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Follicle curvature score and its relationships with wool production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. Gonzàlez ,
A. Lombardini  and
W. Ibañez
R. Gonzàlez
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production, Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Republic, Paysandu, Uruguay
A. Lombardini
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production, Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Republic, Paysandu, Uruguay
W. Ibañez
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Abstract

Medium-wool Australian Merino rams were sampled in 1978 and 1979 to estimate the relationships between the follicle curvature score, fleece and body characteristics.

As a high correlation coefficient between two independent observers was found in both years, only one observer was used to correlate follicle curvature score with wool production.

Repeatability of the follicle score between lambs at weaning and 14- to 15-month-old rams was 0·61*** and 0·65***.

Clean fleece weight was significantly correlated with greasy fleece weight (0·8***, 0·9***), clean scoured yield (0·6***, 0·7***), staple length (0·4*, 0·5**) and crimps per cm (-0·3, -0·4*), but the correlation was very low with fibre diameter (0·01, 0·06).

The correlation of clean fleece weight with body weight at 14 to 15 months varied between 0·2 and 0·5 (P < 0·001).

Follicle curvature score was significantly correlated with clean fleece weight (-0·5**), clean scoured yield (0·6***, 0·7***), staple length (-0·4*, -0·7***), fibre diameter (0·3, 0·6***) and crimps per cm (0·4*. 0·6***). Non-significant correlations of follicle curvature score with greasy fleece weight (–0·2) and body weight at 14 to 15 months (–0·04, –0·1) were found.

Depending on whether the proportion of superior 14- to 15-month-old rams which are to be retained for breeding is 0·10 or 0·05, then, according to our data, the proportion of lambs that can be culled at weaning (with an accuracy of P < 0·05) is 0·31 or 0·42, respectively.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , December 1983 , pp. 449 - 454
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

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References

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