Birthcoat of lambs and adult fibre diameter

Abstract

Birthcoat hairiness is significantly correlated with adult fibre diameter variability, the coarser birthcoats being more variable. Birthcoat grade is not correlated with average fibre diameter, but is strongly correlated with the difference between diameters of primary and secondary fibres and with variability of primary, but not of secondary, fibres. A correlation of 0.83 was found between birthcoat grade and primary-secondary diameter difference in the adult.