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Wool and mohair. Producing better natural fibres
362
kage, markers, DNA probe, mating design, flanking markers, gene identification are the genetic approaches discussed, cloning in bacteria, gene transfer and fusion are the biochemical approach. Seven contributed papers, from France, NZ, Australia, Germany, Israel and Hungary present experiments involving one or more of these methods. Part five discusses productivity of Booroola sheep. Davis of NZ summarizes research on animals with Booroola ancestry in NZ, France, Canada, Israel, South Africa, Hungary and Australia. This review is followed by contributions presenting results of introducing the Booroola gene into different breeds, Finnsheep (USA), Awassi and Assaf (Israel), Merino (South Africa, NZ, France) and Texel (The Netherlands). Part six has papers covering population management. Piper and Bindon from Australia present strategies for utilization of a major gene. Nicol and coworkers from NZ present an open nucleus breeding program using the Booroola gene. A paper from Iceland presents strategies for the utilization of the Thoka gene in Icelandic sheep flocks. Finally, part seven deals with statistics. In three papers from France, Goffinet, Le Roy and Elsen present aspects of the detection of major genes. Trubuil and Rodolphe from France discuss automatic analysis ofunidimensional electrophoregrams. Each chapter is followed by references and all combined cover everything that is published on major genes for reproduction in sheep. The book is an excellent documentation on this field, however, it lacks subject and author index to render it more effective. M.H. FAHMY
Agriculture Canada, Research Station P.O. Box 90, 2000 Rte 108 East Lennoxville, Quebec J I M 1Z3, Canada
WOOL AND MOHAIR. PRODUCING BETTER NATURAL FIBRES
Wool and Mohair. Producing Better Natural Fibres. Thomas Harmsworth and Graham Day. 2nd Edition. Inkata Press Pty Ltd., Victoria, Australia. Paper back, 222 pp. ISBN 0 909605 55 6. A$37.95. This is the second edition of a book originally published in 1979 and intended for students of agriculture and woolclassing, and farmers involved in production and breeding of sheep for wool, and Angora goats for mohair. The
363 book covers much more than what the title implies, discussing practical sheep production with great emphasis on wool, particularly in Australia, and treating the subject of wool in a detailed and practical approach. However, people buying the book to learn more about mohair will be disappointed. This subject was treated very briefly so that including mohair in the book's title may not be justified. The book begins with a presentation of physiology of wool fibre and its natural and manufacturing characteristics. The second chapter familiarises the reader with sampling techniques and scientific measurements of wool fibres. Methods to measure yield, fibre diameter, and staple length are described. Knowledgeable readers may wonder why other characteristics such as fibre length, strength or density are not discribed in this chapter. Chapter 3 deals with breeds of sheep, grouped into, Merino, British breeds (subgrouped into long wool, short wool and hill breeds) and dual purpose breeds. Many breeds featured in this chapter are developed in Australia, thus their names may not be familiar to readers from other countries. This chapter is well illustrated, with good and clear photographs of the breeds presented. Chapter 4 briefly but adequately presents sheep management. The authors describe mating, lambing, lamb tagging, docking and castration, dipping, and fly, footrot and worm control. In the following chapter, the authors touch briefly on basics of genetics, selection, the importance of choosing the right animals for any particular environment and type of production, and discuss some basics of show judging. In Chapter 6, the subject of coloured sheep is presented with an interesting history and methods of breeding black and coloured sheep. Chapter 8 is of a particular interest to Australian breeders since it presents sheep and wool producing zones. Six detailed maps facilitate understanding. Chapter 9 discusses planning a new shed and how to operate a shearing shed. Subjects of labour requirement, order of shearing and shearing techniques are presented. A section is devoted to wool handling in the shed, how to identify different parts of the fleece, picking up, skirting and rolling fleeces. In Chapter 10, classing, pressing and branding, preparation of specialty clips and wool store classing are explained from shearing to marketing. Wool marketing and buying in Australia is presented in Chapter 11. The last three chapters of the book deal with wool types and yield, scouring, carbonizing and finally fellmongering or the chemical removal of wool from sheep skin after slaughter. A subject concerning wool not mentioned in this book, is chemical shearing, surprisingly, considering the many contributions of Australian scientists in this field. Mohair production, and goats in general, are treated very briefly in Chapter 7 and on passing in some other chapters. A brief description of the different types of goats (dairy, fibre and meat producing) is followed by details on mohair including its growth and properties. A section deals with breeding and caring for Angora goats and, finally, a section on mohair clip preparation. The
364
book has 11 pages of glossary of terms used in sheep and wool production which can be useful, and ends with an adequate subject index. The book is well illustrated with line drawings and photographs, and should serve well its intended readers. M.H. FAHMY
Agriculture Canada Lennoxville Research Station Lennoxville, JIM 1Z3 Canada
kage, markers, DNA probe, mating design, flanking markers, gene identification are the genetic approaches discussed, cloning in bacteria, gene transfer and fusion are the biochemical approach. Seven contributed papers, from France, NZ, Australia, Germany, Israel and Hungary present experiments involving one or more of these methods. Part five discusses productivity of Booroola sheep. Davis of NZ summarizes research on animals with Booroola ancestry in NZ, France, Canada, Israel, South Africa, Hungary and Australia. This review is followed by contributions presenting results of introducing the Booroola gene into different breeds, Finnsheep (USA), Awassi and Assaf (Israel), Merino (South Africa, NZ, France) and Texel (The Netherlands). Part six has papers covering population management. Piper and Bindon from Australia present strategies for utilization of a major gene. Nicol and coworkers from NZ present an open nucleus breeding program using the Booroola gene. A paper from Iceland presents strategies for the utilization of the Thoka gene in Icelandic sheep flocks. Finally, part seven deals with statistics. In three papers from France, Goffinet, Le Roy and Elsen present aspects of the detection of major genes. Trubuil and Rodolphe from France discuss automatic analysis ofunidimensional electrophoregrams. Each chapter is followed by references and all combined cover everything that is published on major genes for reproduction in sheep. The book is an excellent documentation on this field, however, it lacks subject and author index to render it more effective. M.H. FAHMY
Agriculture Canada, Research Station P.O. Box 90, 2000 Rte 108 East Lennoxville, Quebec J I M 1Z3, Canada
WOOL AND MOHAIR. PRODUCING BETTER NATURAL FIBRES
Wool and Mohair. Producing Better Natural Fibres. Thomas Harmsworth and Graham Day. 2nd Edition. Inkata Press Pty Ltd., Victoria, Australia. Paper back, 222 pp. ISBN 0 909605 55 6. A$37.95. This is the second edition of a book originally published in 1979 and intended for students of agriculture and woolclassing, and farmers involved in production and breeding of sheep for wool, and Angora goats for mohair. The
363 book covers much more than what the title implies, discussing practical sheep production with great emphasis on wool, particularly in Australia, and treating the subject of wool in a detailed and practical approach. However, people buying the book to learn more about mohair will be disappointed. This subject was treated very briefly so that including mohair in the book's title may not be justified. The book begins with a presentation of physiology of wool fibre and its natural and manufacturing characteristics. The second chapter familiarises the reader with sampling techniques and scientific measurements of wool fibres. Methods to measure yield, fibre diameter, and staple length are described. Knowledgeable readers may wonder why other characteristics such as fibre length, strength or density are not discribed in this chapter. Chapter 3 deals with breeds of sheep, grouped into, Merino, British breeds (subgrouped into long wool, short wool and hill breeds) and dual purpose breeds. Many breeds featured in this chapter are developed in Australia, thus their names may not be familiar to readers from other countries. This chapter is well illustrated, with good and clear photographs of the breeds presented. Chapter 4 briefly but adequately presents sheep management. The authors describe mating, lambing, lamb tagging, docking and castration, dipping, and fly, footrot and worm control. In the following chapter, the authors touch briefly on basics of genetics, selection, the importance of choosing the right animals for any particular environment and type of production, and discuss some basics of show judging. In Chapter 6, the subject of coloured sheep is presented with an interesting history and methods of breeding black and coloured sheep. Chapter 8 is of a particular interest to Australian breeders since it presents sheep and wool producing zones. Six detailed maps facilitate understanding. Chapter 9 discusses planning a new shed and how to operate a shearing shed. Subjects of labour requirement, order of shearing and shearing techniques are presented. A section is devoted to wool handling in the shed, how to identify different parts of the fleece, picking up, skirting and rolling fleeces. In Chapter 10, classing, pressing and branding, preparation of specialty clips and wool store classing are explained from shearing to marketing. Wool marketing and buying in Australia is presented in Chapter 11. The last three chapters of the book deal with wool types and yield, scouring, carbonizing and finally fellmongering or the chemical removal of wool from sheep skin after slaughter. A subject concerning wool not mentioned in this book, is chemical shearing, surprisingly, considering the many contributions of Australian scientists in this field. Mohair production, and goats in general, are treated very briefly in Chapter 7 and on passing in some other chapters. A brief description of the different types of goats (dairy, fibre and meat producing) is followed by details on mohair including its growth and properties. A section deals with breeding and caring for Angora goats and, finally, a section on mohair clip preparation. The
364
book has 11 pages of glossary of terms used in sheep and wool production which can be useful, and ends with an adequate subject index. The book is well illustrated with line drawings and photographs, and should serve well its intended readers. M.H. FAHMY
Agriculture Canada Lennoxville Research Station Lennoxville, JIM 1Z3 Canada