Variation in fibre and staple length over the body of the sheep

Abstract

Variation in staple length, fibre length, and the ratio between them was studied over 11 body sites on five Merino and five Border Leicester X Merino ewes. It was concluded that there are distinct but very slight trends in both staple and fibre length. Both decreased from neck to britch, and dorsally and ventrally from mid-lateral line. Fibres grown on the belly did not differ in length from those growing on the body, although staple length was considerably shorter. Apart from the belly there is no trend in the fibre/staple length ratio. Mean values of 1.46 ± 0. 05 for Merino and 1.45 ± 0.21 for crossbreds were found. It was concluded that no single conversion factor of staple to fibre length has general application even within a breed. A hypothesis is developed whereby variation in fibre length is related to changes in local density of fibre population.