September, 1954] S. JAYARAMAN AND G. S. MAHAL 145
not available, resort was made to the next best method of arriving at the clean
fleece yields by scouring small representative samples (weighed prior to scouring)
collected from each fleece at the time of shearing and weighing each of them after
drying. Since the weights of fleeces were already recorded at the time of shearing,
the clean weight of each fleece was derived from the yield percentage of the re-
presentative sample of the concerned fleece.
The adult stock which consisted of ewes of different ages included both the
ewes that lambed and those that did not lamb during the lambing season of the
year 1952 extending from August to October, in each age group. Accordingly, the
entire group was first classified into several age groups. Excepting the yearlings,
all the rest of the age groups, viz. the adults were further subdivided into two groups
within each age group according to whether they had lambed during the season or
not.
In order to obtain the body weight of the ewes they were weighed for three
consecutive days in the morning, soon after they had been shorn and the weights
were recorded in pounds. The average of the three weights thus obtained constituted
the actual body weight of each ewe. The ewes that lambed subsequent to the time
of shearing were excluded from the study since the body weight of such ewes may
not be the true weight.
The body measurements of the ewes were taken in terms of the length and
chest girth of each ewe. The length of each ewe was measured from the point of
the shoulder to the point of the ischium in inches. The girth represented the chest
girth measured in inches just behind the point of the elbow. These measurements
were obtained on the day following the day on which the concerned sheep were
shorn. The product of the length and the girth was taken as an index of the body
size of each ewe.
At the time of shearing, each fleece was weighed and the grease weight of the
individual fleece was recorded in ounces. After recording the grease fleece weight
a proportionate and thorough representative sample from each fleece was collected
and put in separate paper bags. For collecting the representative sample, each
fleece was laid open on the table and proportionate pinches from all the regions of
the fleece were obtained to ensure the sample being representative. Each paper
bag was marked with the number of the ewe from which the sample had been
obtained. This was for purposes of identification. Each sample was approximately
two ounces in weight which was roughly about l/16th of each fleece weight. The
paper bags were closed properly and were all enclosed in a moisture-proof container
in order to eliminate the possibility of changes in moisture content during transit to
the wool analysis laboratory until the weighment of the samples had been completed.
Any variation in the moisture content of each sample is directly proportional to the
weight and may thus affect the weight of the sample. After arrival at the labora-
tory, each sample was accurately weighed on the analytical balance and the weight
of each sample was recorded in grams.
Each sample was then carded by hand, opening out the entire sample thorough-
ly with the help of the fingers and picking out the burrs, dirt and such other foreign
matter at the same time exercising due care to see that no wool fibre was lost during
the process.