HAIRINESS IN WOOL

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 291, 21 November 1936, Page 8

HAIRINESS IN WOOL

Valuable Research at Massey College J “PROGENY” TEST Wool research is as yet in its infancy at Massey College, but already a great deal of valuable work has i> . n done by Mr Waters ami his sltiH ,o assist tiie stud-breeder in iinpiovim. o wool of his Hock. The climinatioi, of hairiness in tlie fleece is a very important factor if wool is tt; bold its position in competition with ar’.if d substitutes which are being placed on tlie market to-day, writes B.A.C.T m the N.Z. “Herald.” Owing to varying climatic conditions and environment we cannot hope to establish absolute uniformity of wool throughout the Dominion, r> it earoful testing combined with selection and culling of the sires and dams can do much to improve both quality and typo by eliminating such defects -is hairiness, count variation and other defects found in our fleeces today. It is therefore encouraging to learn Hint numerous breeders are making the most of the facilities offered by Hie collego and arc securing rapid improvement of their wool. Careful records of the “tested’’ animals have to be kept and where previously the sires and dams were tested each year and only the better-testing/ animals were used, now Mr Waters has introduced the “progeny lest” to ascertain the prepotency of the sires and dams used. The results of this test Im va been very illuminating and should give breeders, who were dubious about the' benefits to be gained from the “tests” encouragement to continue.

In one stud sires and dams were! tested and records taken with a view to finding the results of matings in tlie progeny. Two sires were used. Ono tested triple A—the highest standard set by the college—and the second was doitiila A. Sire No. 1 was mated with inferior quality ewes with a view to improving the wool quality of the progeny, while sire No. 2 was mated with ewes which were also of the double A standard. In the case of sire No. 1, the result, instead of the anticipated improvement was an increased percentage of hairiness in the progeny.

In tho case of sire No. 2 the result not only maintained the wool standard of siro and dams, but in many instances the progeny attained the rank of triple A.

There undoubtedly have been in-' stances when a sire has tested as low a 3 C or D and yet a large proportion of his progeny have tested A grade or better. This is quite possible, as he has probably thrown back to a better quality kiro or clam in his forebears, but it does not necessarily leave the orogeny with prepotency sufficiently strong to reproduce high-quality wool. Rather, they would have a tendency to reproduce a variety of wool qualities throughout the flock. On the other hand, if a sire is tested as trinle A and his siro and dam have also keen high-quality test, ho has 1 strong tendency to reproduce first-gride wool when mated with owes which.' have tested well. Tlis progeny world maintain or even better his stando’-cl and would develop st Hbgreater pronntenev to reproduce their own high' qualify. Much patient work has to he done, and careffil records of the results of testings and matings have to be konf, if H’is work of the enllon-e is fo ho successful. Now fhnt Hie oprortnn'tv for improving our wool and floclr no, available, breeders pi-cmld fake adv-'n-tao’o of it and inoiflonfallv assist H’S .-ollege to oii-ry nn fii'q vib-shlo work,<