Abstract
Three shPep breeds (Lohi, Salt Range arid Kaili) were compa-red for their quantitative and qualitative wool characters. The clean wool contents were 60.01, 83.92 and 5789% respectively. The difference in clean wool content and in the scoured wool was highly significant (P<0.01), while the ash content differed signi-ficantly (P<0.05) in these wools. The vegetable matter and the grease content had non-significant difference, The fibre diameter of Loki, Salt Range and Kajli sheep was 36.04, 35.24 and 38.08 micrometers respectively. The percentage of true and heterotypi cal fibres differed significantly (P<0.01) among the breeds, while the difference in medullated fibres was non-significant. The average staple length was 5.26, 7.80 and 0.60 cm for Lohi, Salt Range and Kajli sheep and the difference for staple length and crimpsfem was highly significant.
INTRODUCTION
Pakistan hosts nearly 21 sheep breeds which mainly produce carpet wool. Pakistan wool is recognised as a superior grade wool for its carpet qualities in the international market. According to Haq (1982) the annual greasy wool production was 43.75 thousand tons yielding 26.25 thousand tons as clean wool. Rice et at. (1954) reported that fleece weight did not represent the weight of the wool in real sense because it contained impurities like dirt, mint, vegetable matter and grease which varied with breed, age, season, nature of soil, shearing period and method. For accurate wool production pltential, estimation of clean fleece content is necessary. Greater the clean wool content, lesser the -waste wool at the processing level and. more the return to the breeder. Obvi-ously, for the selection of a sheep flock for wool Production* estimation of clean wool content in addition to fibre quality characteristics is of fundamental importance. The present study reports the comparative evaluation of Loll,
*Livestock Production Research Institute, Baliadurnagar, Okara.
