Development and validation of a commercial grade technique for Patagonian cashmere fiber

Abstract

The double-coated goat fiber that is commercially called cashmere must have an average diameter of fine fibers (ADFF) less than 19 µm. In the flock studies, values below 50% of animals that produced fleeces with that fiber diameter were obtained. The determination of the diameter in the laboratory (fineness) by automatic equipment is not applicable in large-scale flocks due to its costs and care/protection. This makes it necessary to look for a fast and cheap commercial classification system whose precision at least allows for the formation of homogeneous batches that highlight the use of the finest fleeces (below 19 µm). In this work, the objective of developing and validating a method of visual and semi-quantitative classification of the fiber from the Creole goat of the north of the Argentine Patagonia was raised. Two tests were carried out: one following a drawn crimp scheme as a reference and the other assuming a coarse fiber/fine fiber length ratio of about 1 as an indicator of fiber <19.0 µm. The results indicate that the combination of both methods allows classifying types of fleece that are significantly separated by ADFF and allow forming homogeneous batches for the commercialization of the fiber of this type of animal.