The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-01-29
Factors Which Influence the.
Market Returns from Wool

which influence fleece weight is the
length of staple, and it is the pur-
pose of this paper to show how
length Of staple affects the weight Of
"a fleece as we'll as it's value.
In order to eliminate variation
caused by different shrinkages of in
dividual fleeces, each fleece is test
ed for shTinkage and its clean weight
determined. The secured fleeces that
measured 1.5 inches or less averaged
only 1928 pounds of clean wool; those
measuring 1.6 to 2 inches weighed
3.61; fleeces having staple Of 81 to
2.5 inches weighed 4.O5 pounds;
while the length &c to 80 inches was
found in fleeces that weighed on an
average of 4.3 pounds and when the
staple was 81 to 3.5 inches long the
secured fleeces averaged 4.82 pounds.
It will be seen that increasing the
length half an inch over 1.5 inch
staple made an increase of 10 per
cent in the average weight of the
secured f~leeces. An increase of one
full inch brought an average increase
of % per cent in weight. The in
crease of one and One-half INCHES
was associated with a 81 per cent
increase in weight and the Pinch
increase in length of staple brought
the average clean fleece weight up
to Al per cent more than the average
for the fleeces measuring 11.5 inches
or less.
f; But the real importance of length
of staple is not fully brought out IN
! til values are applied because great
er length not only adds to the weight
of a fleece but also increases its
value per pound. The Boston prices
for secured territory wool during the
week ending July 20, 1925 were
S1.2O per pound for staple measUr.
ing Is inches or less; S1.3O fol
staple of 1.6 to 2 inches; S1.35 fol
wool having a staple of 2.1 to 2.E
inches; and S1.4O for. wool having {
, lstapIe of more than 2.5 inches long
/ Applying these prices we find tina
= the average fleece with the shOr
staple of Is inches or less averaged
a value of 1894; those of LIS to
2 inches S4.69; the staple 81 to q!
= inches makes fleeces average $5.47
20 to 8 inches, $500 and 81 to g.
= inches make the average fleece
S worth S6.75. The first half incl
increase meant rs cents; the full
inch, S1.53; the inch and One-halt
S2.O8 and the two inch, $2.81 pc
fleece. On the percentage basis tn
first half inch meant 16 per cent
the full inch, 39 per cent; the incI
and One-half SO per cent; and tn
two inch increase brought II pc
cent more money per fleece than tn
lshOrt-staple fleeces measuring 1.
inch or less.
Further analysis of the data froI
these fleeces shows that as a rTl
the fleeces of extreme fineness ar
not as long in staple as the fleece
grading h%aIf-blOOd. In the case Q
these fleeces the wool grading on tn
fine side of half-bloOd was lOnges
in staple. OF course some of tn
real fine fleeces we're of good lengt
but the majority of those finer tina
the fine side of %half-blOOd, wOul
classify either as French cOmbing
or Just barely long enough fC
strictly combing''.
From these results it seems sal
to draw the conclusion that breeder
of RambOuillet sheep should us
rams that shear long staple at or
years growth and in so doing the
must not expect to find the majO
ity of lOng-staple rams with e.
: tremely fine f~leeces, but rather wit
, ~fleeces that tend toward half-bloC
4 wool. These experiments hay
i shown that such wool can be prOdu
ed without sacrificing the chOi,
character of true fine wool and TIL
the longer staple high half-blOC
e wool is associated with favorab
sheep.