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The influence of season and nutrition on the sulphur content of wool from Merino and Cheviot sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. M. Doney  and
C. C. Evans
J. M. Doney
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organization, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh, 9
C. C. Evans
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organization, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh, 9
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Summary

Sulphur content, expressed as a percentage of clean dry wool weight, was measured at monthly intervals in two breeds of sheep, Cheviot and Merino x Cheviot backcross (¾ Merino, ¼ Cheviot), offered an equivalent annual amount of feed in three ways—constant level, natural grazing cycle and reversed grazing cycle. The relationships between S content and wool growth rate or nutrient intake differed with both breed and nutrient cycle, but all the results could be explained satisfactorily on the basis of a constant optimum composition for each individual with sulphur impoverishment related to lack of balance between follicle activity rate and high-S substrate availability.

The difference in mean maximum S content between breeds (3·87% and 3·81% for Cheviot and ‘Merino’ respectively) was much smaller than the difference between individuals within the breeds (4·05·3·72% and 3·92·3·66%). The seasonal depression within individuals varied with nutrition and wool growth rate, Cheviot sheep showing the greatest depression and lowest values (2·89 and 3·28% for Cheviot and 'Merino, respectively in the reversed cycle group). There was no consistent seasonal trend in the relationship between clean and unscoured wool weight.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 70 , Issue 2 , April 1968 , pp. 111 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1968

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References

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