Characteristics of pelt follicles and their relationship with pelt quality in fat-tailed Gray Shirazy sheep*

Abstract

IntroductionPelt quality is very important in animal production because together with the size of skin it can determine the price of the skin. Pelt quality is a composite trait, including color and purity, structure and length of guard hair, and density of the wool. The characteristics that cause a pelt to be classified as high quality are difficult to quantify. One skin might be classified as high quality due to a silky appearance of the pelt and another due to the high density and structure of the wool. It is therefore of interest to understand which single traits influence the classification of skin as high quality.Karakul sheep has been raised to produce valuable meat, wool, and milk and high-quality pelts in Fars, Markazi, and Khorasan provinces of Iran and it is called Gray Shirazy, Zandy, and Karakul in these regions, respectively. Although selection is always ongoing for better pelt grades, this sheep has rarely been raised only for pelt production since 1968. Newborn lambs usually have tightly curled black, gray (mixture of black and white wool), brown, and sur-color (mixture of brown and white wool) fur and may be slaughtered for pelt production soon after birth. The finest pelts are often obtained from unborn lambs. The value of a pelt is determined by its particular pattern, which will appeal to the selective buyer. The difference between high-and low-quality pelts could be made with minute deviations in a particular pattern at birth. A few days of postnatal development can result in major changes in the coat that make the pelt totally unfit for utilization in trade (1).The lamb growth rate of Karakul sheep is moderate to high and they produce good-quality meat. These sheep are sometimes categorized as 'broadtail' or 'fat-tailed' sheep, because they store fat in their tails for adaptation and survival in harsh and dry conditions. The wool product of Karakul sheep has been classified as carpet wool and is a mixture of coarse and fine fibers, with color varying from black to various shades of gray and brown. Traditionally,