The lambs tail wool in relation to wool type in the Corriedale sheep : 1. The wool fineness of the lamb's tail in relation to the wool fineness of the other body regions

A study has been carried out, measuring the degree of the fibre fineness and its variability of the shoulder, thigh and tail wool, and analysing the correlations of the degree of the fiber fineness and its variability between the tail and shoulder and thigh wool in lamb's docking time of the Corriedale sheep, with the object of determining whether the degree of the fibre fineness and its variability over the fleece of the adult sheep can be predicted and so whether the sheep uniform in the degree of the fibre fineness over the fleece can be selected, by discrimirating macrcscopically the degree of the fiber finenes and its variability of the tail wool in the early age of lamb. A total of 12 Corriedale lambs was used in this study. A few staples on the threes body regions were cut from each lamb on the day of docking, and the wool samples to be examined were taken from these staples. The samples were washed by immersing them in bath of ether, and were then mounted with balsam, and microscopically examined. The diameters of the wool fibres were subsepuently measured with an ocular, micrometer and then the coefficients of variation of the degree of the fibre fineness were calculated. The results obtained are as follows; 1. In general, the mean diameter of the tail wool was greater than those of the shoulder and thigh wool in such early age as in dccking time of the Corriedale lamb. 2. In the early age of lamb, relatively high positive correlations of the degree of fibre finenss between the tail and shoulder and thigh wool were found and thus, it can be said that more the mean diameter of the tall wool greater, the more those of the shoulder and thigh wool greater. 3. Positive correlations of the variability of the degree of the fibre fineness were found between the tail and the shoulder and thigh wool, and especially between the tail and thigh wool, a high correlation of the variability of the degree of the fiber fineness was found. So it may be concluded that generally the more the variability of the degree of the fibre fineness of the tail wool greater, the more those of the shoulder and thigh wool greater, especially the variability of the degree of the fibre fineness of the thigh wool greater. 4. It seems that the degree of the fiber fineness and its variability of the adult fleece can be predicted, and a selection of the sheep uniform in the degree of the fibre fineness over the fleece can be made by discriminating macroscopically the degree of the fibre fineness and its variability in the early age of lamb of the corriedale sheep. The auther is grateful to the Tsuyama livestock farm of the Okayanma prefecture, for their help and for providing all the wool samples tested.