Hair follicle group and skin follicle population of some non-Merino breeds of sheep

Abstract

Skin specimens from 494 ewes were collected in flock samples of 11-23 animals, mostly 8-18 months old, from Australian and overseas sources among the following breeds: Corriedale, Polwarth, Lincoln, English Leicester, Border Leicester, Romney Marsh, Southdown, Dorset Horn, Suffolk, Ryeland, Scottish Blackface, Welsh Mountain, Swaledale, Cheviot, Wiltshire, and Swedish Landrace. The specimens were taken by a standard biopsy method and evaluated in the manner described by Carter and Clarke (1956). For each flock sample the mean, standard error, and range of individual values were recorded for the following estimates : total (np+s) follicle population density; primary (np) follicle population density; ns/np, ratio; primary fibre diameter (dp); secondary fibre diameter (2,) ; fibre diameter of the composite population (dp+s) ; of primary and secondary fibre diameters (dp/ds) . The data supplement those recorded for the Australian Merino sheep (Carter and Clarke 1957), and demonstrate the small hair follicle groups apparently characteristic of most British short-, long-, and carpet-wool breeds in well-marked contrast to the large groups in the skin follicle population of the Australian Merino. This difference between the Merino and other breeds may be general except where new breeds have developed from crossing with the Merino or its derivatives, when hair follicle groups of intermediate size may be found as in the Corriedale and Polwarth.

Effect of sex and birth status on the wool follicle population in unselected Corriedale sheep

“…However, the values lie within the range reported by Carter and Clarke (1957) for the Australian Merino. In contrast, the follicle-density figures for primary and for primary plus secondary (total) follicledensity are substantially lower than those previously reported for Australian Corriedales of comparable age (Daly and Carter, 1955;Carter and Clarke, 1957).…”

Skin transcriptome reveals the intrinsic molecular mechanisms underlying hair follicle cycling in Cashmere goats under natural and shortened photoperiod conditions

“…Skin tissues were prepared for histological sectioning following Carter and Clarke 46 . Briefly, skin tissues were fixed in a 4% paraformaldehyde solution and embedded in paraffin wax.…”

Evolution of the sheep coat: the impact of domestication on its structure and development

“…Derived follicles are highly variable in number and are primarily responsible for differences in follicle densities amongst breeds (Carter, 1968;Moore et al, 1998). They are also widespread, having been reported both in woolled (Carter & Clarke, 1957a, 1957bOrwin, 1961) and primitive sheep, including the Karakul (Tänzer, 1926) and Soay (Ryder, 1959).…”

“…Evidence of fine-woolled sheep of Spanish origin emerged around the thirteenth century. The Merino was possibly the first recognized breed in the late Middle Ages, spreading through Europe, Asia and Australia during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (Carter & Clarke, 1957b;Ryder, 1964;Ciani et al, 2015). Table 1 summarizes changes in fleece traits following domestication (Carter, 1955;Ryder, 1958Ryder, , 1960Ryder, , 1964Ryder, , 1966Ryder, , 1986Ryder & Stephenson, 1968;Sherratt, 1984).…”