A comparative study of wool quality in sheep breeds in western algeria

Our study of the wool quality in Algerian sheep breeds in western Algeria was based on the analysis of wool fineness which has been conducted by measuring the diameter of wool fibers. The data were collected from 60 samples from the the following breeds: Ouled Djellal, Hamra, Barbarine, Srandi, Daraa and Rembi. The average wool fiber diameter is 48.18 ± 39.49μm which is significantly different (p <0.001) in the breeds studied. The average wool fiber diameter was 48.18 ± 39.49μm which is significantly different (p <0.001) in the breeds studied, it varies from medium wool with a diameter of 28.89 ± 6.009μm in Ouled Djellal breed to coarse wool with a diameter of 74.17 ± 49.44 in Hamrabreed. No significant effect (p> 0.05) of the sex on the wool finesse in different breeds was observed. This study is the initiation of future zootechnical study on the wool performance of different sheep breeds in Algeria by studying the wool quality.