New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Alternative dye banding method for measuring the length growth rate of wool in
sheep
C. E. MCCLOGHRY
CSIRO
Division of Animal Production
Pastoral Research Laboratory
Private Mail Bag, Armidale
NSW 2350, Australia.
Abstract The length growth rate of fleece is routinely
determined by measuring the length of wool grown between two bands of dye, each
applied to the fleece at skin level at different times, normally weeks apart.
The routine procedure uses a Durafur Black R dye solution, which can produce
thick dye bands and may pose a health risk to both the operator and the sheep.
The aim of this study was to develop a method for producing fine dye bands in
wool, using a non-toxic dye. Two 5 cm dye bands, one using Durafur Black R dye
solution and the other using Schwarzkopfreg. hair dye cream were
applied to the right midside of 14 Merino and 14 Border Leicester x Merino
sheep. The dyes were applied at skin level, 9 weeks apart, from a 10 ml syringe
using a shortened 21 gauge needle. The dye bands were removed at skin level 4
weeks following the application of the second dye band.
The results of the study indicate that hair dye cream was easier and quicker
to prepare and apply than the Durafur Black R dye solution, and produced a
finer dye band that was less prone to wicking up the wool fibres in both Merino
(2.54 v. 4.61 mm) and crossbred (2.68 v. 6.50 mm) sheep. The implications of
this new technique for routine measurement of wool growth are discussed.
Keywords Wool; dye banding; length growth rate; fleece;
sheep
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1997, Vol. 40: 569-571
0028-8233/97/4004-0569 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1997
Short Communication
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (203K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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