An Account of a Recent Investigation of Wool Growth

Abstract

In 1941 a flock of Romney sheep was made available for work on fertility and wool growth. This flock has been kept at the Animal Research Station at Cambridge. The marked seasonal variations in the quality and quantity of wool produced must therefore be considered in relation to the climatic conditions around Cambridge. It has been found that the weight of wool and the length and diameter of the fibres change markedly with season. Wool growth is always poor in the winter and good in the summer. The question immediately arises as to whether such marked seasonal variation is due to bad nutrition, particularly in the winter.