Commodity properties of sheepskins and skin histological structure in young rams of the kalmyk fat-rumped breed and crossbreds (1/2 kalmyk fat-rumped × 1/2 dorper)

Abstract

They have been studied the commercial properties of sheepskins and the histological structure of the Kalmyk breed young rams skin and crossbreds (1/2 Kalmyk fat-rumped breed × 1/2 Dorper). It was found out that the weight of fresh sheepskins in the sheep young of the 1st group was larger than that in herd mates of the 2nd group by 1.0 kg, or 34.5% (P> 0.999). A large live weight influenced the large area of the skin in the second group of young animals, and the length of the wool in the experimental group, which turned out to be shorter, influenced its smaller sheepskin weight. The crossed animals got on the basis of the crossing of the Kalmyk fat-rumped ewes with the Dorper breed rams have the best quality indices of sheepskins and the best histological structure of the skin. In hybrid animals, a more elastic, firmer and less thick skin is 14.52%, due to a greater epidermal thickness of 27.7% and a denser reticular layer of 13.7%. The wool cover (ratio SF / PF) in crossbred young rams is 10.47% thicker in comparison with herd mates, at white color of wool, which corresponds to the technological requirements for the production of high-quality sheepskins.