs at foot), using maiden ewe (n = 38) managed in an outdoor paddock in a commercial farm. The key findings of this study are; (1) wool quality indicators showed a significant variation between pre- and post- parturition including significant reduction in MIC and (2) there was a negative correlation between wool cortisol levels and wool micron pre-parturition (rs = − 0.179, p < 0.05). This relationship between wool cortisol and wool micron was positive (rs = + 0.29, p < 0.05) during post-parturition suggesting that ewes with lambs at foot ended up with finer wool (reduction in fibre diameter) but they also maintained high levels of wool cortisol. Furthermore, the comfort factor, curvature, standard deviation and spin fineness of the wool were also significantly reduced post-parturition. The results of this study show that metabolic resources partitioning in ewe associated with pregnancy and lambing can result in a reduction in wool quality indices. The activity of the HPA-axis is attenuated during late gestation and parturition as a maternal adaptation; however, the results of our study show that wool cortisol remained similar between pre- and post- lambing. This result indicates that environmental stressors that may have been operating on farm (e.g., cold winter period) could influence on maternal physiological stress response however the exact level of influence of environment conditions on ewe stress levels and productivity traits (e.g., lambing success and wool quality) warrants further investigation. In conclusion, the use of top-knot wool sampling in combination with wool cortisol analysis provides researchers with a convenient method to quantify wool quality and physiological stress simultaneously under commercial sheep production.

Effect of Gamma Radiation on Greasy and Scoured Wool, Irradiated in Mini-Bale Form

ABSTRACT The effect of gamma radiation dose on certain properties of wool treated in either greasy or scoured form in mini-bales was investigated. Specific properties studied include color (yellowness and brightness), solubility (alkali solubility and urea-bisulfite solubility), fiber diameter and tensile properties (staple strength and bundle tenacity). The irradiation of the wool was performed in a commercial Cobalt-60 gamma irradiation facility to emulate practical irradiation conditions. It was found that gamma radiation dosages of up to ≈ 90 kGy did not significantly affect the fiber physical dimensions, namely fiber diameter and staple length. Alkali and urea-bisulfite solubility as well as yellowness and brightness, on the other hand, showed a systematic, almost linear, change with an increase in radiation dose. For a dose of ≈ 100 kGy, yellowness increased by ≈ 4.5 (Y-Z) units, brightness decreased by ≈ 7.5 Y units and alkali and urea-bisulfite solubility increased by ≈ 14% (absolute) above their zero dose values.

Wool productivity of ewes of different origin

The article presents the results of the comparative study of sheep wool productivity of Tuva coarse-haired short-fat-tailed breed and the desired type of Tuva-Saradzha semi-coarse-haired breed. The study was conducted in 2018-2019 in the farms of the Republic of Tuva. For the experiment, two groups of ewes were formed: control (Tuva coarse-haired short-fat-tailed breed) and experimental (Tuva-Saradzha semi-coarse crossbreeds of the desired type). The study of the yield of pure fiber and the physical and technical properties of the wool were carried out according to generally accepted methods. During the study animals were in the same conditions of a year-round pasture management. The amount of wool shorn and the physical and technical properties of wool of Tuva-Saradzha cross-bred ewes and Tuva purebred short-fat-tailed ewes varied significantly. Tuva-Saradzha semi-coarse-haired ewes of the desired type exceeded their peers of Tuva region in terms of greasy wool shorn by 67.4%, and the yield of pure fiber – by 5.6%. When comparing different fractions of wool fibers in the hair of local semi-coarse ewes, the amount of beard hair was 3.3% less, and heterotype hair – 4.4% more than in the wool of Tuva ewes. The study of the fineness of wool fibers showed that in TuvaSaradzha ewes down and heterotype fibers were thicker (21.34; 57.45 μm), and beard hair was thinner (62.34 μm) compared to Tuva ewes. Sheep of semi-coarse breed had the longest hair. Research data on the physical and technical properties of wool of Tuva-Saradzha semi-coarse-haired ewes of the desired type demonstrated good prospects of the breed for the selection process.

Carbon Footprint of Lamb and Wool Production at Farm Gate and the Regional Scale in Southern Patagonia

Natural steppe grasslands are the principal food resource for sheep in the Patagonia region, reared for meat and wool. However, there is currently a concern about the relationship between ruminant livestock and climate change due to its contribution to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this study was to determine the carbon footprints (CF) of sheep meat (lamb) and wool on a range of farms using empirical data collected on farm and then upscaled to the regional scale using models that use topographic, climatic, and vegetation indices as independent variables. At the regional level, the total CF of lamb and wool (the combination of emissions produced on farm, via transport, and via industrial processing) varied from 10.64 to 41.32 kg CO2-eq/kg for lamb meat (carcass) and from 7.83 to 18.70 kg CO2-eq/kg for fine-grade wool. For both, the predominant contribution was from primary production on-farm (75–90%), followed by industrial processing (2–15%), and transportation. We used multiple regression models to produce maps of lamb and wool CF at farm gate across Santa Cruz province. The model for variation of lamb CF explained 95% of the variance on the data and the most significant predictor variables were temperature seasonality and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, dimensionless). The most important variables for the model of CF of greasy wool production at farm gate were isothermality, temperature seasonality, and NDVI explained 98%. The lowest CF values of both products (lamb and wool) were located in more productive grasslands. The successful management of livestock GHG emissions becomes an important challenge to the scientific, commercial, and policy communities. The results of CF for lamb and wool production found in the present work assist in characterizing the greenhouse gas emissions profile of livestock products in Southern Patagonia by providing a baseline against which mitigation actions can be planned and progress monitored.

Evaluation of technological traits of Bulgarian and imported merino wool batches

Аbstract. The aim of the present study was to perform a comparative evaluation of technological traits of industrial batches of Bulgarian and imported semifine wool. The study was carried out in an industrial setting in cooperation with Kolhida Ltd, Sliven. A total of 18 batches originating from Bulgaria (n=10), Serbia (n=6) and the Netherlands (n=2) among which 4 batches of greasy wool, 7 batches of clean wool and 7 batches of wool sliver were studied. The primary processing of wool batches comprising classification, washing and carding was performed by textile enterprise’s standard technology. After the classification, the relative shares of wool types from the total amount of greasy wool in a batch were determined. The washing yield of classified greasy medium wool was calculated. The following laboratory analyses of clean wool were carried out: fibre diameter (μm), mean weighted length (mm), short fibre percentage (%), fatness (%), mineral matter content (dustiness %), vegetable matter content (%) and moisture (%). For slivers, sliver yield (%), fibre diameter (measured with OFDI), mean weighted length (mm), length В (mm), short fibre percentage (%) and moisture (%) were determined. In Bulgarian and Serbian batches, high-grade wool types predominated with highest share of the merino worsted wool (70.54% and 63.70%; 60.66% and 46.64%, respectively). The highest industrial washing yield was that of Dutch wool – 63.89%. Yields of Serbian and Bulgarian batches were similar (53.73%-56.39% and 53.20%-55.89%, respectively). The highest mean weighted length of fibres was determined for Dutch wool – 74.87 mm. Serbian and Bulgarian batches were comparable with respect to this trait: 63.95-65.71 mm and 62.92-65.88 mm respectively. The vegetable matter in studied wool batches was higher than requirements of the standard – from 1.29% tо 2.24% vs the reference of 1.2%. The highest vegetable matter content was found in the wool from two Bulgarian batches (1.65% and 2.24%), one Serbian (1.82%), and the Dutch batch (1.92%). Sliver yield varied from 81.31% tо 86.91% in studied wool slivers. The highest values of this trait were found out in 3 Bulgarian wool slivers (86.91%; 85.79% and 84.48%) and the Dutch sliver (84.13%).

Selection of Caucasian breed sheep to increase their wool productivity

An analysis of the wool productivity in Caucasian breed sheep of various sex and age groups is presented, and the effectiveness of selection in terms of the length, fineness, thickness and yolk of wool is shown. It was revealed that in the CJSC of “Plemzavod named after V.V. Kalyagin, the Hero of Socialist Labor”, the average clip of greasy wool is 5.8 kg when the yield of washed fiber is 59.1%. It has been established that the genetic recourses of the herd enable the farm to receive an average clip of 3.4 kg of washed wool. The selection differential for washed wool clip in animals of different sex and age groups was determined, which has made 0.9-3.3 kg, or 28.8-63.5%. The sheep capita of the Caucasian breed in the breeding plant is characterized by very thick wool (95.7%), which is confirmed by experimental data, where the total thickness of the hair follicles is 59.1 pieces per 1 mm2 of skin. It was established that the selection differential by the length of wool in the context of sex and age groups varies within 1.5-3.5 cm, or 16.7-43.8%. The revealed differentiation of wool fineness in Caucasian breed sheep confirms the consolidation of the herd by this trait, where the 64th quality is the leading fineness. It was experimentally established that the amount of wool fat in greasy non-fatted wool is 8.3%, the amount of wool sweat has made 12.1%, and the amount of diphilic substances is 3.2%. The ratio of wool fat: wool sweat is 0.70. It is noted that animals of the Caucasian breed have a white wool yolk (94.9%) and a sufficient amount of it (95.6%), which indicates a good consolidation of this trait in the sheep capita.