Relative economic importance of some wool quality traits for Merino and crossbred wool types

Abstract

The economic weights of various quality traits of both Merino and crossbred wool types hive been estimated. Australian averages of clean wool prices for Australian Wool Board wool types, into which mid-side samples of fleece were classified, have been used.For each of fifteen seasons, 1953-54 to 1967-68, the mean clean wool price for each wool type was expressed as a percentage of the mean wool price for all types in that season. Rank correlations for price-type means were high between seasons, varying between 0.91 and 0.98. Further analyses were therefore performed using prices averaged for the 15 seasons. Multiple regression analyses were carried out, the dependent variable being the mean price for each fleece type, expressed as a percentage of the average price of all types for al) seasons and the independent variables being the measurement of fibre diameter, crimps per inch and length, and the subjective gradings of colour, handle, character, and quality number. For both Merino and crossbred wool types, the major determinants of price were quality number, colour, and handle, with quality number being of overwhelming importance. The remaining variables were not important as joint determinants of price, and were deleted from the analyses. Quality number, colour, and handle controlled about 81 and 86 per cent of the variation in price for Merino and crossbred wool types. It is likely that most progress in selection for wool production would be made by incorporating these findings into a selection index.