Changes in unscourable discolouration of Romney wool samples during storage for one month

A.R. Bray, D. O'Connell and M.C. Smith

AgResearch, PO Box 60, Lincoln, New Zealand

E-Mail:braya@agresearch.cri.nz

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1999, 59: 49-51

Samples of four Romney fleeces were dried to 8% moisture immediately after harvesting, then water was added to achieve moisture contents of 8, 19, 30, 41 or 52% of the clean, dry wool weight. Additional samples were left untreated (11 % moisture) or scoured (16% moisture). CIE X, Y, Z and Y-Z measures of scoured wool colour were recorded after 0, 5, 12, 21 or 33 days storage at 3 or 20° C.

There was no change in colour values of untreated and scoured samples during storage at 3 or 20° C. X, Y and Z values decreased linearly when moisture content increased (P<0.05), the effect being most marked at 20°C. A trend for Y-Z values to increase with moisture content was not significant.

The findings indicate that if damp greasy wool is to be stored for a month or more before colour is measured, it should be dried at 30°C or less before storage, stored at cool temperatures, or scoured and dried before storage.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; Wool; storage; moisture content; temperature; unscourable discolouration.

Last Updated 06-08-1999