Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T14:56:24.678Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Changes in fibre traits in Scottish Cashmere and Siberian goat kids and their relationships with annual production and diameter of the undercoat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

M. Merchant  and
D. J. Riach
M. Merchant
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH
D. J. Riach
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH
Get access

Abstract

The pattern of follicle activity and fibre growth on the neck, mid side and rear leg of 12 Scottish Cashmere (SC) and nine Siberian (S) goat kids was examined from birth to 255 days of age. In both genotypes maximum secondary to primary follicle (S/P) ratio was reached earliest on the neck (P < 0·05) but was proportionately 0·21 and 0·28 (P < 0·001) lower than that on the rear leg and mid side respectively. Secondary follicle activity ceased earlier on the rear leg than the mid side or neck (P < 0·001) and this was associated with lower staple lengths and patch weights of undercoat. Fibre weight and diameter were compared on six body parts: neck, front leg, mid side, rear leg, rump and belly at 255 days of age. Patch undercoat weights and diameter were greatest on the neck, front leg and rump and lowest on the belly.

The estimated annual production of undercoat, calculated from patch weights and skin area measurements on the six parts of the body at 255 days of age was 138 (range 42 to 260) g for SC kids and 525 (range 377 to 661) g for S kids (s.e.d. = 39·4, P < 0·001). Mean undercoat diameter was 16·15 (range 15·32 to 17·51) and 18·94 (range 17·25 to 19·89) μm for SC and S kids respectively (s.e.d. = 0·376, P < 0·001).

Correlation coefficients between fibre traits, measured at approximately monthly intervals and estimates of annual production and undercoat diameter at 255 days were calculated. For SC kids mid-side patch undercoat weight was consistently and strongly related to estimated annual production (mean correlation coefficient, 0·85, s.e. 0·036). For S kids the only variable to show a consistently strong relationship with estimated annual production was mid-side undercoat staple length × diameter2 (mean correlation coefficient 0·66, s.e. 0·067). Thus the best fibre traits for ranking annual production differed between genotypes. In both cases the accuracy of the ranking increased with age. Undercoat fibre diameter measured from 4 to 5 months of age was closely related to estimated undercoat diameter at 255 days of age in both SC and S genotypes (mean correlation coefficient 0·92, s.e. 0·009). Prior to 4 months of age the mean correlation coefficient for SC and S genotypes was 0·53 (s.e. 0·20).

It is concluded that goat kids can be ranked for annual production and diameter of the undercoat, prior to first harvesting, based on fibre traits measured on samples of the fleece.

Keywords

cashmerefibre qualityhair folliclesstaple
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 68 , Issue 4 , June 1999 , pp. 577 - 587
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bigham, M. L., Morris, C. A., Southey, B. R. and Baker, R. L. 1993. Heritabilities and genetic correlations for live weight and fibre traits in New Zealand cashmere goats. Livestock Production Science 33: 91–104.Google Scholar
Bishop, S. C. and Russel, A. J. F. 1994. Cashmere production from feral and imported cashmere goat kids. Animal Production 58: 135–144.Google Scholar
Bishop, S. C. and Russel, A. J. F. 1996. The inheritance of fibre traits in a crossbred population of cashmere goats. Animal Science 63: 429–436.Google Scholar
Bishop, S. C. and Russel, A. J. F. 1998. Cashmere goat breeding in Scotland. In Establishment of common European protocols for the recording of genetic performance data for speciality fibre producing animals, European Fine Fibre Network, FAIR3 CT96 1597, report 2 (ed. Souchet, C.), pp. 4–9.Google Scholar
Burns, M. 1954. Observations on the development of the fleece and follicle population in Suffolk sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 44: 86–99.Google Scholar
Couchman, R. C. 1986. The utilization of a modified Shirley Analyser (wool model) in dehairing cashmere-down samples for greasy-yield testing. Journal of the Textile Institute 4: 255–261.Google Scholar
Genstat 5 Committee. 1997. Genstat 5 release 3 reference manual. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Gifford, D. R. 1989. A note on the variation in fleece characteristics over the body of Australian Angora bucks. Animal Production 48: 245–247.Google Scholar
Henderson, M. and Sabine, J. R. 1991. Secondary follicle development in Australian cashmere goats. Small Ruminant Research 4: 349–363.Google Scholar
Herrmann, S. and Wortmann, S. J. 1997. Opportunities for the simultaneous estimation of essential fleece parameters in raw cashmere fleeces. Livestock Production Science 48: 1–12.Google Scholar
Litherland, A. J., Paterson, D. J. and O’Neill, K. T. 1995. Length as a predictor of down weight rank in New Zealand goats. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 38: 361–365.Google Scholar
McDonald, B. J., Hoey, W. A. and Hopkins, P. S. 1987. Cyclical fleece growth in cashmere goats. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 38: 597–609.Google Scholar
McGregor, B. A. 1994. Measuring cashmere content and quality of fleeces using whole fleece and midside samples and the influence of nutrition on the test method. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 20: 186–189.Google Scholar
Merchant, M. and Riach, D. R. 1996. Changes in the coat of cashmere goat kids of two different genotypes from birth to 13 months of age. Animal Science 62: 317–323.Google Scholar
Nixon, A. J., Gurnsey, M. P., Betteridge, K., Mitchell, R. J. and Welch, R. A. S. 1991. Seasonal hair follicle activity and fibre growth in some New Zealand cashmere-bearing goats (Capra hircus) . Journal of Zoology 224: 589–598.Google Scholar
Olivier, J. J., Cloete, S. W. P. and Bezuidenhout, A. G. 1993. Differences in mean fibre diameter and fibre diameter variance in fine wool, strong wool and fine × strong wool Merino sheep sampled at five body locations. South African Journal of Animal Science 23: 201–203.Google Scholar
Parry, A. L., Norton, B. W. and Restall, B. J. 1992. Skin follicle development in the Australian cashmere goat. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 43: 857–870.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pattié, W. A., Restall, B. J. and Smith, G. A. 1984. The measurement of cashmere produced by Australian feral goats. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 15: 525–528.Google Scholar
Rhind, S. R. and McMillen, S. R. 1995. Seasonal patterns of secondary fibre growth and moulting and hair follicle activity in Siberian and Icelandic × Scottish feral goats offered high and low levels of dietary protein. Small Ruminant Research 16: 69–76.Google Scholar
Roger, L. C., Scanlan, S. and Waterhouse, A. 1992. The use of fibre length measurements and patch sample weights as predictors of yield and down weight in a population of cashmere goats. Animal Production 54: 471(abstr.).Google Scholar
Ryder, M. L. 1966. Coat structure and seasonal shedding in goats. Animal Production 8: 289–302.Google Scholar
Sumner, R. M. W. and Bigham, M. L. 1993. Biology of fibre growth and possible genetic and non-genetic means of influencing fibre growth in sheep and goats — a review. Livestock Production Science 33: 1–29.Google Scholar