RUGGING SHEEP

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21186, 5 November 1938, Page 15

RUGGING SHEEP

IS IT ECONOMICAL? Two rugging trials have been conducted in good sheep districts in New South Wales and in South Australia by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Waite Institute. Selected, even sheep were carefully divided into rugged and unrugged lots. Briefly, results noted for the first year were:— Unrugged clipped 10.641 b., and rugged 10.271 b. (the sheep were four-tooth wethers at the start and were shorn as six-tooths). Two fleece classes were made. Unrugged yielded 53 AAA’s, and rugged only 50, and of AA's 57 and 50 fleeces respectively. The rugged group yielded 66 fleeces of 64’s and under, and 27 of 64’s to 70’s count, the unrugged 57 64’s and 36 64 s to 70 s. Unrugged sheep gave slightly more wool, more fine wool, and more triple A fleeces. The rugged wool had increased length of staple, more bulk and body, denser staple, more character, and more condition. In spite of this, however, valuations were below those for unrugged fleeces. Valuers believed that the wool would yield less because of its heavy condition. A scouring test showed this not to be so. A tentative conclusion reached was that, under temperate conditions, and in the absence of dust and burr, rugging did not appear an economical proposition.