Man-made Coats For Sheep
(N Z Preu Assn —Copyright) MELBOURNE, July 8.
Australia's shorn sheep—subjected to the bitter elements of wind, cold, rain, and hail—may all be clothed one day.
Scientists of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation have proposed a plastic raincoat to keep the sheep warm —notwithstanding the usual reaction of sheep-farmers to non-natural fibres.
The scientists estimate that almost a million sheep die each year in Australia from exposure after shearing.
The C.5.1.R.0. team has found that a plastic raincoat —tested in artificial rain and wind—raised the body temperature of shorn sheep by 16 degrees if they were dry when the coats were put on. The rise was 11 degrees if the sheep were wet. Experiments are continuing to find a cheaper method than plastic, which might not be economical to some fanners. The scientists are thinking
of trying throw-away, waterrepellent paper coats, or even spraying sheep with a waterproof chemical.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31726, 9 July 1968, Page 7
Word Count
155Man-made Coats For Sheep Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31726, 9 July 1968, Page 7
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