AVS 101 1st Edition Lecture 17 Sheep & Wool Production Sheep 1 billion in world 5-7 million in US 4 lbs./person/year Sheep 200 + breeds of sheepMost popular – Hampshire & Suffolk Breeds are classified by useWool, meat, dual-purpose Wool Breeds Meat Breeds Dual Purpose Breeds Management Both sexes have horns Seasonal breeders (male & female)Some breeds, breed all year-round (Dorset) Goal = 2 lamb crops/year Gestation – 150 days Management FlushingIncrease grain20% increase in conception Marking pencilWorn around ram’s neckID females bred Management TaggingRemove wool from tail/vulva areaeasier mating DockingRemoval of tail Management Systems Total production scheme – 100 lbs. sold Mutton Meat from sheep over 1 year old Disease Sheep get same disease as cattle Internal parasites Dewormed several times/yr. with anthelmintics Diseases Mastitis (bluebag) Diseases Pink eye Diseases ListereosisBacterial diseaseDue to bad silage (spoiled feed)Affects brainAnimals walk in circleUsually fatalNot a zoonose Diseases ScrapieViral diseaseScrape wool from backintense itchingParalysis & death No cureNot a zoonose Diseases ScrapieConnection to Mad Cow DiseaseBovine spongiform encephalopathyCreutzfeldt Jacob’s disease Diseases EnterotoxemiaOvereating diseaseChange in dietà Change in bacteria in digestive tractà Toxin in digestive tractà Don’t eatà Death Wool Boston is financial center of US wool market Sheep production à 1/3 income from wool, 2/3 from meat Wool Attributes Porous Generates heatInsulator Relatively light Elastic Wool Attributes Allows UV light to go through Dyes well Durable Relatively non-flammable Good wool fiber is…. Stretchy Wavy appearance à crimp Tight crimp Little kemp Fiber for fiber strong as steel Best Wool Combing wool or staple wool Very long, thin fibers From neck & shoulders Fleece Product of shearing Grease Wool First product after shearing Contains lanolinWaterproofs wool Scoured Wool Washed in warm soapy water Removes grease 10 lbs washed à 5 lbs clean Sheep sheared once/year Wool fiber grows from a follicle in outer layer of skin Composed of proteins Epiderm Medulla Cortex Wool Grading Blood systemMerino blood Micron system Worsted spinning countApproved USDA method# hanks of yarn that are spun from 1 lb. of clean, scoured wool1 hank = 560 yardsGrade of 50 = 50 x 560 = 28,000 yards of yarn Mohair Angora goat US produces 50% of world’s mohair30 million lbs. Dyes more accuratelyNormally snow white More expensive Second-best wig
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