UN SDG
Livestock Studies 1973, Vol 13, Num, 1-2     (Pages: 003-033)
Abstract Full Text:PDF Recommended articles How to Cite

The possibilities of selection about wool characters in Karacabey Merino

Kamuran ÖZNACAR

- The aim of this study was to invertigate the important fleece characteristics of Karacabey Merino Sheep at different age groups. The characteristics studied wers; live weight, greasy and clean fleece wight, staple length, fiber diameter, breaikng strength and elasticity. There ware six age groups at the ages of 1.5, 2.5, 3,5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 years and each age group consisted of 30 sheep. Besides these, material 542 yearling females were also used to determine the genetic and phenotypic relationship among the characteristics studied. The wool samples were taken from hip (rib) region at shearing.

The mean live weights were 38.5, 51.4, 52.2, 51.4, 49.8 and 46.5 kg for the age groups in increasing order respectively. The average live weight for the all age groups was found 48.0 kg. İn respect to the live weight the differences among the age groups were found significant.

The average greasy fleece weights ranged from 2.5 kg to 3.6 kg at the respective ages of 1.5 and 3.5 years. In general the trends in greasy and clean fleece weights were similar to the live weights the overall averages for greasy and clean fleece weights were 3.2 and 1.7 kg respectively. The mean staple lenght for the all age groups was 6.6 cm. This result may indicate that Karacabey Merino wool in suitable for worsted manifacturing.

The means fibre diameter was 22.6 microns at 1.5 years of age. It increased to 23.2 microns at the ages 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years and then increase contiuned to 23.5 and 23.8 microns at the ages of 5.5 and 6.5 years. The over-all mean of fibre diameter was 23.1 microns which coincides with 62 S in the standart classification of wool. The ranges of the average values of the age groups were 7.9, 8.8 g for breaking strength and 24.4, 27.7 % for elasticity.

The heritabilities were estimated from paternal half-sib correlations of the yearling females. The heritability values for the live weight, greasy fleece weight, clean fleece weight, staple lenght, fiber diameter, breaking strength, elasticity and yolk content were 0.59, 0.39, 0.30, 0.16, 0.17, 0.21, 0.16 and 0.22, respectively.

It was concluded that Karacabey Merinos possess atisfactory conditions as for as the qualitative fleece characteristics are concirned. However the live weight and fleece yield of the breed may not meat the requirements of the economical considerations. Keeping in mind this point, more emphasis should be given to these economical traits in the selection programs to obtain higher returns from the bereeding of Karacabey Merinos. Keywords :