Discovering the lower limit for Merino fibre diameter

摘要

In recent years, the increased price premium for finer wool has stimulated the selection of finer rams in all strains of Merino and the expansion of fine and superfine strains outside their traditional tableland areas. In this article, Ken Fergusonand Jim Watts examine the impact of SRS selection in improvement of fine and superfine flocks. An extensive survey of the wool follicle structure of all Merino strains carried out by one of us, Jim Watts, showed that superfine flocks were unlikely to have reached the limits to performance and would respond to Soft Rolling Skin (SRS) selection. The objective of selection is increased fleece weight, reduced fibre diameter, reduced fibre variability, increased fibre length and other properties related to textile performance and consumer preference. SRS selection is not based on direct measurement of these attributes but rather on subjective assessment of a number of characteristics indicative of the density and length of fibres grown by the animal, as described in earlier articles on the biological basis of SRS selection.