An Introduction To Wool Judging
An Introduction To Wool Judging
An Introduction To Wool Judging
By Susan Schoenian Sheep & Goat Specialist Univ. of MD Coop. Extension www.sheepandgoat.com
One type of wool is not better than the other. They just have different uses.
Breeds of sheep are grouped according to the type of wool they grow.
Fine
Rambouillet, Merino Targhee, Corriedale, Columbia
Carpet (double-coated)
Fleece
The wool from one sheep.
Clip
The amount of wool shorn from the sheep in one flock.
Thicker > 40
Thinner < 17
Fiber diameter
Short, dirty Coarser
Coarser
Polypay
Crimp
The natural curl or waviness in the wool fiber.
Fine wool usually has more crimp per inch than coarse (long) wool.
Staple
Refers to the length of a (unstretched) lock of shorn wool.
Long, coarse
Medium
Fine
Tag
Wool that has manure attached to it.
Lanolin
A natural oil extracted from sheeps wool.
Skirting
Removing the stained, unusable, or undesirable portions of a fleece (bellies, top knots, tags).
Show fleeces and other high value fleeces should be skirted at the time of shearing.
Wool judging
Yield
The amount of clean wool that remains after scouring. Expressed as a percentage.
Wool yield is quite variable: 40 to 70%. Long wools have higher yields than fine wools, due to less grease. Bulky fleeces have higher yields.
Other contaminants: soil, dust, polypropylene from tarps, feed sacks, and hay baling twine, paint, skin, external parasites, and foreign objects.
Length
Staple length adds weight to the fleece more than any other characteristic.
Quality or fineness
Appropriate grade for breed or type. Look for uniformity of grade (fineness). Finer wools are permitted less variability.
Soundness (strength)
Tender wool is wool that is weak and/or breaks due to poor nutrition or sickness.
Purity
Freedom from pigmented fibers, hair and kemp.
Black fiber/hairs Hair Kemp
The commercial wool market favors white wool that can be dyed any color.
Character
General appearance of a fleece: crimp, handle, and color.
Weathered tips
Affects dyeing
Tippy wool
Wool classing
Grades at the Maryland Wool Pool
Grade Choice white-face Medium white-face Coarse white-face Non white-face Short Type of wool 2008 price Wool from fine wool and their crosses: Rambouillet, per lb. $ 0.76
Merino, and Targhee; some Corriedale, Columbia, Wool from white-face medium wool meat breeds: and Polypay Wool from long Texel, Montadale, etc. Dorset, Cheviot,wool breeds: Romney, Border Leicester, Lincoln, Cotswold, etc. Wool from breeds with dark fibers and color hairs on their faces and legs: Hampshire, Suffolk, Shropshire, Less than 3 Tunis and speckled-faced sheep. Southdown, in. length. Lambs wool, tags, belly wool, old wool, dirty wool, tender wool,
Black or gray wool or fleeces from hair sheep or their crosses are not accepted.
Wool sold to the niche (specialty) markets typically brings a lot more money.