The effect of annual shearing time on wool production by a spring-lambing Merino flock in south-eastern Australia

Abstract

Time of shearing affects many aspects of wool production and sheep health but no study has examined these factors concurrently in a spring-lambing, self-replacing Merino flock in southern Australia. A 5-year field experiment compared wool production in spring-lambing Merino ewes and their progeny shorn at different times and managed under commercial conditions in south-eastern Australia. Groups of 200 adult ewes were shorn in December, March or May, and their progeny were shorn in December or October, March or June, or May or July, respectively. There was no consistent association between time of shearing and the staple strength of wool (P = 0.73). December-shorn ewes produced significantly ..