Effect of age on live weight and some wool characteristics of arabi ewes
A.S.igh M.N.R.; Latif, F.A.; Hussan, A.S.
Mesopotamia Journal of Agriculture 15(2): 9-20
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0379-7791 Accession: 005218155
Correlations between live weight, clean wool weight and staple length of wool fiber were studied in ewes. Ewes (85) were examined at regular intervals for 1 yr. The ewes were grouped into 1, 2, 3 and 4 yr age groups. Live weight was highly correlated with clean wool weight in the 2, 3 and 4 yr groups. The live weight was correlated with staple length during the 3rd and 4th yr. With 1 yr old sheep a positive correlation between live weight and staple length existed. The staple length was highly correlated with clean wool weight in 2, 3 and 4 yr age groups of sheep but only positively in the 1st yr. The live weight progressively increased until stabilizing in the 3rd and 4th yr. The 3 yr old ewes had greater clean wool yields than 2 yr olds. The 1st yr ewes showed a greater staple length than 2, 3 and 4 yr old ewes. There were no differences amongst 2, 3 and 4 yr ewes in staple length. Wool characteristics tested were superior in 1 yr olds; older ewes had higher live weights.