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SHEEP-fed-barely-sprouting-fodders, page : 215
Evaluating wool:
Commercial buyers purchase wool by the pound (0.5 kg) which is put in either a bag or bale, that can weigh anywhere from 150 to 1,000 pounds (68-453.6 kg). Buyers evaluate the season's yield of wool either from a flock or a group of flocks depending on the wool's intended use.
A buyer will inspect wool for the amount of seeds, burrs, twigs, and other vegetable matter. Wool that is free from such things is more valuable. The length of fibers is also taken into account, and falls into three major categories; staple, French combing, and clothing. Buyers are on the look-out for fleeces that have a consistent length.
Staple strength and position of break is another consideration. "Tender" wool is wool that has a low tensile strength and breaks unevenly. "Broken" wool is wool that breaks at the same point on most fibers through the fleece. Once again the condition of the fleece relates to health and nutrition. To test for weakness, stretch a small tuft of wool between both hands. Strut, it with the index finger of one hand, and if it is a good staple it will make a faint, dull, twanging sound, and does not tear or break.
If a commercial buyer is looking for color or colored fiber fleeces, what he will look for are, for the most part, bright, white wool that can be dyed without bleaching. However, many hand-spinners and some commercial buyers will look for naturally colored wools.
Crimp, which is the "wave" effect in wool fibers varies from one animal to another. Buyers are interested in consistent quality. Wool that has too much or too little crimp compared with that of the rest of the flock reduces the value of the bag.
Fiber diameter is another factor that is taken into account. "Spinning count," "blood grading" and "micron" systems are all approaches used to describe the diameter of fibers. Spinning count originally means 1 pound (0.5 kg) of a particular type of fleece wool would be spun into "hanks" of wool – a hank being 560 yards (511.8 m). The "blood system" is the grading of the fineness of wool, and the word "blood" refers to a sheep's breeding stock, such as the Merino breed. As for the "micron system" it is a laboratory test to measure the average diameter of the wool fiber. This approach is most often used by commercial buyers who are purchasing large quantities of wool. In this system, the larger the number means the coarser the wool.
If on account of a recessive gene factor, a black lamb is born, its black fibers can rub off on the fleeces of white sheep and this is not desirable because of problems that occur later on in the manufacturing process, consequently the value of your white wool will not fetch the best price.
Benefits of wool bedding:
Wool can be used to fill quilts, comforters and pillows and
Commercial buyers purchase wool by the pound (0.5 kg) which is put in either a bag or bale, that can weigh anywhere from 150 to 1,000 pounds (68-453.6 kg). Buyers evaluate the season's yield of wool either from a flock or a group of flocks depending on the wool's intended use.
A buyer will inspect wool for the amount of seeds, burrs, twigs, and other vegetable matter. Wool that is free from such things is more valuable. The length of fibers is also taken into account, and falls into three major categories; staple, French combing, and clothing. Buyers are on the look-out for fleeces that have a consistent length.
Staple strength and position of break is another consideration. "Tender" wool is wool that has a low tensile strength and breaks unevenly. "Broken" wool is wool that breaks at the same point on most fibers through the fleece. Once again the condition of the fleece relates to health and nutrition. To test for weakness, stretch a small tuft of wool between both hands. Strut, it with the index finger of one hand, and if it is a good staple it will make a faint, dull, twanging sound, and does not tear or break.
If a commercial buyer is looking for color or colored fiber fleeces, what he will look for are, for the most part, bright, white wool that can be dyed without bleaching. However, many hand-spinners and some commercial buyers will look for naturally colored wools.
Crimp, which is the "wave" effect in wool fibers varies from one animal to another. Buyers are interested in consistent quality. Wool that has too much or too little crimp compared with that of the rest of the flock reduces the value of the bag.
Fiber diameter is another factor that is taken into account. "Spinning count," "blood grading" and "micron" systems are all approaches used to describe the diameter of fibers. Spinning count originally means 1 pound (0.5 kg) of a particular type of fleece wool would be spun into "hanks" of wool – a hank being 560 yards (511.8 m). The "blood system" is the grading of the fineness of wool, and the word "blood" refers to a sheep's breeding stock, such as the Merino breed. As for the "micron system" it is a laboratory test to measure the average diameter of the wool fiber. This approach is most often used by commercial buyers who are purchasing large quantities of wool. In this system, the larger the number means the coarser the wool.
If on account of a recessive gene factor, a black lamb is born, its black fibers can rub off on the fleeces of white sheep and this is not desirable because of problems that occur later on in the manufacturing process, consequently the value of your white wool will not fetch the best price.
Benefits of wool bedding:
Wool can be used to fill quilts, comforters and pillows and