Influence of Nutrition on Some Properties of High- and Low-Crimp Merino Wools and Their Cellular Components

Abstract

High- and low-crimp wool fibers, due to the influence of low nutrition levels, had increased crimp frequencies and increased volume swelling in formic acid but decreased sulfur content and fiber diameter. Ortho- and paracortical cells were liberated by ultrasonification of the two types of wool swollen in formic acid. Low-crimp fibers disintegrate more readily than high-crimp fibers, and the rate is markedly accelerated in wools from sheep with low levels of nutrition. The expected compositional variations between ortho- and paracortical cells were observed, but in addition, both cell types were sensitive to genetic and nutritional variation.