Convegno InternazionaleLe Vie Della Lana

New perspectives on fine fibre animals

research

Hugh Galbraith

Email: h.galbraith@abdn.ac.uk

UNICAM, Ottobre 2007

Aberdeen and Matelica/Camerino ( ): West Coast of Scotland ( )

New perspectives…..

Following recent review in….

Presentation on conclusions of research on:

• Wool producing animals• Basic structures in skin for fibre production• Fibre growth patterns• Nutrition

Ecological production: fibre from animals: new thinking

• Product from environments which need not compete with intensive plant production (food, biofuels)

• Renewable sustainable product… compared with oil-based products and

• Is getting expensive

• Maintain human habitation on land…

• Hair produced in 1o and associated 2o follicles in the skin.

2o follicle products (eg cashmere, mohair, alpaca) most valuable.

1o follicle products coarser, limited commercial value

- contaminant of 2o follicle products– may compete for nutrients

– Vary among animal BREEDS

Hair fibre biology: background

primary

secondary

Scottish Breeds (Blackface)

Predominant coarse outer coat (10)

Scottish Breeds

Course wool

• Blackface/Cheviot up to 5kg) etc: coarse wool ( < 30 µm);

• Hardwearing, carpets ( clothing- Harris TweedTM )

• – West Coast of Scotland – Nike trainers))

Scottish Blackface Swaledale

Cheviot

UK sheep breeds: Uplands

Welsh Halfbred

Scottish Halfbred

Scottish Greyface

UK sheep breeds: half breeds

Border Leicester

Bluefaced Leicester

UK: Common lowland breeds

Suffolk

Texel

UK sheep breeds: meat production: terminal sires

Such UK sheep breeds: conclusion

• Quality of fleece generally of limited economic value

• Costs of shearing sometimes hardly covered

• One solution???

• Source animals with finer, more valuable fibre

Merino sheep

• “Single coat” (20), ( 10, d20 limited activity)

fine fibre with high yield

Merino type

Fine wool

• Merino… genotypes > 16µm

• Yields: 5 kg+ (!!!!)

• Use: fine quality garments and textiles

Goat “wool”Angora: mohair

• Predominantly single “coat”, high yield (10 lose activity by 3 months postnatal)

Goat “wool” Cashmere-bearing goat

• “Double-coated” animal (20 cashmere lower yield: 10 remains active), depending on genotype

Feral cashmere goat on west coast of Scotland

Goats(20 follicle products)

• Cashmere-”bearing” ( 11-18+µm); 0.05 -1.0kg (Chinese): (Daylength-sensitive)

• Angora goats (mohair) ( 22 - 35µm): 2.0 - 5.0kg (limited effect of daylength).

• Smooth cuticular surface, strong uptake of dyes )

• Cashgora (intermediate)

• NB Contamination with 10 follicle products including medullated coarse fibres

South American Camelids( 20 follicle products)

• Vicuna: double coated (< 15 μm)• Guanaco: double coated (15-18μm)(0.5-1.5kg,UK)

(medullated)• Alpaca: single coated (18-30 μm)(1.5-5.5kg) • (Domesticated) ( Suri vs Huacaya genotypes)• Llama: double coated (>20 μm)(1.5-2.0kg)• (Domesticated)

• NB: Yield greatest in males + increasing age but

• reduced fineness: typical general response in animals

Angora rabbit (20 “Angora” fibre product very fine and hollow providing good insulation).

Angora rabbits

• Production: 1.1-1.5 kg/year ( 30% of body weight)

• Diameter (10-13µm: medullated)

• NB Husbandry ( avoid staining, contamination of fibre (cages – animal welfare in UK)

Hair follicle biology: where wool comes from

• Hair follicles are complex structures

• Vary in size and accessory structures • (sudoriferous gland; arrector pili muscle only in 10 fibres)

• Shape and lustre of hair fibre product is important• PIGMENTATION/COLOUR

• Patterns of activity varies

Season effects: Follicle cycle Anagen Growing

Catagen Stops growingTelogen Follicle rests

Anagen Hair sheds Follicle reforms and fibre grows again

SKIN dimensions 2.5 mm (length)

0.1 mm (width)

Fibre

Sebaceous gland

Fibre cuticle

Cortex (new fibre)

SKIN SURFACE

HAIR FOLLICLE IN SKIN

New cells

New fibre

Fast cell division

Long anagen phase

Small diameter

- depends on:

1.Number of cortical cells

2.Size of cortical cells

3.Rates of proliferation

4.Dimensions of dermal papilla

Rate of growth

d.p. diameter

Optimal fibre growth

• Hair follicles affected by– competition for nutrients with other tissues (protein, energy,

vitamins, minerals etc.)

– Fibre production usually has high priority

Importance of whole animal - fibre only one component…

maintenance + production• Nutrients used for– Affected by growth, lactation, pregnancy

Sheep Wool: Increased protein in diet

Give more fibre on high protein diet (one study). Rate of fleece production, + 33%

Fibre diameter, + 8% Rate of length growth, + 26%

Sheep Wool: Increased protein in diet

• N.B. Sheep wool response to dietary protein supply is usually greater than in cashmere (Yield (weight ) and diameter).

• Don`t forget :

• ALSO OTHER NUTRIENTS, such as ENERGY, minerals and vitamins…

Grazie per la vostra attenzione

Caledonian Pine-Glen Affric Eilean Donan castle by night

Strathisla Distillery Standing stones in Calanais, Lewis Highland cow

Departmental website: www.abdn.ac.uk/agfor

Hair Fibre Function: Evolutionary Advantage

• Environmental protection

• Response to environmental change

• Thermal insulation

• Dispersal of scents, pheromones

• Inter-animal/ recognition, display

• What happens in cells of the follicle?

Season effects:Anagen Matrix cell division Protein Deposition Hair growth

Catagen Apoptosis of matrix Club hair forms

Telogen Follicle shortens,

resting

Anagen Hair sheds Follicle reforms

SKIN dimensions 2.5 mm (length)

0.1 mm (width)

Pilary canal

Sebaceous gland

Fibre cuticle

Cortex

GFollicle neck

Glands!

FSloughing Zone

EConsolidation Zone

DKeratogenous Zone

C

BElongation ZonePre-elongation Zone

AMitotic zone of bulb(Proto-oncogenes)

Fibre cuticleCortex

Blood Vessels

Hair follicle gene Expression

Dermal papilla

Basement membrane

Dermis

Epidermis

Outer root sheath

Inner root sheath

Vascular

Embryo/Fetus Development

Epidermis dermis

ChemicalSignals

- developing follicle

Hair fibre end product: structure, cellularity, protein composition