Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION
IN THE BEAUTY OF WOOL
The beauty, luster, elasticity, and strength of the wool suffer if the
sheep's diet is defi cient in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Mixed-
grain rations usually have the protein content marked on the label,
and feed stores stock various pelleted sheep rations that are con-
venient to use. Pasture, grain, and hay provide vitamins, and hay
from sunny areas is reported to have a higher vitamin content. Vita-
min supplements are available and make a signifi cant difference
in the health of older ewes. A handful of brewer's yeast tablets fed
daily is an inexpensive way to extend a ewe's life span.
are as long as the true wool fi bers but lack the elasticity and crimp (or wavi-
ness) of true wool. The kemp fi bers are coarse and typically shed out with
the seasons. Kemp fi bers don't take dyes well, but kemp is important in the
production of certain types of fabrics, such as true tweeds, and in the produc-
tion of carpet wool.
By 60 days of gestation, a lamb has primary follicles and the fi ber that
grows from them covering all its skin. Shortly after, the secondary follicles
begin to form and are fairly complete by about 90 days after conception, but
they don't swing into full fi ber production until about 2 weeks after the lamb
is born.
At birth, lambs have more med and kemp fi bers because the primary fol-
licles are producing but the secondary ones haven't started yet. When the sec-
ondary follicles begin to produce fi ber, the proportion of wool fi bers increases.
If you keep an eye on the lambs, the switch to secondary follicle production is
evident and is really pronounced in certain breeds; for instance, the Karakul.
Coarse-wool and hair breeds, such as the Navajo-Churro and the Wiltshire
Horn, don't have as high a proportion of secondary follicles and therefore tend
to have more med and kemp fi bers in their fl eece. Fine-wool breeds, such as
the Merino, have a really high proportion of secondary follicles, thereby pro-
ducing a higher-quality, true wool that's both dense and fi ne.
Heredity determines the wool type, but its quality and strength depend on
the health and nutrition of the sheep during each year of fl eece growth. One
serious illness can easily result in tender, brittle wool, with a weak portion in
every fi ber of the whole fl eece.
