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The effects of breed, crossbreeding and other factors on variation in fleece and skin traits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. A. Woolliams  and
G. Wiener
J. A. Woolliams
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organization, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
G. Wiener
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organization, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
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Abstract

Breed and crossbreeding significantly affected variation in 10 fleece, follicle density and fibre diameter traits in 12-week-old lambs. The breeds involved were the Scottish Blackface, South Country Cheviot, Welsh Mountain, Lincoln Longwool, Southdown and Tasmanian Merino, but the last only by rams.

The Southdown came closest to the Merino in affecting density and diameter traits although the Merino crosses remained clearly distinguishable by their high follicle density. The Lincoln and Blackface crosses were notable for their long fibres and the Blackface crosses also had the least dense follicle and coarsest primary fibres. The coarsest secondary fibres were from Lincoln and Cheviot crosses. Heterosis estimates were obtained for crosses involving the Blackface, Cheviot, Welsh and Lincoln breeds. Significant heterosis was present in a wide range of traits but was not apparent in all crosses. Maternal differences were evident for many of the traits but with density these differences were apparently related to maternal effects on live weight of the lamb. The sex of the lamb, its birth type and rearing and its 12-week live weight significantly affected many of the traits.

Among breeds and crosses a strong relationship was found between fibre density and average fibre diameter. The relationship suggested that breed variation in total fibre area per unit area of skin was small compared with the breed variation in its components. Fleece weight per unit area was most closely related to mean fibre length.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 30 , Issue 3 , June 1980 , pp. 417 - 429
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1980

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