Indicators of Downy Fiber Diameter of Tuva Male Goats Depending on Age

Abstract

The strategy for the conservation of genetic diversity involves the cultivation of unique native breeds of animals. Tuva coarse-haired goats are relatively prolific, moderately early maturing, and, in addition to good meat productivity, have unique economically useful traits - very thin fluff. The purpose of the study was to study the productive indicators of Tuva coarse-haired goats and goats to identify age-related features of the morphometric parameters of the coat using an OFDA-2000 optical analyzer of the diameter of wool fibers. 18 months (n=20). The length of the down is 5.14±0.33 cm and 4.45±0.15 cm in goats and goats, respectively. The proportion of downy hair (diameter less than 30 µm) in the staple ranges from 85.0±1.23% to 87.37±1.34%. The amount of transitional hair is at the level of 3.85±0.82-4.62±0.65% (Cv 62.51-79.90%). With age, the animals tend to coarsen the fibers, this is evidenced by both the shift of the histogram peak from 16.20±0.40 µm in goats to 17.43±0.43 µm in goats, and changes in the structure of hair related to the awn ( goat wool contains 7.2 times more fibers with a diameter of more than 90 microns), We believe that when selecting Tuva goats to obtain high-quality down with the smallest fiber diameter, special attention should be paid, in addition to the length of the down and its diameter, to the presence of a transitional hair type (30.1-52.5 µm).