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The inaugural Brian Nettleton Lecture links two of Brian’s views: 1) that it is important to get to know a certain area to be more a part of it and of nature; and 2) that areas suitable for outdoor adventure lie unnoticed near the centre of Melbourne. Nature needs our help given the serious and escalating threats. Increasing evidence shows that humans need nature in order to live happy and healthy lives. Personal examples, based on 40 years of activism, of the roles that community organisations have played in caring for land and nature in a local area in inner Melbourne, on a regional scale along a creek corridor and then on a State-wide scale are discussed. The active involvement of volunteers, employment of staff and evolution of organisations such as Friends of Merri Creek and the Merri Creek Management Committee have overcome a range of obstacles to environmental restoration. Outcomes include: creation of a heavily-used resource for environmental education and outdoor recreation by establishment of a bushland corridor in expanded public parklands. At a State-wide scale, the Victorian National Parks Association works for nature protection and has a strong record of successful campaigns. Currently, nature conservation and park management by Parks Victoria need substantially more public funding. Many people willingly volunteer to care for nature with practical restoration work, advocacy and organisational governance. Contributions by countless volunteers and community groups caring for nature have been essential to enable people to use and enjoy the outdoors in natural Victoria.

There is little information on permanent effects of nutritional manipulation of Angora does on the development of skin follicles of their progeny in utero and during the early postnatal period. This report investigates the combined effects of 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN) on skin follicle development and the subsequent physical properties and value of mohair until 19 months of age. Does were housed in individual pens in an outdoor feedlot from day 47 of pregnancy until 13 weeks postpartum. Kids grazed pasture following weaning at 16 weeks. MPN treatments commenced from day 47 as follows: Control (C), does fed to lose live weight (−67 g/d); Maintenance (M), does fed to maintain live weight; Supplemented (S), does fed to gain live weight at 102 g/d. From days 105 of pregnancy until 4 days postpartum the feeding level was ad libitum for all treatments. From 4 days postpartum PNN treatments were: ad libitum (AL) to allow maximum ME intake resulting in doe live weight gain throughout lactation; Restricted (R) to 70% of AL, resulting in doe live weight loss until week 10 of lactation. Kid skin biopsy samples were taken at birth, 114, 180 and 420 days of age. Fleeces were harvested at 7, 13 and 19 months of age and tested for physical properties. Commercial value of mohair was determined using known price discount responses and measured mean fibre diameter (MFD). Improving MPN increased kid live weight up to 6 months of age. Improving PNN increased kid live weight between 1–6 months of age. The ratio of secondary to primary skin follicles increased from 2.56 ± 0.83 at birth to 9.32 ± 1.41 at 4 months of age. The density of secondary follicles, total secondary follicle number and ratio of secondary to primary follicles were affected by significant interactions between MPN and PNN, with treatments S-AL, C-AL and M-R being higher than other treatments. Improving PNN increased total greasy and clean mohair production by 5%. Average MFD was affected by interactions between MPN and PNN, with treatment S-AL having mohair 1.8 μm finer than S-R and C-AL. Improving both MPN and PNN reduced lifetime MFD. Staple length was affected by interactions between MPN and PNN, treatments with the finest mohair having shorter staples. The first fleece weight was affected by birth parity and sex of progeny, but not subsequent fleeces. The MFD of the second and third fleeces for female kids were 0.9–2.2 μm coarser compared with male kid fleeces. Interactions between MPN and PNN affected lifetime fleece value with S-AL producing 20% higher value fleeces compared with other treatments. There are preferred nutritional combinations for breeding Angora does which permanently increase the skin follicle population and consequently improve the lifetime physical properties and value of the mohair grown by their progeny.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of controlled-release devices (CRDs) for providing zinc and for estimating faecal output in alpacas and sheep at pasture. Methods The study groups of 10 alpacas and 10 sheep at pasture were paired within species and allocated at random to receive by mouth either one CRD containing chromium sesquioxide designed to function for at least 21 days or two CRDs, one containing chromium sesquioxide and the other zinc oxide designed to release over a nominal 60-day period. Faecal concentrations of chromium, zinc and ash, blood and plasma concentrations of zinc and plasma activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured over a period of 117 days after treatment. Results The mean faecal chromium excretion profiles suggested that the CRDs performed in a similar manner in both species, releasing chromium for nearly 30 days in alpacas and for slightly more than 30 days in sheep. Using a common predetermined release rate of chromium from the CRDs, the daily faecal outputs of alpacas and sheep were estimated to be 0.54 kg dry matter and 0.33 kg dry matter, respectively. The CRD containing zinc oxide provided after 1 week an estimated daily release rate of 40 mg zinc with a lifetime of between 60 and 70 days in both species. The additional zinc did not elicit a response in blood zinc concentrations or in plasma ALP activity. Conclusion The CRDs were retained in the gastrointestinal tracts of the alpacas and sheep and both types functioned as expected. The CRD delivering chromium sesquioxide at a known release rate provided an estimate of faecal dry matter output over a period of almost 3 weeks and the CRD formulated to deliver supplementary zinc did so at the nominal release rate over a period of approximately 60 days in both species. These data indicated that the standard sheep CRD is applicable for use in alpacas.

Australian research on the influence of the rate of stocking on pasture, animal and mohair growth, parasitism, mortality, and other nutritional and husbandry requirements are reviewed. Liveweight of Angora goats is the main determinant of clean mohair production, fibre diameter and meat production, but not of staple length. Both liveweight and fibre diameter are determinants of the incidence of medullated fibre. Changing the frequency of shearing affects all mohair fleece attributes. Body condition is highly correlated to the liveweight of Angora goats, to welfare risk and carcass production. The profitability of mohair enterprises declined as the proportion of does in the flock increased, associated with a decline in mohair quality. Efforts to improve mohair quality and enterprise financial returns need to focus on producing finer mohair.

Recommendations for the nutrient management of lactating Angora goats are mostly based on theoretical calculations as little empirical data is available. This report investigates the combined effects of 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN) providing 6 nutrition patterns, with both single and twin bearing does, on milk production and composition and energy requirements for milk production. Following artificial insemination and pregnancy scanning, does were fed pelleted rations in individual pens in an outdoor feedlot from day 47 of pregnancy until 13 weeks postpartum. MPN treatments commenced from day 47 as follows: Control (C), fed to lose live weight (−67 g/d); Maintenance (M), does fed to maintain live weight; Supplemented (S), does fed to gain live weight at 102 g/d. From days 105 of pregnancy until 4 days postpartum the feeding level was ad libitum for all treatments. From 4 days postpartum PNN treatments were: ad libitum (AL) to allow maximum ME intake resulting in live weight gain throughout lactation; Restricted (R) to 70% of AL, resulting in live weight loss until week 10 of lactation. MPN had no effects on milk production. Milk production was affected by PNN and parity at days 21 and 42 of lactation but not at day 90. R fed does secreted 21% less milk at day 21 of lactation (1.75 vs. 1.38 kg) and 29% less at day 42 of lactation (1.74 vs. 1.24 kg) compared with AL fed does. Milk production corrected to 4% fat exceeded 2.8 kg/d until day 42 of lactation in AL fed does. Both MPN and PNN affected the concentration of milk solids. MPN had no effect on secretion of milk solids. PNN affected total secretion of milk fat, protein, lactose and total solids at days 21 and 42, with AL fed does producing more than R fed does. Both MPN and PNN had separate independent effects on NEl. For MPN, S fed does had milk with higher NEl than that of M and C fed does (C, 5.256; M, 5.320; S, 5.683 MJ/kg; P

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the significant factors important for prickle discomfort properties of commercial wool knitwear and to analyse information on variability of garments manufactured over two decades, a total of 177 purchased garments were tested. Design/methodology/approach The relationship between the attributes of the reversed engineered garments and garment comfort, as assessed by Wool ComfortMeter, was determined. Findings The results indicate that: mean fibre diameter had the most significant effect on prickle assessment; the coefficient of variation of fibre diameter interacted with fabric thickness in affecting prickle discomfort; and rib knit structures were pricklier than single jersey structures. Originality/value The results provide objective evidence that the consumer surveys reporting dissatisfaction with the prickle discomfort of wool are based on real consumer experiences of prickle discomfort and are not based on “prejudice” against wool garments.

There is little research on the nutrient requirements and the effects of nutrient manipulation on the productivity of lactating Angora does. The study design investigated the combined effects of 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN) with both single and twin bearing does, providing 6 nutrition patterns. Following artificial insemination and pregnancy scanning, does were fed pelleted rations in individual pens in an outdoor feedlot from day 47 of pregnancy until 13 weeks following kidding. MPN treatments commenced from day 47 as follows: Control (C), fed to lose live weight (–67 g/day); Maintenance (M), does fed to maintain live weight; Supplemented (S), does fed to gain live weight at 102 g/day. From days 105 of pregnancy until 4 days postpartum the feeding level was ad libitum for all treatments. From 4 days postpartum PNN treatments were: ad libitum (AL) to allow maximum ME intake; Restricted (R) to 70% of AL. This report is concerned with the responses from kidding to weaning for energy intake, live weight, body condition score (BSC) and mohair production. In AL treatments, maximum ME intake was reached during weeks 5–10 of lactation as follows: twin rearing does 3.88 × maintenance; single rearing does 3.25 × maintenance. No interaction occurred between MPN and PNN in affecting doe live weight. PNN significantly affected doe live weight from week 2 until weaning with AL does gaining 97 g/day from kidding to week 5 and thereafter 28 g/day. R fed does lost 40 g/day from kidding to week 10 and thereafter gained 38 g/day. By week 4 of lactation twin rearing does were 4 kg lighter than single rearing does. The change in BCS from just prior to kidding to day 90 of lactation was affected by an interaction between MPN and PNN. BSC of does fed M-R and S-R declined to a greater extent than does fed C-R, while the BCS for C-AL and M-AL increased to that of S-AL, which had remained constant at a high BCS. By day 21 of lactation the effects of PNN were significant, with AL does having significantly higher BCS than R does and the differences increased as lactation progressed. The BCS of single rearing does fed AL increased progressively, while the BCS of all other does declined. By the end of lactation, R does had significantly lower BCS than twin rearing does fed AL, which in turn had a significantly lower BCS compared with single rearing AL fed does. Significant interactions between MPN and PNN affected mohair growth, clean washing yield, mohair fibre diameter, incidence of medullated non kemp fibres and staple length. For fleece weight, S-AL and M-AL had heavier greasy and clean fleece weight compared with S-R and M-R with the other treatments intermediate. Similarly, the mean fibre diameter of S-AL was 2.4 μm coarser than that of M-R, with other treatments being intermediate. For both greasy and clean fleece weight, twin rearing does produced 14% less mohair than single rearing does. For R fed twin rearing does, the mohair had greater fibre diameter variability compared with other does. Overall, PNN had a greater number of and larger effects on measured parameters than MPN. Restricting nutrition in lactation was shown to depress doe live weight, BCS and the growth of mohair. Lactating Angora does rapidly changed their live weight and BCS in response to ME provision. To maintain live weight during lactation ME intakes of 3 × maintenance were required. Twin rearing does required an additional 0.5 × maintenance ME requirement compared with single rearing does. Does can gain live weight and BCS during lactation provided they are fed sufficiently. The preferred nutritional practice should allow maximum ME intake at least until week 6 of lactation.

The null hypothesis of the experiments reported is that the cuticle and cortical morphology of rare animal fibres are similar. The investigation also examined if the productivity and age of alpacas were associated with cuticle morphology and if seasonal nutritional conditions were related to cuticle scale frequency. Cuticle and cortical cell dimensions and ellipticity of the fibre cross section were investigated in 32 samples of cashmere, alpaca, mohair, bison, qiviut and vicuna from various origins. In addition, 24 Peruvian alpaca samples from animals ages 2–6 years and of varying fleece productivity were examined. Cuticle scale frequency, cuticle thickness and cortical cell dimensions (length, diameter, volume and ratio of length to diameter) and ellipticity differed between fibres and cuticle scale frequency also varied with mean fibre diameter. For Peruvian alpaca fleece samples, cuticle scale frequency varied with the age of alpaca and fleece productivity. Fibre ellipticity increased with inc...

Cuticle scale edge height and frequency are used to identify animal fibres but exhibit a large range in dimensions, the reasons for which have not been elucidated. Cuticle and cortical cell dimensions along with the ellipticity of fibres were investigated in cashmere samples from a controlled nutrition experiment. Cuticle scale frequency, cuticle thickness, cortical cell dimensions and ellipticity were affected by nutritional treatment, with significant differences between cashmere from goats fed to grow and those which maintained live weight or lost weight. Cuticle scale frequency, cell thickness and ellipticity (contour) varied with fibre diameter, fibre growth rate and the size of the animals. Cuticle thickness and ellipticity were related. Cashmere grown by goats with higher levels of nutrition had longer cortical cells with greater diameter, volume and a higher length:diameter ratio compared with cashmere grown by goats in restricted nutrition treatments. The results show that the fundamental...

Real-time ultrasound scanning is an accurate non-invasive technique used to improve quality in sheep, cattle and pig meat production but has been overlooked in meat production from heavy goat carcasses. The aims of this study were to: determine subjective and objective carcass attributes of 6 year old Angora castrate goats prior to and following slaughter; and determine the relationships between carcass attributes, bodyweight, body condition score (BCS), body dimension measurements and ultrasound measurements using multiple regression modelling. Key attributes were: on-farm bodyweight (range 35–77 kg), BCS (1, very thin to 4.3, fat), dimensional frame measures (wither height, heart girth, anterior-posterior circumference, body volume (circumference × girth)), carcass weight (range 11.6–33.2 kg), GR tissue depth of carcasses (1–27 mm) and the ultrasound measurements of eye muscle depth (EMD, 17–35 mm) and subcutaneous fat depth (SFD, 1–6 mm). Goats from three genetic backgrounds were grazed on pasture together for 6 years. In the three months preceding slaughter the goats grew from an average live weight of 50.7 kg gaining live weight at an average of 117 g/d to reach an average live weight of 62 kg. There were moderate correlations between all measurements. BCS accounted for 55.1% of the variance in carcass weight, 51.3% of the variance in EMD, (3.2% more than did GR tissue depth) and 59.9% of the variance in SFD. Live weight accounted for 83.8% of the variance in carcass weight. The best prediction equation for carcass weight included terms for live weight, SFD, EMD and sire, accounting for 91.5% of variance. Body dimensional measurements were not as useful as BCS in predicting carcass weight, with the best, body volume, accounting for 5% less of the variance than live weight. The best prediction for the EMD included terms for BCS and carcass weight, accounting for 61% of variance. GR tissue depth was primarily associated with SFD, and in combination with carcass weight and BCS explained 71.9% of the variance. In relation to predicting carcass traits, girth accounted for more of the variance in EMD, SFD and GR tissue depth than wither height or body circumference. If breeders aim to alter the EMD and SFD of Angora goats then ultrasound scanning provided better estimates compared with relying on live weight with or without body condition scoring. Both EMD and SFD were also in the best model for predicting carcass weight. BCS was a useful on-farm measurement for estimating carcass attributes but girth was not as useful as body volume in explaining the variance in live weight.

This study aimed to determine the relationships between skin surface area, animal size and mohair physical properties using estimates of skin area determined on animals prior to slaughter and to compare these with skin weight and skin area determined after slaughter. Angora kids born in late winter were shorn at 18 weeks of age. Prior to slaughter at 20 weeks of age, 15 kids of each sex were identified to cover the entire range of live weights. Body girth, body length circumference and body condition score were determined. Following slaughter, skins were weighed and skin area determined. Clean fleece weight and mean fibre diameter (MFD) were determined. Parsimonious general linear models were developed to determine the relationships between measured skin area, estimated skin area, live weight and skin weight, clean fleece weight and MFD both with and without log10 transformation. Live weights ranged from 8.3 to 23.1 kg, skin weight from 796 to 2262 g and measured skin area 0.23 to 0.59 m2. The weight of the skin represented 9.6% of the average live weight of the goats. Predicting measured skin area using body dimensional measurements accounted for 83.7% of the variance in measured skin area. Measured skin area was a constant 0.057 m2 greater than the estimated skin area. It was more accurate to use live weight to estimate measured skin area as the regression between estimated skin area and live weight accounted for 93.7% of the variance. Measured skin area and clean fleece weight were proportional to live weight 0.67, which is the general allometric relationship expected between the surface area of a shape and its volume. Both clean fleece weight and MFD were proportional to measured skin area but were better predicted by live weight. Predicting skin surface area using live weight 0.67 was more reliable than using body dimensional measurements.

The physical quality of Merino wool affects the processing route and efficiencies, the quality and uses of end products and thus the commercial price of both raw wool and wool textiles. The paper is the first of two and is organised into four disciplines relevant to the on-farm sector, being: nutrition, health, reproduction and management. A fifth discipline, breeding and genetics, will be covered in a second paper. Better integration is required of wool quality as part of integrated enterprise management and genetics strategies. There is an essential need to integrate wool quality metrics into pasture improvement activities, particularly on-farm extension activities and enterprise budgeting and modelling. A number of basic areas of wool harvesting and sheep management have been overlooked for decades and need clarification in the face of improved practices in other aspects of wool quality, such as longer staple length as a consequence of improved genetics and/or nutrition requiring increased shearing frequency. The review identifies practices which should be incorporated into all wool production and quality experiments as a consequence of advances in understanding of fibre growth, reduced costs of fibre testing and statistical analyses. The review identifies tools available to aid farmer’s adoption of new approaches but there is still a need to develop improved tools to assist wool producers gain the maximum benefits from the current state of knowledge regarding the best management of Merino sheep for wool quality.

Implementation intentions (IF-THEN plans) exert conditional effects on behavior, meaning that their ability to change behavior is conditional upon encountering the critical situation specified in the IF component of the plan. In the present study, we tested whether implementation intentions can exert unconditional effects on behavior. Consistent with the process of operant generalization, we hypothesized that implementation intentions would change behavior, not only in situations that are contextually identical to those specified in the IF component but also in contextually similar situations. Implementation intentions were not expected to generate behavior-change in contextually different situations to those specified. Participants (N = 139) completed questionnaires measuring speeding behavior and motivation to speed. Experimental participants then specified implementation intentions to avoid speeding in critical situations that were either contextually identical, similar or different to those subsequently encountered on a driving simulator. Control participants received educational information about the risks of speeding. All participants then drove on a driving simulator. Consistent with the hypotheses, participants in both the contextually identical and similar conditions exceeded the speed limit less frequently than did controls. There was no difference in speeding behavior between the contextually different and control conditions. Implications of the findings for behavior-change are discussed.

Knowledge of associations between skin follicle development in Angora goats and development of mohair fleeces is limited. These associations were investigated using data from a controlled nutrition experiment which had 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN), with single and twin litters. Skin biopsies were taken (birth, 114, 180, 420 days of age). Mid-side fibre growth and physical properties were determined 6 times between birth and 180 days of age. Birth coats were visually scored (1, straight; 5 curly). Fibre diameter distribution histograms were analysed at these ages. Skin area was measured. Total number of follicles and fibre growth per day determined. Fleeces were harvested at 7, 13 and 19 months of age and tested. Average fleece-free live weight (AvFFLwt) during fleece growing periods was determined. Data were analysed for treatment effects, correlations between attributes and multiple linear regression analysis performed to determine relationships between mean fibre diameter (MFD) at different ages with variables. AvFFLwt over the study within shearing intervals ranged from 5.8 to 37.6 kg. Density of secondary follicles (Ds) at 180 days of ranged from 10.8 to 34.0 mm−2, ratio of secondary to primary skin follicles (S/P) at 420 ranged from 4.8 to 14.1. Total fibre growth/day was related to the surface area (size) of kids, as surface area increased proportionally with live weight0.73. Smaller kids (female, twin reared) grew respectively 15–23% less fibre than larger male and 13–16% less than single reared goats. MFD was 27.8 μm at birth, then declined before increasing after 2 months of age. PNN had small effects on fibre diameter CV which was high at birth before declining rapidly during the first three months of life. There were negative correlations between both Ds and S/P ratio with: MFD; and the incidence of medullated fibres (patch fibre growth and fleeces at 13 and 19 months). The magnitude of these correlations increased with age. Birth coat score was negatively associated with fleece value. Predictions of MFD at shearing were related to log10AvFFLwt during the growth period, either Ds or S/P ratio, sex of kid, and a covariate term for the dam MFD. Greater Ds and S/P ratios greater than 9 were associated with finer mohair and more valuable fleeces.

There is little information available on the nutrient requirements of suckling Angora kids weighing less than 10 kg which has resulted in nutrition recommendations being based on older, heavier and weaned goats. This experiment determined the energy intake of suckling Angora kids to estimate maintenance ME requirement (MEm) and ME required for growth (MEg) for 8 and 21 day old kids. Does were housed in individual pens in an outdoor feedlot from day 47 of pregnancy. Pregnant does experienced a range of controlled nutrition treatments providing a range in live weight and body condition at kidding. From 4 days postpartum treatments were: ad libitum (AL) to allow maximum ME intake resulting in doe live weight gain; or Restricted (R) to 70% of AL, resulting in doe live weight loss until week 10 of lactation. Doe milk production was determined at days 8 and 21 of lactation, and ME intake of milk, kid liveweight change and fibre growth rate were determined. ME intake (kJ/kg0.75day) was then related to daily liveweight gain (g/kg0.75day) using multiple linear regression analysis. At 8 days of age, MEm = 1199 kJ/kg0.75day and MEg = 35.6 kJ/kg0.75day (P = 0.002). At 21 days of age, MEm = 700 kJ/kg0.75day (NS) and MEg = 24.0 kJ/kg0.75day (P

Objectively comparing cashmere goats with different cashmere production, mean fibre diameter (MFD) and staple length (SL) is difficult for farmers. We aimed to develop indices to enable cashmere producers to identify productive goats within their own farms once adjustments had been made for the primary determinants of cashmere production. That is we aimed to develop indices that identify goats and herds that biologically have a high fleece weight in relation to MFD and SL. We used a sample of 1244 commercial cashmere fleeces from goats originating from many Australian farms based in different environmental zones and a previously developed general linear model that related the logarithm of clean cashmere production (CCMwt) and any other potential determinant. In the present study, sub-models were investigated in order to develop new indices for comparing goats in the same farm, based on fleece characteristics and biological efficiency. New Index (MFD), equal to 6.02 × CCMwt / 1.1531 MFD , was developed to identify animals of biologically high CCMwt in relation to their MFD. Unlike previously reported results that MFD is not a useful measurement for comparing the biological efficiency of cashmere goats across farms, the New Index (MFD) allows comparison of the biological efficiency of cashmere goats within farms. New Index (SL), equal to 2.70 × CCMwt / 1.1414 SL , was developed to identify animals of biologically high CCMwt in relation to their SL. New Index (SL) is very similar to the Clean Cashmere Staple Length Index (CCSLI) that had been previously reported for comparison of cashmere goats across farms, and thus the CCSLI can be usefully used for comparing the biological efficiency of cashmere goats both across and within farms. New Index MFD , SL = 8.90 × CCMwt / 1.243 MFD+SL / 2 was developed to identify animals of biologically high CCMwt in relation to both their MFD and SL within farms, and provides useful information above using either New Index (MFD) or CCSLI. The indices can be presented in the same measurement units as fleece weight, which is a biological concept easily understood by cashmere producers, and enable comparisons to be made between animals using just one attribute, clean cashmere weight.

The handle properties of single jersey fabrics composed of superfine wools (17 μm) of different fibre curvature (114 vs. 74 °/mm) in blends with cashmere (fibre curvature 49 °/mm) were investigated. There were four blend ratios of cashmere (0, 25, 50, 75%) plus 100% cashmere. Each of the nine fibre blend combinations were replicated three times, and each was knitted into three tightness factors. The 81 fabrics were evaluated using the Wool HandleMeter, which measures seven primary handle attributes and Overall handle, and have been calibrated using a panel of experts and a wide variety of commercial fabrics. Results were analysed by ANOVA and general linear modelling. Tightness factor significantly affected all Wool HandleMeter attribute values, with the effect of tightness factor varying according to handle attribute. The Wool HandleMeter was able to detect differences between fabrics composed of superfine wool differing in fibre curvature, with lower fibre curvature wool fabrics having more preferred Ov...

Colour properties are measured prior to the sale of merino wool as they are of commercial importance when greasy wool is sold and when wool is dyed. With the paucity of knowledge of the colour properties of commercial mohair, this study aimed to identify and quantify the factors affecting the brightness (Y) and yellowness (Y-Z) values of commercial lots of Australian mohair. The research database comprised 520 sale lots (>500,000 kg mohair), which had tristimulus tests, and was sold during the period 2001–2009. Mohair was subjectively classed and sale lots objectively tested using international standard methods for mean fibre diameter (MFD, μm), fibre diameter coefficient of variation (%), International Wool Testing Organization (IWTO) clean wool base (IWTO yield, %w/w), vegetable matter (VM, %w/w) and the tristimulus values X, Y and Z (T units). The tristimulus values of Australian mohair were affected by the objective measurements of MFD, VM%, the subjective classing of stain, cotting, kemp and length a...

The chapter introduces animal fibers other than sheep wool. These fibers include cashmere, mohair, qiviut (musk ox), alpaca, llama, vicuna, guanaco, Bactrian camel, yak, bison, and angora (rabbit). Building on the information for wool in the previous chapter the differences in the chemical and physical properties of rare animal fibers are summarized. The importance of different cuticle scale properties and the presence of medulla on fiber properties such as lustre and friction, textile manufacturing especially dehairing, and textile quality are described. Tensile properties of raw fiber, dehaired slivers, tops, yarns, and fabrics are summarized particularly for mohair, cashmere, and alpaca. The effect of physical properties on the softness, feltability, and dyeing responses of these fibers are examined.

Objective To quantify if, and to what extent, permanent incisor wear differed with age of goat and farm of origin on commercial Australian Angora goat farms. Design Observations were made on three Angora goat farms in the wheat–sheep zone of Victoria, each managed according to the farmer's practices. Farmers provided a representative flock of does. Methods The proportion and pattern of wear of permanent incisors were recorded and percentage wear calculated. After log(y + 10) transformation, a parsimonious general linear model was developed to relate wear to farm and age, with age considered as a continuous variate. Results The range in wear of the permanent incisors was 0–100%. For each farm, the most parsimonious model for permanent first incisor wear and average wear of all permanent incisors was a separate straight line relating the transformed incisor wear to the age of doe. The models accounted for 66–73% of variance. On each farm the incisor wear was similar and low for ages up to approximately 4 years. On all farms, the amount of incisor wear increased dramatically with age, although the rate of increase differed with each farm. Conclusions Permanent incisor wear increased with age of goat and differed with farm of origin. Angora goat farmers need to be aware of the potential for incisor wear to affect doe production and health.

This study investigated the relationships between the sensations of sweaty, damp, muggy and clingy, as assessed by human response from wearer trial garment assessment, and fiber type, fiber, yarn and fabric properties and instrumental fabric measurements of next-to-skin knitwear. Wearer trial assessment of 48 fabrics followed a strict 60 minute protocol including a range of environmental conditions and levels of exercise. Adjusted mean weighted scores were determined using linked garments. Instrumental fabric handle measurements were determined with the Wool HandleMeter (WHM) and Wool ComfortMeter. Data were analyzed using forward stepwise general linear modeling. Mean fiber diameter (MFD) affected the sweaty, damp, muggy and clingy sensation responses accounting for between 23.5% and 56.2% of the variance of these sensations. In all cases, finer fibers were associated with lower sensation scores (preferred). There were also effects of fiber type upon sweaty, muggy and clingy scores, with polyester fiber fabrics having higher scores (less preferred) compared with fabrics composed of wool, particularly for peak sweaty scores in hot and active environments. Attributes such as fabric density, yarn linear density, knitting structure and finishing treatments, but not fabric thickness, accounted for some further variance in these attributes once MFD had been taken into account. This is explained as finer fibers have a greater surface area for any given mass of fiber and so finer fibers can act as a more effective sink for moisture compared with coarser fibers. No fabric handle parameter or other attribute of fiber diameter distribution was significant in affecting these sensation scores.

The relationships between wearer-assessed comfort and objectively measured comfort and handle parameters were investigated using 19 pure wool single jersey garments made of single ply yarns. Wearer trials were used to determine prickle discomfort, and whether wearers “liked” the garments. Fabrics then were objectively evaluated using the Wool HandleMeter, which measures seven primary handle attributes; and the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM), to predict a wearer's perception of fabric-evoked prickle. Wearer responses and the relationships within and between objective measurements and the effect of fibre, yarn and fabrics attributes were analysed by general linear modelling. Mean fibre diameter, fibre diameter coefficient of variation, yarn count, fabric thickness, fabric density, fabric mass per unit area and decatising affected one or more handle parameters. The best model for predicting wearer prickle discomfort accounted for 90.9% of the variance and included only terms for the WCM and WCM2. The WCM was a good predictor whereas mean fibre diameter was a poor predictor of whether wearers “liked” garments. Wearer assessment of prickle and whether or not wearers “liked” fabrics were independent of fabric handle assessment. The results indicate that the handle and comfort properties of lightweight, wool jersey fabrics can be quantified accurately using the Wool HandleMeter and the Wool ComfortMeter. For fabric handle, fibre and yarn characteristics were less important than changes in the properties of the fabric.

The handle properties of knitted wool fabrics were investigated using the Wool HandleMeter. The fabrics were single jersey knitted with three different loop lengths, where the yarn linear density was kept constant. The effect of a treatment using a continuous plasma treatment device was compared with untreated fabrics. The results confirm that the Wool HandleMeter is capable of differentiating between knitted single jersey fabrics with different surface treatments and loop lengths. With all seven primary handle attributes affected, plasma-treated fabrics were significantly different from untreated fabrics. Plasma treated fabrics were assessed as being rougher, harder, and heavier with a warmer and drier feeling compared with untreated fabrics. Regardless of treatment used, the effect of loop length was significant. It was shown that a shorter loop length is associated with fabrics that feel rougher, heavier and warmer.

This study aimed to quantify the skin comfort and handle properties of a range of wool fabrics produced from ultrafine wool (13.7–15.1 µm) and in doing so determine if differences in fiber diameter and staple crimp frequency (5.3–7.1 crimps/cm) were important in these properties. The fabrics were evaluated using a range of subjective and objective measurement techniques, including the Wool ComfortMeter, the Wool HandleMeter and in wearer trials. This work indicated that single jersey fabrics made from ultrafine wool are approaching the limit of objective and subjective evaluation of next-to-skin comfort. The results from the Wool ComfortMeter, Wool HandleMeter and the wearer trial show that there were no significant effects that can be attributed to wool staple crimp (fiber curvature) in these ultrafine wool fabrics. The work also demonstrated a difference in the manufacturing response when knitted fabric made from wools of different fiber diameter (13.7–23.7 µm), and using yarns of the same count, resulted in a progressively higher fabric mass per unit area as mean fiber diameter was progressively reduced.

A single focus on mean fibre diameter (MFD, μm) as the definition of cashmere quality overlooks the effects of fibre length, softness and fibre curvature on cashmere processing, textile quality and consumer acceptance. Many farmers overlook the importance of cashmere staple length (SL, cm) in their fleece assessments. We aimed to determine the importance of SL in comparison with MFD when evaluating cashmere production and to identify how across farm comparisons of cashmere fleeces can be objectively undertaken. A sample of 1244 commercial cashmere fleeces from goats originating from many Australian farms was used. Least squares models, relating the logarithm of clean cashmere production (CCMwt, g) to MFD and SL, were fitted. Six years of data from the Australian cashmere industry between farm fleece competitions were analysed to determine the relation between CCMwt and MFD. In the research flocks, adjusting CCMwt of individual goats across farms for MFD only accounted for 2% of the variance, whereas SL accounted for 39% of the variance. The least squares additive model involving only SL was: log 10 (CCMwt) = 1.570 + 0.06010 × SL. Thus CCMwt was proportional to: 10 0.06010 × SL = 1.1484 SL . It was appropriate to adjust CCMwt for SL by a factor 1/1.1484 (SL − SL0) where SL0 is a standard SL of 7.5 cm. The between farm index for cashmere weight equals: clean cashmere staple length index = 2.823 × CCMwt/1.1484 SL . For industry fleece competitions, regression analysis indicated that there was no association between cashmere production and MFD ( P = 0.81), similar to the research data. Adjusting CCMwt for MFD in across farm comparison and fleece competitions appears to be ineffective. For farm comparisons and in fleece competitions it is important to assess cashmere SL. The use of the Clean Cashmere Staple Length Index will provide a more robust comparison of cashmere productivity between farms as it is an indirect indicator of desirable skin secondary follicle development. The results have application in development projects where obtaining a cashmere MFD test is costly or unavailable.

The relationships were investigated between the prickle discomfort scores, assessed by human response from wearer trial garment assessment, and sleeve trial, Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) and Wool HandleMeter (WHM) assessments of fabrics, and fiber diameter characteristics including mean fiber diameter (MFD). Sleeve trial assessment followed exercise, the use of a control sleeve to reduce participant variance and four sensory traits. WHM provides eight handle parameters calibrated against a panel of experts. Four scenarios were evaluated: sleeve trial assessment with MFD; sleeve trial assessment with MFD and WCM; sleeve trial assessment with MFD, WCM and WHM parameters; and sleeve trial assessment with WCM and WHM parameters. Data were analyzed using correlation and forward stepwise general linear modeling. There was no evidence that the incidence of fibers coarser than 30 µm aided the prediction of prickle discomfort once MFD had been accounted for in the models. There were significant correlations between the WCM measurement and each sleeve trial attribute. There was no significant correlation between WHM parameters and sleeve trial assessments. The sleeve trial attribute of ‘skin feel’ offers potential to improve the predictions made of wearer trial prickle discomfort when used in association of the WCM with or without data on fabric MFD. There was little evidence to support using WHM parameters with or without the WCM in predicting wearer assessed prickle discomfort of fabrics. These results indicate that the rapid evaluation of fabrics using sleeve trial assessment can provide cost effective ranking of consumer preferences.

A new technique of predicting the comfort properties of single jersey knitted fabrics by using the Wool ComfortMeter to assess the corresponding yarns was previously investigated. In this study, the effect of the tension with which the yarn is wound on the Wool ComfortMeter yarn test plate was studied using 20 worsted, wool yarns comprising both one and two plies. The yarns covered a mean fiber diameter range from 13.8 to 24.3 µm. Three different levels of tension were applied to the yarn: 0 N (no applied tension); 0.245 N; and 0.735 N. The results, analyzed using multiple regression modeling, confirmed the significant effect of yarn tension on the Wool ComfortMeter value of the yarn, where yarn ply was also significant. The best predictor of the fabric Wool ComfortMeter value was using yarn winding with no applied tension. These results also showed that when the yarn Wool ComfortMeter values are available the mean fiber diameter provided little or no extra value in predicting fabric Wool ComfortMeter values. The models also detected significant effects from yarn count, yarn ply and fabric mass per unit area on fabric Wool ComfortMeter values.

Felting is a unique attribute of animal fibres used for the production of a range of industrial and apparel textiles. Felting can be an adverse attribute as a consequence of dimensional shrinkage during laundering. As there is little objective information regarding the feltability of rare animal fibres or the factors which may affect felting three investigations were undertaken. A survey (n = 114) of the feltability of cashmere from different origins of production, cashgora, quivet, camel hair, llama, guanaco, bison wool, cow fibre and yak wool quantified the large variation between and within these fibre types. Cashmere from some origins and cashgora produced higher feltball density than the other fibres. Different nutritional management of cashmere goats (n = 35) showed that cashmere grown by poorly fed goats had a lower propensity to felt compared with cashmere grown by better fed goats. A consequence of the progressive blending of cashmere (n = 27) with a low propensity to felt superfine wool (high fi...

The association between the incidents counted by the measurement wire of the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) and the previously published neurophysiological basis for fabric-evoked prickle have been investigated for lightweight knitted woolen fabrics. The fiber lengths and diameters capable of triggering the fabric-evoked prickle sensation were calculated using Euler’s buckling formula, and it is suggested that fibers as fine as 10 µm are capable of triggering the prickle response if they have a short enough free length protruding from the surface. Good agreement was found between the sensory assessed human prickle sensation and the wearer prickle response predicted using the WCM outputs, especially when the latter were transformed using Stevens’s Psychophysical Power Law.

Staple entanglement in mohair fleeces occurs when adhesions form between longer and faster growing fibres and shorter and slower growing fibres. This results in accentuated crimp of the longer fibres and an “apparently” reduced staple length. The appearance in the fleece of Angora goats of staple entanglements can lead to the downgrading of the mohair to poorer style and shorter length grades, resulting in up to 60% price reductions. This study examined how staple entanglement score (SES) is related to lifetime factors of Angora goats, and how this relationship can be explained by variations in animal size and fleece attributes. SES was scored using a five-point scale: 5, long free fibres easily separated as no adhesions; 4, some adhesions between fibres; 3, some effort to separate fibres as many adhesions; 2, many adhesions, staple fibres entangled, shortening of staple; 1, very entangled and shortened staple. Measurements were made over 9 shearing periods on a population of Angora castrated males (wethers) goats representing the current range and diversity of genetic origins in Australia, including South African, Texan and interbred admixtures of these and Australian sources. Data on genetic origin, sire, dam, date of birth, dam age, birth weight, birth parity, weaning weight, live weight, fleece growth and fleece attributes were recorded. Two restricted maximum likelihood (REML) models were developed to relate SES with age, animal lifetime factors, fleece quality attributes and live weight. One model allowed fleece quality and live weight traits in the model and the other excluded these traits. Staple entanglement was almost eliminated in mohair harvested from goats shorn every 3 months but was common in mohair from goats shorn twice or once per year. SES was less in goats of Texan genetic background, and was generally less in winter grown mohair. SES was higher for mohair with low fibre curvature (FC, 10°/mm) and a high clean washing yield (CWY, 90%) compared with mohair with low FC and lower CWY (80%), and compared with all mohair with high FC (18°/mm). The response of SES to shearing regime, genetic background, shearing season, age of goat and a response to dam age were almost identical whether or not an adjustment was made for CWY and FC. There was a moderate amount of variability due to sires and individuals. We can conclude that a large part of these effects observed, namely breed, dam age, sire, and a component of the FC and CWY effects, are genetic. Mohair producers can manage the genetic effects by careful selection of sires, especially avoiding those with low CWY or high FC, and avoiding sires with higher levels of staple entanglement or that have produced progeny with higher levels of staple entanglement. Also, unidentified environmental effects are affecting staple entanglement, although a lack of a live weight change effect on entanglement indicates that this effect might not be due to nutrition.

Despite cereal grains being grown on 5 continents where goats are kept, there is little information on the excretion of whole cereal grains when fed to goats. We determined the effects of various dietary treatments on whole grain and starch loss in the faeces of Angora goats. In Experiment 1 there were 4 replicates of the factorial design: (a) 2 grain types (barley, oats); (b) whole grain or processing (milled barley or rolled oats); (c) 2 roughage qualities (Persian clover hay, barley straw); and (d) 2 feeding levels (level 1, 150 g/d of grain, 250 g/d of roughage; level 2, 250 g/d of grain, ad libitum roughage). In Experiment 2, which immediately followed Experiment 1, and aimed to detect carry over effects of previous feeding of barley straw and grain processing, feed levels were either 650 g/d grain or 400 g/d grain with 550 g/d Persian clover hay. Data were analysed by ANOVA. In Experiment 1, processing had no effect on digestible dry matter intake. The number of whole grains lost per 100 g of fresh faeces and whole grains loss as the % of grain dry matter intake were affected by an interaction between processing and roughage quality. Whole grain fed with Persian clover hay had greater grain loss than all other diets. Whole grain loss was greater with whole grain than with processed grain. Level of feeding had no effects on grain loss. In Experiment 2, more whole grains were lost in fresh faeces when fed with Persian clover hay than when fed without hay, an effect of previous feeding with barley straw reduced whole grain excretion, and more barley grains were lost than oat grain. Faecal starch was affected, with higher levels when whole barley grain was fed, particularly with Persian clover hay, or when previously fed barley straw at a high level. Feeding grain at 650 g/d did not increase grain or starch excretion. Whole grains represented a small loss of grain dry matter intake in faeces, averaging 0.8% with a maximum recorded of 2.6%. Faecal concentration of the whole grains may be altered by grain size and the digestibility of the roughage component of the diet. In this study an additional cost of 3% for processing grains would not have provided economic benefits.

In a range of animals, increasing mean fibre diameter (MFD) of fibre is associated with an increasing incidence of medullated fibres (Med). It would thus be expected that Med in mohair fleeces, from animals in a flock, would be related to the MFD of those fleeces. MFD of mohair is not the only dimensional attribute of fibres. Med in mohair is phenotypically and genetically related to the size of animals. This study examined how Med is related to dimensional properties of mohair over the lifetime of Angora goats and how the relationship varies with other lifetime factors. The relationship found is then examined to determine the extent that the relationship can be explained by variations in animal size of the goats. Measurements were made over 11 shearing periods on a population of Angora goats representing the current range and diversity of genetic origins in Australia, including South African, Texan and interbred admixtures of these and Australian sources. Records of breed, sire, dam, date of birth, dam age, birth weight, birth parity, weaning weight, live weight, fleece growth and fleece attributes were taken for castrated males (wethers). Animals’ fleece-free live weight (FFLwt, kg) were determined for each goat at shearing time by subtracting the greasy fleece weight from the live weight recorded immediately prior to shearing. The average of the FFLwt at the start of the period and the FFLwt at the end of the period was calculated. Two restricted maximum likelihood (REML) models were developed to relate Med to MFD, staple length (SL) and other lifetime factors. One model allowed FFLwt in the model and the other excluded FFLwt. With the exception of the 1.5 years shearing, Med strongly increased with increasing MFD whether or not adjustments were made for FFLwt measurements. In particular Med increased by 2.0% for each 1 μm increase in MFD, with no adjustment for FFLwt measurements, and increased by 1.5% for each 1 μm increase in MFD, with adjustment for FFLwt measurements. Within each shearing interval increasing average FFLwt was associated with increasing incidence of Med in a similar way to that which has been previously reported without including MFD in the model. There was no evidence that SL needed to be included in the models for Med. Mohair grown by the goats of Mixed genetic background grew mohair which had a higher incidence of Med at ages 2 and 2.5 years and the trend was apparent in other shearing periods. We can conclude that there is both a large response of Med to live weight and a large response to MFD, and that these responses are largely functionally separate. While the response to MFD is in accord with earlier work, there is an unrelated and unreported physiological mechanism that favours the production of Med in larger Angora goats. Clearly, larger Angora goats are biologically different compared with smaller animals from the same flock, in ways that are not purely related to the allometrics of size.

Softness of apparel textiles is a major attribute sought by consumers. There is surprisingly little objective information on the softness properties of rare animal fibres, particularly cashmere, alpaca and mohair. Samples of these and other rare animal fibres from different origins of production and processors were objectively measured for fibre diameter, fibre curvature (FC, crimp) and resistance to compression (softness). While there were curvilinear responses of resistance to compression to FC and to mean fibre diameter, FC accounted for much more of the variance in resistance to compression. Fibre type was an important determinant of resistance to compression. The softest fibres were alpaca, mohair and cashgora and all of the fibres measured were softer than most Merino wool. Quivet, llama, camel, guanaco, vicuna, yak wool, bison wool, dehaired cow down and Angora rabbit were also differentiated from alpaca, mohair and cashmere. There were important differences in the softness and FC of cashmere from ...

The prickle evoked by 48 knitted fabrics was assessed by wearers under a defined evaluation protocol. The relationship between the average wearer prickle score and known properties of constituent f...

The aim of this study was to determine if textural greasy wool handle can be accurately predicted from a suite of currently assessed and measured wool traits. A multivariate regression analysis ind...

The presence of even a small amount of medullated fibre, in otherwise high quality mohair, may have a pronounced adverse effect on its value and end-use potential. However, there is considerable confusion about the effects, if any, of environmental variables and management upon the incidence of medullated fibres in mohair. This study examined how the incidence of medullated fibres (Med, % by number) is related to the fleece-free live weight (FFLwt) of Angora goats of different genetic origins over their lifetime, and how the relationship varies with other lifetime factors. Measurements were made over 11 shearing periods of 6 months, on a population of Angora goats representing the current range and diversity of genetic origins in Australia, including South African, Texan and interbred admixtures of these and Australian sources. Records of breed, sire, dam, date of birth, dam age, birth weight, birth parity, weaning weight, live weight, fleece growth and fleece quality were taken for castrated males (wethers) (n = 94 animals). A restricted maximum likelihood (REML) model was developed for log10(Med + 1), which allowed the observations of the same animal at different ages to be correlated in an unstructured manner. Med varied between 0.1% and 4.3%. The median average FFLwt during a shearing interval increased from 15 kg at 1 year old to 59 kg at 6 years old. Generally, within each shearing interval, Med increased with increasing average FFLwt. However, the size and shape of the relationship differed greatly between shearing ages. For example, at 3.5 years of age Med increased from about 1.1% at an average FFLwt of 26 kg to 2.6% at 50 kg, whilst at 5.0 years of age Med only changed from 1.4% at 32 kg to 1.6% at 56 kg. Goats with mixed genetic parentage showed an increase in Med at some shearings, particularly at younger ages. Variation in animal nutrition, as measured by live weight change during shearing periods, did not affect Med. The results supplement our earlier findings that mohair mean fibre diameter and clean mohair fleece weight, but not staple length, are greater in larger Angora goats. Live weight needs to be taken into account in genetic evaluation of the incidence of medullated fibres. We conclude that any advantage in handling fewer but larger Angora goats rather than more but smaller goats will come at the detriment of producing lower quality mohair, both in terms of increased Med and mean fibre diameter.

The comfort properties of the pique and single jersey knitted wool fabrics were investigated using the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM). The fabrics were knitted in three cover factors and treated with either plasma or a silicone softening agent and were compared with untreated fabrics. Plasma treatment did not show significant effects on the comfort value. However, silicone polymer significantly reduced WCM values suggesting that the silicone coating reduced the number of protruding fibres on the fabric surface. Regardless of treatment used, pique fabrics showed a lower WCM value, and therefore were perceived to be more comfortable than the single jersey structure. While the effect of cover factor was not significant, in fitted model to predict the WCM value of fabrics, mass/unit area and fabric thickness were significant predictors along with fabric structure and finishing treatment.

In this replicated experiment, we investigated the comfort properties of single jersey fabrics composed of cashmere in blends with superfine wools of different fibre curvature (crimp) where the fibre diameter of the wool and cashmere were tightly controlled. The 81 fabrics were evaluated using the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) which has been calibrated using wearer trials of wool knitwear. General linear modelling determined the best prediction models for log10 transformed fabric WCM values using 27 fibre, 16 yarn and 30 fabric attributes. Tighter fabrics were less comfortable. Progressively blending cashmere with wool progressively increased comfort assessment. The WCM was able to detect differences between fabrics which were more supple and springy, thinner and lighter, and were composed of more elastic, uniform and stronger yarns. Together these attributes explained 82% of the variance in WCM value.

This study examined the feasibility of assessing yarns with the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) to predict the comfort properties of the corresponding single jersey-knitted fabrics. The optimum yarn arrangement to predict the comfort value of a corresponding control fabric was determined using nine wool and wool/nylon-blended yarns (mean fibre diameter range 16.5–24.9 μm) knitted into 34 different fabrics. Using a notched template, yarn winding frequencies of 1, 3, 6, 12, 25 and 50 parallel yarns were tested on the WCM. The best predictor of fabric WCM values was using 25 parallel yarns. Inclusion of knitting gauge and cover factor slightly improved predictions. This indicates that evaluation at the yarn stage would be a reliable predictor of knitted fabric comfort, and thus yarn testing would avoid the time and expense of fabric construction.

The comfort properties of yarns and single jersey knitted fabrics composed of pure superfine wools and wool/cashmere blends were investigated. A notched template enabled the rapid testing of yarns ...

The mean fibre diameter (MFD) of wool is the primary determinant of price, processing performance and textile quality. This study determines the primary influences on MFD as Saxon Merino sheep age, by allometrically relating MFD to fleece-free liveweight (FFLwt). In total, 79 sheep were grazed in combinations of three stocking rates and two grazing systems (GS: sheep only; mixed with Angora goats) and studied over 3 years. Measurements were made over 14 consecutive periods (Segments), including segments of FFLwt gain or FFLwt loss. Using shearing and liveweight records and dye-bands on wool, the FFLwt and average daily gain (ADG) of each sheep were determined for each segment. The mean and range in key measurements were as follows: FFLwt, 40.1 (23.1 to 64.1) kg; MFD, 18.8 (12.7 to 25.8) μm. A random coefficient restricted maximum likelihood (REML) regression mixed model was developed to relate the logarithm of MFD to the logarithm of FFLwt and other effects. The model can be written in the form of ${\rm MFD}\,{\equals}\,\rkappa \left( {{\rm GS,}\,{\rm A}{\rm ,}\,{\rm Segment}{\rm .Plot,}\,{\rm Segment,}\,{\rm ADG}} \right){\times}{\rm FFLwt}^{{\left( {\ralpha \left( {{\rm GS}} \right){\plus}\rbeta \left(\rm A \right){\plus}\rgamma \left( {{\rm Segment}{\rm .Plot}} \right)} \right)}} $ , where $\ralpha \left( {{\rm GS}} \right)\,{\equals}\,\;\left\{ {\matrix{\!\! {0.32\left( {{\rm SE}\,{\equals}\,{\rm 0}{\rm .038}} \right)\,{\rm when}\,{\rm sheep}\,{\rm are}\,{\rm grazed}\,{\rm alone}} \hfill \cr \!\!\!\!{0.49\left( {{\rm SE}\,{\equals}\,{\rm 0}{\rm .049}} \right)\,{\rm when}\,{\rm sheep}\,{\rm are}\,{\rm mixed}\,{\rm with}\,{\rm goats}} \hfill \cr } } \right.$ β(A) is a random animal effect, γ(Segment.Plot) a random effect associated with Segment.plot combinations, and κ a constant that depends on GS, random animal effects, random Segment.plot combination effects, Segment and ADG. Thus, MFD was allometrically related to the cube root of FFLwt over seasons and years for sheep, but to the square root of FFLwt for sheep grazed with goats. The result for sheep grazed alone accords with a primary response being that the allocation of nutrients towards the cross-sectional growth of wool follicles is proportional to the changes in the skin surface area arising from changes in the size of the sheep. The proportionality constant varied systematically with ADG, and in sheep only grazing, was about 5 when sheep lost 100 g/day and about 6 when sheep gained 100 g/day. The proportionality constant did not systematically change with chronological age. The variation in the allometric coefficient between individual sheep indicates that some sheep were more sensitive to changes in FFLwt than other sheep. Key practical implications include the following: (a) the reporting of systematic increases in MFD with age is likely to be a consequence of allowing sheep to increase in size during shearing intervals as they age; (b) comparisons of MFD between sheep are more likely to have a biological basis when standardised to a common FFLwt and not just to a common age

The widespread day-to-day carrying of powerful smartphones gives opportunities for crowd-sourcing information about the users' activities to gain insight into patterns of use of a large population in cities. Here we report the design and initial investigations into a crowdsourcing approach for sudden decelerations to identify dangerous road sections. Sudden brakes and near misses are much more common than police reportable accidents but under exploited and have the potential for more responsive reaction than waiting for accidents. We also discuss different multimodal feedback conditions to warn drivers approaching a dangerous zone. We believe this crowdsourcing approach gives cost and coverage benefits over infrastructural smart-city approaches but that users need incentivized for use.

This work aimed to quantify factors affecting the reflectance attributes of Australian white mohair sourced from five different farms and to evaluate the effect of season and year on mohair grown by goats of known genetic origin in a replicated study. For the season study the mohair was harvested every three months for two years. All goats and their fleeces were weighed. Mid-side samples were tested for fibre diameter attributes, clean washing yield (CWY), staple length (SL) and for tristimulus values X, Y, Z and Y-Z. For the farm study (n = 196), linear models, relating Y, Z and Y-Z were fitted to farm of origin and other objective measurements. For the season and year study (n = 176), data were analysed by ANOVA and then by linear analysis. The variation accounted for by farm alone was: X, 22%; Y, 24%; Z, 12%; Y-Z, 30% (P < 0.001). Once farm had been taken into account, the regression models for X, Y and Z had similar significant terms: mean fibre diameter (MFD), CWY, SL and fibre diameter CV; and correlation coefficients (057–0.65). For Y-Z, in addition to farm only MFD was significant (P = 1.8 × 10−9). While X, Y, Z and Y-Z were significantly associated with clean fleece weight (CFwt), CFwt was not significant in any final model. Season affected mohair Y (P = 2.5 × 10−24), Z (P = 2.3 × 10−20) and Y-Z (P = 6.8 × 10−22). Autumn grown mohair had higher Y and Z, and summer grown mohair had lower Z than mohair grown in other seasons. This resulted in summer grown mohair having the highest Y-Z and winter grown mohair having the lowest Y-Z than mohair grown in other seasons. The differences between years in Y, Z and Y-Z were significant but not large. When Y, Z and Y-Z were modeled with season and other mohair attributes, MFD, CWY, CFwt, incidence of medullated fibre (Med) and sire were also significant terms. This model accounted for 62.1% of the variance. Over the range of Med (0.3–4.2%), Y-Z increased by 11 T units. Increasing CFwt 0.5 kg was associated with a decline in Y-Z of 7.5 T units. The variation in Y, Z and Y-Z associated with sire effects were respectively 2.66, 3.77, and 1.04 T units. In the farm and the season studies increasing MFD was associated with lower Y and Z and higher Y-Z. The extent of the differences in tristimulus values between seasons and years, were unlikely to be of commercial importance. The extent of the differences between farms, and to variations in MFD and Med were large enough to be of commercial importance. Clean mohair colour was artefactually biased by MFD.

The Wool ComfortMeter provides an objective measurement of the fabric-evoked prickle discomfort rating provided by wearers. This work aimed to quantify the sensitivity of the Wool ComfortMeter over a range of different temperature and humidity conditions to determine the recommended test conditions for its operation. The design was: three temperatures (notionally 20, 25 and 30°C) at three relative humidities (RHs, notionally 50, 65 and 80%) each with two replicates, using six different wool single jersey knits (mean fibre diameter 19.5–27.0 µm). As it was difficult to achieve exactly some of the extreme combinations of temperature and RH, some combinations were repeated, providing a total of 23 different assessment conditions. Data were analysed using restricted maximum likelihood mixed model analysis. The best fixed model included RH, RH2, temperature and the interaction of temperature and RH, accounting for 95% of the variation in Wool ComfortMeter readings. Wool ComfortMeter values were almost constant at 55–60% RH. Generally, the Wool ComfortMeter value reduced with increasing RH > 60% at temperatures of 25°C and 28.5°C as the regain of the fabric increased. However, at 20°C little change was detected as RH was increased from 50 to 80% as there were only small changes in fabric regain. The observed effects were in a good agreement with existing knowledge on the effect of regain on the mechanical properties of wool fibre. Wool ComfortMeter is best operated under standard conditions for textile testing of 65% RH and 20°C.

In the Huancavelica region of Peru alpacas form the main and often only means of deriving an income for 3300 poor families in 60 communities. Ninety percent of alpacas in the region are Huacaya which are grazed at altitudes 4000–4800 m. Little attention has been paid to alpacas grazed in the High Andes. We aimed to: (i) quantify the variation in alpaca mean fibre diameter (MFD), fibre diameter coefficient of variation (CVD), fibre curvature (FC) and staple length (SL) among 24 sampling sites, (ii) quantify the difference between the mid-side sampling site and other fleece components for each fleece attribute, (iii) identify the sampling site with the highest correlation to the fibre attributes of the fleece in general, and (iv) quantify the relationship between FC and MFD for alpaca. Adult female alpacas (n = 31, mean live weight 71 kg) were sampled and had their fleece weighed in 8 components. Total mean fleece weight was 3.35 kg (range 2.13–6.01). Staples were measured for length (mm) and tested on the OFDA2000 to determine MFD, CVD and FC. The effect of the site was determined using ANOVA analysis. Values for FC were log10 transformed. Correlations between sites and regression analysis between MFD and FC were performed. The mean values for the mid-side site were: MFD 26.3 μm; CVD 20.2%; FC 34.9 °/mm; SL 91 mm, which were finer and longer than other fleece components. The variation in MFD between the 24 sampling sites was 20.2–50.6 μm and between 9 sampling sites in the main fleece saddle was 24.8–31.7 μm. Fleece attributes varied significantly between all fleece components and among fleece sites (P

We aimed to quantify if and to what extent permanent incisor wear affected mohair production in adult Angora castrate goats. The goats were grazed on annual temperate pastures for 6 years. During their sixth year mohair was harvested every 6 months and liveweight measured. Incisors were inspected at age 6 years and the amount and pattern of wear quantified. Restricted maximum likelihood (REML) base models were developed to account for background sources of variation. Once a base model had been selected for each fleece attribute, an extra term for the linear effect of the first and other permanent incisor wear were added to the model. During the year mean liveweight, greasy mohair production, clean mohair production and mean fibre diameter were (S.D.): 55.6 (5.85) kg, 4.97 (1.00) kg, 4.16 (0.87) kg, 34.8 (4.02) μm. Mean wear on permanent first incisors was 9% (range 0–30%). There was little wear on other permanent incisors. Greasy fleece weight, clean fleece weight, staple length and fleece entanglement were reduced significantly with increased wear of first permanent incisors. There were no significant effects of incisor wear detected for nine other fleece attributes or liveweight. The results indicate that 30% wear of the permanent first incisors reduced greasy fleece production by 20% and reduced clean fleece production by 30%. Given the magnitude of the effects detected it is clear that relatively small amounts of wear of permanent incisors in adult Angora goats reduce production of mohair and consequently will reduce financial returns from mohair sales. The clear implication is that managers of mohair producing enterprises should assess the incisors of adult Angora goats and use this information in determining which animals to cull from their flocks.

We aimed to quantify the sources of variation contributing to the main quality attributes of cashmere produced from goats in the Pamir mountain districts of Murghab, Shugnon and Vanj in Tajikistan. In early spring 2010, mid-side samples were taken from 194 adult females, 43 adult males and 20 castrates belonging to 58 farmers and pastoralists in 14 villages. For 57 goats, samples were also taken from the shoulder and hip sites. Mean fibre diameter (MFD), fibre curvature (FC) and cashmere staple length (SL) data were examined using a general linear model to determine the relationships between fleece attributes and other possible effects. For females, the mean (s.d.) for MFD, FC and SL were: 16.5 (1.70) μm; 46 (12.1)°/mm; 53 (22.9) mm. MFD was affected by district, SL and age of goat. SL was affected by district, MFD, gender, age of goat and village. FC was affected by district, MFD, shade of cashmere, age of goat and farmer. Cashmere from Vanj district was finer and shorter than cashmere from Murghab and Shugnon. Cashmere grown on the mid-side and hip sites was finer and had higher FC than cashmere grown on the shoulder. Cashmere grown on the hip was shorter than cashmere grown on the mid-side and shoulder. About 50% of the cashmere sampled was 18.5 μm and may only be suitable for weaving or, if cashgora, will have little commercial value. Most of the cashmere was coloured. There are cashmere goats in the Murghab, Shugnon and Vanj districts of Tajikistan which produce the finest qualities of cashmere, comparable to premium grades of Chinese cashmere. There is substantial scope to increase the commercial value of cashmere produced by goats in Tajikistan, in particular increasing SL for fine cashmere, reducing MFD for the longest cashmere and ensuring cashmere has acceptable FC and white colour.