Effect of level of feeding on the variability of fibre diameter in four breeds of sheep

Abstract

Primary and secondary fibres show a differential response to changes in nutrition. Distances between primary and secondary follicles are always greater than distances between secondary follicles irrespective of their relative fibre diameters. It is likely therefore that primary follicles have a higher competitive efficiency than secondary follicles, and that the efficiency concept must be reformulated to accommodate differential responses of adjacent follicles to changes in feed level.