QUALITY OF WOOL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18833, 23 March 1931, Page 11

QUALITY OF WOOL.

ELIMINATING IMPURITIES. At the show grounds. New Plymouth, Mr W. Perry of Masterton, who judged the pure-bred sheep classes gave an address on the quality of wool to a large number of sheep farmers. Mr Perry had put in a good deal of time, investigating the wool question and in trying to breed sheep that was required by the farmer. His principle in breeding was to try and produce the animal that returned the most £ s. d. for the farmer, and he thought there was no sounder foundation they could work on. The dairymen were testing and striving to get the cow that would give the greatest return, and the sheep man should proceed along the same sound lines. The dairyman, hand in hand with production. had to watch constitution, and that, too, applied to the sheep breeder. They sometimes got a good fleece of wool on a sheep that was not strong in constitution, it was true, but a good fleece and a good constitution could be put together. This should be the aim of breeders, and they would find they also had a better fattening animal as well as one that would produce a more valuable fleece. He would go a little further and say that when they got quality in the wool they would also have a better quality of flesh. His experience was that sheep with the better quality wool always killed out a finer colour in the carcase, and were better eating. Quality of flesh went with the quality of the wool. He wanted to stress that point, but at the same time made it clea’r he was speaking more particularly with regard to the long wools—the breeds with which he had had most experience.' When they talked of quality in wool probably some of them did not know of the work that was being carrieu out in investigating wool fibre. The question was raised at Home some time ago that the Romney wool of New Zealand was second class, in fact one speaker went on so far as to say it was something like goats’ hair. This naturally made a great many of the Romney breeders v ery keen to see wha* the position was, and Mr Cockayne set to work to investigate the wool fibre. Mr Perry said he had had the good fortune to be associated with Mr Cockayne in the work, supplying him with samples of wool and so on. Incidentally it had been a great help to him in breeding. A lot of work was also being carried out by the British Wool Research Association —financed by the Empire Marketing Board — more particularly in respect to the manufacturing side. Mr Sidey. of Lincoln College, had been sent Home to learn what he could about this phase of the question. A lot of Corriedale and Romney wool had been sent Home for the purpose of the investigations and, while the final report was not yet out, he understood the purebred Romney wool had come out very well. Investigations, of great importance to wool growers were also being carried ut at Massey College and Lincoln College. One thing the research people at Home had found was that a round fibre was the one that was best for manufacturing purposes. One might ask how could one tell whether a sheep had got round fibre or not. They had, he admitted, to learn more before they could be quite sure about it, but the people on the other side were very decided that the round fibre wool was the one that manufacturers wanted. In making worsted clothing for instance, it packed in better and was more lasting, whereas flat fibres were always rough and would not fit in. There was a good deal of controversy going on in regard to differentpoints, and he had sent letters Home expressing the opinion that the scale on the wool had a great deal to do with the quality. He was still of that opinion, and he thought the point would come out In future. A good wool had the scale round the fibre. How were they to know. The first thing was softness to hand, then a nice lustre and yolk running to the tip of the wool. When sheep were running in a paddoex and they saw one with a nice sheen on the tip of the wool they would find if they came to handle it the yolk was right out to the tip, whereas in the sheep that was white at the tip the yolk was probably only half way the wool had a harsh feeling, and I hat, he contended. was due to a pointed scale. It seemed to him that the yolk flowed through the fibre and that harsh fibre allowed it to get away too near the body, whereas the round fibre with the proper scale carried the yolk right out to the tip of the wool. Then there was another kind of wool fibre—medullated fibre, almost like hair. Under the microscope this showed a black centre, whereas a good wool Was transparent under the microscope. The medulla ted fibre was composed of dead cells in the centre and these did not run the yolk through it, with the result that the wool became dead and white. One of the great difficulties in late years had been the increased quantity of medalated fibre. He hau found it in sheep he had judged that day and believed it would be proved yet there was something lacking in the soU compared with what they used to have in the new country. Investigations were being carired on to ascertain what was the cause of the trouble. It was a big question and, as he had said., it seemed to be more prevalent in recent years than used to be the case. They go.t two classes. One class would have medullated fibre, which looked like hairs, and another that had no yolk in them at all. He was inclined to think the deficiency in the soil was potash. There uesd to be so much of it wwh the burned bush, but now it had become exhausted. However, experiments would tell whether this was so or whether it was some malformation in the skin that did not allow the yolk to nourish the fibre. Proceeding, Mr Perry said that in looking for quality they could generally start with the face of the sheep. If the hair on the face and ears was of a nice soft texture then it invariably followed right through the animal, and they would find a good fleece. ‘There had been a good deal of discussion recently in which it was said there was a great shortage of what was called preparing wool —a wool about six inches long and of a 40’s ccunt. The point that came out in the discussion was that it was very difficult to fill orders for this class. Therefore .farmers breeding a strong wool would be well advised to always keep the wool on their flocks strong, hot buying a strong wool ram one year and a fine wool ram another. It was stated, too, that a wool with a shorter staple of fine quality was also in demand, and here the same point applied. It would be better for farmers to produce one or the other and stick to it. They would then get a better demand for their wool.