Glossary of Sheep Spinning Terms and Wool Info

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS
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Rabbit hair Used as a component in blends for wool weaving yarns, as a substitute for vicuna to give a soft handle in the fabric. Race - Narrow channel along which water flows for irrigation. - Narrow pen along which sheep can walk in single file or can be held tightly. Race board Part of a loom in from of the reed and below the warp yarns over which the shuttle or rapier passes. Raddle Coloured chalk used to temporarily mark bales or sheep. Also placed in a harness on a vasectomised ram to detect which ewes are on heat. Radiant Panel Test Laboratory testing device for measuring the critical radiant flux (energy) required to ignite a carpet when exposed to a flaming ignition source. Raddle Paint or crayon strapped to a rams chest to mark the ewes he mates with. It must be a scourable compound. A sheep that is marked in this way is said to be raddled. The Cumbrian term is ruddy. Raddle harness Harness carried by a ram to hold a raddle stick on the brisket to identified ewes that have been served. Ragg Coarse wool fibre used in rugged applications such as gloves and hiking socks. Raised board The shearing board is raised above the level of the rest of the floor of the shearing shed by around 1 metre. A raised board enables the shed hands to collect the shorn fleeces without excessive bending. Doors lead to the catching pen and there are chutes through which the shorn sheep are pushed. Raising (or Napping) Process applied to heavy woollen fabric to raise fibres out of the body of the cloth by toothed rollers to form a fluffy surface, or nap. Rake An array of toothed bars which move in a cyclic path to gentling move a floating layer of wool across the surface of a scouring bowl. (See Harrows, Appendix 8) Ram Mature male sheep that has not been castrated. Also called a tup in UK and a buck in USA. A flock ram is a nonpedigree ram used in a commercial flock while a stud ram is a pedigree (registered) ram. Ram effect The ram effect is when non-cycling ewes are stimulated to ovulate by the sudden introduction of a ram or "teaser." Rams produce a chemical substance called a pheromone, the smell of which stimulates the onset of oestrus. When ewes and rams are in constant contact (sight or smell), the pheromones are much less effective at inducing oestrus. Ram harness A device strapped onto the shoulder area of the ram to monitor joining activity in a flock, to draft ewes into early and late lambing groups, or to establish if an individual ram is working. It incorporates a coloured crayon held against the brisket of the ram which leaves a mark on the rump of the recipient, thereby indicating whether a ewe has been serviced by a ram. Ram stag Male sheep castrated after maturity. Rambouillet Large-bodied Merino sheep common in USA, developed in France from animals imported from Spain in 1786. It is a hardy sheep producing good mutton and fine quality wool. All Merino type sheep in USA are Rambouillet or Rambouillet cross (eg, Targee, Columbia, Polypay). There are no Rambouillet sheep in New Zealand and none have entered Australia in recent years. Random mating Mating system where all ewes have the same chance of being mated to any ram used. Rangy Very long body, as opposed to a compact body. AgResearch 2012
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Rapier Metal rod for carrying the weft yarn across a high speed weaving loom. The rapier may be a rigid rod, a telescopic rod or a flexible ribbon. A rapier loom may have a single rapier, or two rapiers operating in unison from opposite sides of the machine. (See Weft Insertion, Loom) Rate of genetic improvement This depends on: 1. Number of traits being selected at one time; 2. Heritability of the traits 3. Genetic correlations between the traits selected 4. Selection differentials 5. General interval in the flock. The rate of improvement is usually expressed per year. Ratine Originally a thick woollen fabric with a curled nap. Now applied to a fabric made from a range of fibres and which has a rough surface. Raw wool A broad term which includes greasy wool or wool which has been scoured, carbonised, washed or solvent degreased; scoured skin wools; washed skin wools; and slipe wools. It consists of wool fibre together with variable amounts of vegetable matter and extraneous alkali insoluble impurities, mineral matter, wool waxes, suint and moisture. Raw wool has not been through a yarn or felt-making process. Reactive dye Class of dye widely used on wool and other protein fibres (see Appendix 30) Receipt date Date on which a farm consignment of wool arrives at a brokers store. Receiving yard The very large yard which are first driven into when brought to the sheep yards. Recessive genes Recessive genes only affect the phenotype when present in a homozygous condition. Hence the recessive gene must be received from both parents before the recessive phenotype will be observed. Reclassing In-store pre-sale classing of a grower's fleece wool clip into lines within the same clip. The resulting main lines are offered for sale under the grower's own brand. The wool will not have been carefully sorted according to type at shearing time. Wool brokers charge for this service. Reclothe Replace the worn or damaged clothing (wire) on rollers of a carding machine with new clothing. Recombing Combing of top slivers after top dyeing. Recore test Measurements made in accordance with the same IWTO Specification as that used for the original test, on a further core sample of raw wool. This sample is drawn from a lot for which the test result is in doubt. Such sample material must be obtained by re-sampling bales in accordance with current sampling standards or regulations. The recore test result must be adjusted for any declared or observed change in the net greasy mass of the wool. Recovered wool Wool recovered from rags and used in cheaper woollen goods. There are two types: (1) Shoddy is the product from knitted and loosely woven products; (2) mungo is the product of tightly woven products. Rectilinear comb (or Continental comb, French comb) The arrangement of the pins on this comb are in straight lines rather than in a circular arrangement, as for the nowobsolete Noble comb. Also called the Heilmann comb after its inventor. (See Combing, Noble comb, Appendix 12) Recycled pack HDPE (high density polyethylene) wool pack which has been repaired in accordance with the Code of Practice for Recycled Packs. Red Book This publication contains full specifications of the current IWTO Test Methods. (See IWTO) Red eye A wether. AgResearch 2012
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Reed Series of closely-spaced, parallel wires in a frame that is used for (1) spacing the warp threads in a loom, (2) guiding the shuttle or rapier during weft insertion, (3) beating up the weft against the fell. The space between two adjacent wire is called a dent; a warp yarn is drawn through this space. (See Weaving, Appendix 16) Reel See Winch Regain (or Moisture regain, Moisture content) Amount of moisture in wool fibres, expressed as a percentage of the clean oven dry weight. Standard regain is brought about when wool comes to equilibrium with air at 20C and 65% relative humidity. Most wool is traded on the basis of its mass at regains specified by IWTO Regulations. Processed wool is adjusted to a particular regain according to national and international agreements (eg. 18.25% for dry combed tops and 16 or 17% regain for scoured wool). Registered laboratory See Accreditation Registered Sampler and Weigher Employee of an accredited representative who has been trained in the weighing, sampling and repacking of wools to the satisfaction of the test house and whose signature is entered on each sampling report. Regurgitation The movement of undigested fibrous feed from the sheeps rumen to the mouth for further chewing. Reissued certificate Wool test certificate which is reissued to take into account one or more of the following factors: - correction of documentary or testing errors. - rebrand or change in identifying marks. - recalculation after drawing of sample which may not exceed 1% of total weight of the tested lot. - revised detail of sale offering or reoffering. - repacking under test house supervision. - replacement of lost or damaged certificate after proof of entitlement. Reject bales A lot remove from the sale because bales are unevenly classed or subject to untrue representation. Relative humidity Amount of water vapour in the air, expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount that the air could hold at the given temperature. It is an important factor in processing wool because wool absorbs and releases atmospheric moisture constantly. (See Regain) Relaxation shrinkage Shrinkage of a fabric occurring when the stretching caused by stresses imposed on the fibres and yarns during processing disappear. It occurs under moist conditions when the fabric is not restrained. Re-offered lot Previously passed in' lot, which is put up for sale again in a subsequent auction catalogue. Repeatibility Statistical measure of the consistency between measurements or appraisals of the same sample. Replacements Sheep acquired to make up the number in a flock to the required level. Replacement rate Rate at which ewes are replaced in a flock. Repellancy Ability of a fabric to resist wetting and staining. Reprocessed wool Wool that has been spun, woven, knitted, or felted into a wool fabric but has not been utilised by consumers (eg. tailors cutting). It is then reprocessed into a fibrous state for subsequent reprocessing. Sometimes called reworked or reclaimed wool. (See New wool, Virgin wool)
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Reproduction A group of ewes is generally mated by a single ram, either chosen by the breeder, or has established dominance with other rams in feral populations. Most sheep are seasonal breeders, although some can breed all year round. Ewes generally reach sexual maturity at 6 8 months of age and rams generally at 4 6 months. Ewes have oestrus cycles about every 17 days during which they emit a scent and indicate readiness to rams. After mating sheep have a gestation period of about 5 months and normal labour may take 1-3 hours. Although some breeds produce large litters of lambs, most produce single or twin lambs. Reproduction data for sheep Season of breeding: Commonly autumn (February to May in New Zealand), however this is breed-dependent. Merino and Dorset sheep can breed in the spring. In Australia more ewes are joined in the spring than the autumn on account of feed availability. Ewe: Length of oestrus (heat): 24 hours (range 4 72 hours) Length of oestrus cycle (interval between successive heats): 17 days (range 14-21 days) Time of ovulation: 24-30 hours from beginning of oestrus Pregnancy: 140-150 days Puberty age: 7-8 months, depending on live weight. Ram: Serviceability: In Australia extensive grazing conditions require 1 ram to 30-35 ewes (60 day breeding season). In New Zealand it is common to use 1 ram per 100 ewes and sometimes up to 1 ram per 150 ewes under intensive farming conditions. Ejaculate volume: 0.8 1.2 ml Sperm concentration: 2,000-3,000 million per ml Reserve Instruction from the wool grower to the broker notifying them of the minimum price that will be accepted at the auction. The lot will be passed in if the reserve price is not reached. Residual grease Percentage of solvent soluble residues present in the scoured dried wool. Established by separating out in the Soxhlet apparatus, using ethanol or dichloromethane (DCM) as solvents. (See Alcohol Extractables) Residues Leftover chemical remaining on an animal after a remedy has been administered. Chemical residues on wool are important as a potential health hazard to humans (eg, in wool handling) or as an environmental contaminant (eg, wool scour effluent). Resilience Ability of a fibre mass, yarn or fabric to spring back to its original form after compression. For a carpet, it is the ability of the pile to recover its original appearance and thickness after being subjected to compressive forces or crushing under traffic. Resistance The ability to withstand the action of remedy which is (or was previously) effective against a significant proportion of the population. This can refer to bacteria (eg, antiobiotic resistance) or parasites (eg, anthelmintic or lousicide resistance). Resistance develops over time that the bacteria or parasite has been exposed to repeated treatments of the remedy. Resistance to compression (RC) Force (or pressure) required to compress a standard mass of scoured and carded wool into a fixed volume. This is related to the mean fibre diameter, handle and bulk of the wool and is also positively related to the amount of fibre crimp; (ie. highly crimped wool has greater resistance to compression than low crimp wool of the same diameter). The test result is expressed in kilopascals (kPa). This test, which uses higher pressures than the bulk test, is more appropriate for fine wools destined for worsted weaving yarns than for coarser wools processed on the woollen system. (See Bulk) Resist dyeing (Resist printing) Process of dyeing selected areas of yarns or fabrics by covering up the areas intended to remain undyed, so they resist the dye. The process may be repeated several times to create a variety of colours on a single cloth. Resist is the substance applied to prevent the uptake or fixation of the dye. Retest Set of measurements made, in accordance with the relevant IWTO Test Methods, on a further sample of raw wool drawn from a consignment for which the original Certificate is in doubt. Such sample material must be obtained by recoring and reweighing all bales, in accordance with the IWTO Core Test Regulations. This differs from the recore check test in that duplicate core sample (or duplicate samples and duplicate sets of staples) are drawn for possible testing by two separate test houses to resolve a disputed result. The sample materials must be obtained by recoring and hand sampling where applicable and re-weighing all bales. AgResearch 2012
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Re-used wool Similar to reprocessed wool except that the wool products have been used by consumers (rags). (See Mungo, Shoddy) Ribby pelts Pelts from wrinkled sheep, such as Merino's, which are of limited usefulness for making leather. Rib knit Basic stitch in which the knitting machines require two sets of needles operating at right angles to each other. Rib knits have a very high degree of elasticity in the crosswise direction. This knitted fabric is used for complete garments and for such specialized uses as sleeve bands, neck bands, sweater waistbands, and special types of trims for use with other knit or woven fabrics. Lightweight sweaters in rib knits provide a close, body-hugging fit. Rib weave One of the plain weave variations, which is formed by using: 1) heavy yarns in the warp or filling direction, or 2) a substantially higher number of yarns per inch in one direction than in the other, or 3) several yarns grouped together as one. Rib fabrics are all characterized by having a slight ridge effect in one direction, usually the filling. Such fabrics may have problems with yarn slippage, abrasion resistance, and tear strength. Examples of this construction include broadcloth, poplin, taffeta, faille, shantung, and cord fabric. Rig Male sheep with one testicle not removed but remaining in the abdominal cavity. Riggwelter Old English term (from Norse) for a sheep that has fallen onto its back and is unable to get up. (see Cast sheep) Ring Mob of sheep moving in a circle. Ringer Fastest shearer in the gang, ie, with the highest tally for a days shearing. Occupies the number one position on the board until he (or she) is successfully challenged. The ringer is said to ring the shed by shearing the highest tally, ie, by running rings around the other shearers. Traditionally, a rival shearer must shear a larger tally for three consecutive days before he (or she) can take the ringers stand. Ringing Removal of a circle of wool from around the pizzle of a male sheep. Ringing sheep A fault in a dog where it goes in a complete circle around the sheep and comes back to its handler. It fails to stop after its out-run, halfway around the sheep, and directly opposite the handler. Ring spinning Spinning system in which twist is inserted in a yarn using a traveller revolving at high speed around a ring. This is the most common method of producing wool yarns, by the woollen, worsted and semiworsted routes. (See Appendix 13) Rise A north of England term for the growth of new wool between the skin and last years fleece. Roach back A hump or arch in the backline of a sheep, usually in the loin area. Rolag Short length of carded wool. A loose roll of wool fibres that has been hand carded. Roller drafting Process of drawing out a roving or sliver to reduce its linear density (thickness). It uses two pairs of counterrotating rollers, with different surface speeds. The ratio of the surface speed of the front (exit) rollers to the surface speed of the back (entry) rollers is called the draft ratio. (See Draft, Drawing) Roller lapping (or Rollerlap) Top made out of very strong, lustrous wool about 200 mm or more in length and used to cover the rollers of the squeeze-heads in a scour. This term is also used for the wool suitable for this purpose. Roller printing The design is applied to the fabric using etched or engraved rollers. Rolling Rolling a fleece into a compact bundle (with the fleece side outermost) that will hold together when packed into a bale. The shoulder roll is one method of rolling which presents the shoulder wool rather than the back wool as the bulk of the wool presented and giving a better appearance and fairer example of what the fleece contains. AgResearch 2012
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Romaine Amount of noil produced during wool combing, expressed as a percentage of the total top and noil produced. Another term for this is noilage. (See Tear) Roman nose A distinctive convex shape to the bridge of a sheeps nose, such as in the Border Leicester breed. Romcross Collective term for New Zealand crossbred wool, which is mainly based on the Romney breed. (See Romney) Romney More correctly called the New Zealand Romney. The most numerous sheep breed in New Zealand, originating from the Romney Marsh sheep from England. A dual purpose breed producing long, medium-lustre wool, staple length 125-175mm. mean fibre diameter 33-39 microns. (See Appendix 1) Rooing Process of removing the fleece from a sheep by hand plucking the wool. Many primitive sheep breeds retain the tendency to shed the current years fleece growth in late spring or early summer. At this point the fibre diameter become thinner and the fleece begins to loosen naturally (especially in certain breeds), so no distress is caused to the sheep when rooing is carried out. Rope marks (Running marks) Long crease marks in dyed or finished fabrics, running lengthwise. They are caused by wet processing a fabric in rope form. Ropey wool (or Roped wool) Wool which has become tangled, knotted and felted during scouring. Rosella A sheep that has lost part of its fleece before shearing and so is easy to shear. Rotary gill Type of gillbox where the faller bars have been replaced with shafts which have discs with protruding points. These can be set with different spacings between the discs, through which the sliver is drawn. (See Gilling) Rotary pressing Pressing a fabric between a large roller and a metal shoe; either or both may be heated. Rotary screen A seamless cylindrical screen constructed from a metal mesh, used for rotary printing of fabrics. Rotational crossbreeding Systematic crossing of two or more breeds in which the crossbred ewes are mated to rams of the breed contributing the least genes to that ewes phenotype. Rotational grazing Where a flock of sheep is moved to a new grazing area on a daily or weekly basis (See Set stocking). Rough em Rough, careless shearing. Opposite to pink em. Rousabout (or Rouseabout, Rousie) General shed hand in a shearing gang whose job is to keep the sheep up to the catching pens, change the fadges, assist the presser, etc. In Australia this term usually refers to an adult shed hand, while the terms lounge-about and blue tongue are reserved for younger shed hands. Roving Relatively fine, even, strand of fibres with zero or low twist, drafted from a sliver. It is the input material for worsted spinning. This term is also used for the production of roving from sliver. Rubfastness Ability of a dyed fabric to retain its colour and not to transfer any dye to be transferred to another fabric with which it has frictional contact (see Crocking, Crockmeter). Rug Soft floor covering, not fastened to the floor. As a general rule, a rug does not cover the entire floor. Rumen First, and largest, compartment in the ruminant stomach. Also called the paunch.
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Ruminant Animal with a four-part stomach (rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum) which is capable of digesting cellulose. The largest part is the rumen from which grass is regurgitated for further chewing (chewing the cud). Cattle sheep, goats and deer are ruminants while pigs and poultry are simple-stomached (monogastric) animals. Run Farming alternative term for a sheep station. (See Station) Shearing - actual working time between breaks in the shearing shed, typically two hours. Today a typical days shearing is divided into four two-hour runs. Traditionally, shearers completed a run before breakfast, two stretches in the morning and three in the afternoon, divided by meal times and smokos. Run-holder Station owner. The name originates from the issuing of a licence to run sheep on an area of land. These blocks of land date from early settlement when new country was divided into runs by the government. A licence to occupy permits the run-holder to farm the property under a leasehold arrangement, with the government still owning the land. (See Squatter) Run-off Area of land, possibly separated from the main area, where young or dry (non-lactating) sheep are run. Run-out fleece Fleece showing a variation in crimp formation between the butt and tip of the staple. Ryegrass staggers A brain disease of sheep and other farm animals, caused by the ingestion of a toxin called lolitrem B, produced by a fungus in perennial rygrass. The toxin has a damaging effect on cells in the brain that coordinate movement.
Corriedale
A medium size sheep with white face and legs and a black nose. There is usually some wool on the face and it has a well-covered poll. Staple: Less blocky (rectangular) than a Merino but less tippy than most crossbred wool. The fleece is medium to fine, with a pronounced crimp and a medium crimp spacing. Body weight Fleece weight Staple length Fibre diameter range Lamb production 45 70 kg (ewes) 4.5 6.5 kg 75 125 mm (annual growth) 28 33 microns (adult sheep) 90 130 %
A dual purpose sheep, with equal emphasis on meat and wool production. Developed in in 1868 by mating English long wool breeds with Merino, and interbreeding the progency to produce New Zealands first indigenous breed. The Corriedale is an adaptable sheep, farmed on drier land, mainly hilly country on the east coast of the South Island. New Zealand Corriedales have provided the foundation of flocks in Australia, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and China. Corriedale wool is used for medium weight outer garments, worsteds, light tweeds, hand knitting yarns and upholstery fabrics. AgResearch 2012
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Safety clutch Adjustable, spring-loaded clutch in the short gut of a shearing machine. It is designed to slip should the handpiece become jammed. Sale by Description Method of offering of wool for sale, by the cataloguing of previously appraised and measured grab samples but which are not readily available for inspection. Sale by Private Treaty Any sale of wool conducted privately (ie. outside the auction). Sale by Sample Method of displaying wool before an auction, where only a full staple length sample withdrawn mechanically from the line of wool is displayed in a cardboard box for buyer evaluation along with catalogued test results for yield, vegetable matter, fibre diameter, etc. The original concept was proposed by Dr Ian Fraser of WRONZ in 1967, leading to its subsequent adoption by the wool industry, first in Australia and then in New Zealand. Sale by Separation Selling of wool in a centre other than that in which the wool is stored. Sale by Tender Wools offered outside the auction system with the buyers submitting prices. Sale catalogue (or Auction catalogue) Booklet provided by each wool broker during the week of an auction to inform buyers of growers lots available to purchase. The information for each lot on offer contains both their test results and lot details (number of bales, weight, brand, description, etc.). (See Auction) Sale lot Group of bales of similar mass and usually the same farm, containing greasy wool prepared for sale according to accepted trade practices. Usually more than 3 bales. Sale roster Schedule of wool auction sales published for each new wool-selling season. It states the venues, dates and projected quantities to be offered for sale. Salt marsh lamb The meat of sheep which graze on salt marsh in coastal estuaries washed by tides and which support salt-tolerant grasses and herbs. Sample Refers to wool taken from and representative of the lot, scourment or delivery by the methods of grab, hand and core sampling. In order to issue IWTO test certificates, the sample must be drawn in accordance with the relevant IWTO Test Regulations. Sample container Container for wool constructed so that there is no loss of material or undue exposure to the atmosphere, and thus the moisture content will not change during storage before weighing. Sandy back Back wool containing sand, grit or dirt. Sateen A woven fabric with long weft floats on its surface. Satin A woven fabric with long warp floats on its surface. Saxon Strain of fine and superfine wool Merino, originating from Saxony in Germany. (See Escorial) Saxony Cut pile carpet with a reasonably thick pile, made of moderately twisted yarn so that the individual tufts are upright and visible. The dominant style in the USA domestic carpet market. Also a older term used for goods made from Merino wool on the woollen system. Scabby mouth Common name for the contagious disease pustular dermatitis or contagious ecthyma. It is a viral disease of sheep, attaching damaged skin areas around the mouth and causing sores. Also called Orf.
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Scales - The cuticle (outer layer) of the wool fibre is constructed of overlapping scale cells which point towards the fibre tip (see Cuticle). - A bale weighing device, which is certified annually in New Zealand by the Trade Measurement Unit of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. Schedule Price offered by meat exporting companies for various weights and grades of meat. Schlumberger comb Rectilinear comb designed originally for cotton, later adapted for the dry combing of short wools (about 35 mm in length). Schlumberger Dry Combing Yield (SD) One of the several commercial yields, calculated from the Wool Base, and accepted generally as the expected yield after scouring and processing through a typical comb without adding oil. SD yield is the result most often used to make greasy and clean conversions (prices and weights) in New Zealand. (See Yield) Scottish Blackface Coarse, highly medullated wool produced in the United Kingdom. It is included as a component in certain carpet yarn blends to provide resilience to the carpet pile. The presence of some pigmented fibres may restrict the use of this wool for light coloured yarns. A Scottish Blackface sheep is called a blackie in Northumbria. Scour Wool scouring plant (see Scouring (process), Appendix 8). Scourable diffuse yellow Fleece discolouration in a fleece of a butter colour, which is readily removed by scouring. Scoured wool Greasy or slipe wools that have been commercially scoured, carbonised or solvent degreased, excluding washed or partly washed wools. Scouring (process) High production washing of wool to remove the natural impurities of wax, suint, and dirt, followed by drying and baling. The term may also refer to the removal of contaminants from yarns and fabrics by washing in warm water and detergent (see Appendix 8). Scouring (sheep) Severe diarrhoea in sheep Scouring line (or Scouring train) Integrated chain of machinery for opening, blending, scouring, rinsing and drying in a scouring plant (Appendix 8) Scourment (or Scouring lot) Processing consignment for wool scouring, usually consisting of a blend of numerous farm lots. It is destined for a yarn manufacturer or topmaker. Scours Diarrhea in sheep. Causes can include overfeeding, viral bacteria and protozoan infections. Scrag Back of a sheeps neck. Scrapie Fatal disease of the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It is slow, progressive and difficult to control. Scray A curved trough in which fabric accumulates, either during a dwell period in a process or while awaiting treatment. Screen Australian term for the skirting table. Scribbler First half of a woollen carding machine between the feed hopper and the intermediate feed. (See Carding (Woollen), Peralta roller, Intermediate feed, Appendix 11). The scribbler was once a person working in a clothiers factory who oiled the wool to make it easier to work with. From around 1675 the scribbler used hand cards to pull the wool over a scribbling horse, a frame covered with iron teeth set in leather leaves. Scribblers were often older or disabled workers. The fibres could then be hand carded. From the 1790s scribbling engines took over this work. They were originally horse-powered but later were powered by water, then steam.
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Screen printing Method of printing comparable to using a stencil. The background design is painted on the screen with printing paste and the dye is printed through the exposed fabric. Different colours require different screens. Scrub Sheep whose ancestry is so mixed it does not resemble any particular breed or cross. Scud Cellular debris from the skin in dead wool. Sculptured pile Carpet pile formed from high and low pile areas, such as high-low loop and cut and loop. Scurs Little horns that have broken the skin of a sheep, but have not grown. Scutching Converting a fabric from rope form to open width form. Sealed container For grab samples of wool, a container that is closed in a manner which prevents unauthorized interference with the contents. For core samples, a container that is impermeable to moisture so that the contents are kept without change to the moisture content. Seam strength/slippage Ability of a fabric to withstand forces trying to pull apart a seam that has been stitched into it, and thus open up holes in the fabric. A tensile test is used to assess this. Season (for wool selling) Runs from July 1 to June 30 each year in New Zealand and Australia. Sebaceous glands (or Wax glands) Glands attached to primary and secondary wool follicles and which secrete wool wax. Merino sheep, which have a higher ratio of secondary follicles, produce greater quantities of wax than coarser-woolled sheep (see Follicle, Suderiferous gland, Appendix 4). Second cuts Short staples resulting from shearing an area on a sheep which has already been shorn. The result from a shearer not taking the wool off close enough to the sheeps skin and having to make a second cut to remove the rest of the wool. A second cut differs from a normal staple in that both ends are severed and no tip end is evident. In staple length measurement, second cuts are considered as staples. Also called two-cut and chaff. Second cuts have little value because of their shortness. Secondary follicle Wool follicle without an associated suderiferous (sweat) gland or small arrector pili muscle. For finer wools the ratio of primary to secondary fibre diameters tends to decrease while the ratio of the number of secondary to primary fibres increases (see Primary follicle, Appendix 4) Secondary backing In tufted wool carpet, an additional backing is bonded to the primary backing with latex to improve dimensional stability. Seconds Textile products which, because of a fault or imperfection, to not meet an agreed standard of quality. Second shear wool Wool from sheep shorn more frequently than once every 8 months. Sometimes called second clip (See Prem shorn), Sectional warping Preparation of a warp beam involving (1) winding a warp in sections on a reel and (2) transferring (beaming-off) the complete warp from the reel onto a warp beam. Security of a sample Measures taken to ensure that the integrity of a sample and its certificates or documentation are preserved. Seed Ovules from plants (other than burr producers) which adhere to the wool to cause vegetable contamination (ie. bidi-bidi, grass seeds, etc.). Seedy wool (or Seed) Wools contaminated with seed (usually from grasses), which are more difficult to remove than burrs. There are many small, hard types of seed which generally cause few problems in processing, with the exception of carrot seed. AgResearch 2012
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Selection Practice of deciding which individuals will be allowed to mate to produce the next generation. Selection criteria Specific traits measured and used as the basis for choosing replacement ewes and rams. Selection difference (or Selection differential) Difference between the average for a trait in replacement animals and the average of the group from which replacements were chosen. The expected response from selection equals selection differential times the heritability of a trait. Selection goals Long-term direction of a flock that should provide a clear picture of the desired direction of genetic change in a flock, based on the economic realities of the production system Selection index Selection method that ranks individual animals for economic merit, based on two or more traits. Selection intensity The smaller the proportion of the lamb crop that needs to be saved for replacements, the greater the selection intensity (Iand hence the larger the selection differential. Self-feeder Feeders for sheep and cattle where they can access feed when they wish. Self-replacing flock The main production system used in the Merino industry, involving the selection of superior young replacement ewes from the previous years flock and returning them to the main ewe flock. The oldest ewes (cast for age) are culled. Self-twist spinning On the Repco self-twist spinning machine S and Z twist is inserted alternately in a pair of strands which are then brought together, out of phase along their length to wrap around each other. A stable two-ply yarn with alternating twist is thus formed. This method has a number of advantages over conventional worsted ring spinning production rate, cleanliness, spinning limits (35 fibres per strand) and noise but is mostly used for spinning high bulk acrylic fibre for knitting. Selling centre Towns where wool is sold by public auction, generally at weekly intervals in the wool-selling season. Currently Napier in the North Island and Christchurch in the South Island are the selling centres for New Zealand wool. (See Auction) Selvedge The bound edge of a woven fabric, running parallel to the warp and which prevents the fabric from fraying. Semen Ejaculate of a ram that contains fluids from the accessory glands and spermatozoa. Semi-worsted yarn Strong spun thread in which fibres have been partially aligned by gilling before spinning. The yarns are more even, compact and smoother than woollen spun yarns, but cannot be quite as fine or as smooth as worsted yarns. They tend to have lower bulk (ie, leaner) than woollen spun yarns of similar count and twist. (see Appendix 7). Semi-worsted processing High production spinning route developed to produce yams with similar characteristics to worsted spun yarn, but in a shorter, more economic way. In most countries this route is used with synthetic staple fibre, but in New Zealand wool is processed for carpet yarn. Because there is no combing step, the wool used in this route must be of good uniform length, have good tensile strength and be free from vegetable matter. In carpet yarn manufacture a low level of carding lubricant is used so subsequent yarn scouring is not required. (See Appendix 7) Serge Type of twill fabric that in the worsted variety is used for making military uniforms, suits and coats. The term is also used for high quality wollen woven cloth. Originally made of wool, but now made of other fibres or blends of wool with other fibres. Serrations Tips of the cuticle scales which project from the body of the wool fibre and assist felting. Fine wool generally has more serrations than coarse wool. (See Cuticle, Felting) Serve To mate a ram with a ewe.
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Serving capacity Number of ewes that a ram can successfully mate. Set stocking This grazing strategy involves placing a pre-determined number of sheep in a paddock for a long period, up to one year. The purpose is to regulate the grazing effect on the pasture (see Rotational grazing). Setting (card clothing) Systematic placement of the wire staples in flexible card clothing (or fillet). The rib setting is the most commonly used on woollen cards. Setting (yarn process) Process of consolidating the twist into a wool yarn destined for cut-pile carpets requiring good tuft definition and good texture retention in use. Steam, hot water or a solution of sodium metabisulphite may be used to achieve this, usually in a dye vessel, tape scour or a Chemset (or Twistset) machine. Settled An American term for a sheep becoming pregnant. SGS Wool Testing Services One of the two New Zealand test houses accredited to test greasy and scoured wool for trading purposes and issue IWTO test certificates. (See Test house) Shabby Dull and unattractive wool. Shade A common term used to broadly describe a particular colour or depth, eg, pale shade. This word is also used for the process of bringing about relatively small modifications in the colour of a material in dyeing by adding a small amount of dye. Shading Apparent change of colour in an area of cut pile carpet. It is caused by the pile laying in different directions across the surface. Also called pile switch, pile reversal, pile bias, puddling and water marking (see TruTrac). Shafting plant An old-fashioned shearing system where one motor drives all stands with one long, steel shaft. Shafty Long, sound, bulky staples, wide and thick. Shag pile Wool cut-pile tufted carpet with an extra long pile, generally longer than 15mm. No longer fashionable. Shagroons Australian squatters who arrived in New Zealand in the early 1850s. They brought with them many of the sheep farming terms and practices that were adopted in New Zealand. They were also called prophets. Shaking Method of removing loose items such as twigs, dung and some vegetable matter from wool. It is less costly and damaging to remove contaminants using gravity rather than by violent action to the fibres. Shandygaff An old term for various sorts of sheep mixed together in a yard. To shandygaff is to put wet sheep with dry sheep in the wool shed to deceive the shearers. Shanks (or Shankings) Wool covering the lower parts of a sheeps legs below the knees and hocks, comprising short, inferior and kempy fibres. (See Appendix 19) Shaping The process used to shape a fabric during knitting by changing the number of stitches per course, wale or unit area in the fabric. Sharlea wool (or Shedded wool) Ultrafine wool produced by superfine merinos (18 microns or finer) hand fed in sheds. Characterised by high staple strength and minimal contaminants. Shearing (fabric or carpet finishing) Cutting protruding fibres from the surface of a fabric after weaving (or after carpet weaving or tufting) to produce a smooth even finish. Also called Cropping.
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Shearing (sheep) Removing wool from sheep by machine or blades. Frequency of shearing may be once a year, twice a year, or three times over two years. (See Appendix 35) Shearing board Area in a shearing shed where sheep are shorn. Shearing gang Group of people contracted by a farmer to shear, handle and bale the wool clip. Shearing shed (or Woolshed, Shed) Building on a farm in which sheep are shorn and the preparation of the wool for sale is carried out. Synonymous with wool shed and often shortened to shed. Shearling Recently shorn sheep having wool of a short length (ie, <2.5cm). Mostly used for a young sheep after its first or second shearing. Shears - second shear fleeces - another name for hand blades (see Blades) Shed - Abbreviation for the shearing shed. - In sheep handling, to separate one or more animals from a group. - In weaving, the shed is the opening between warp threads on a loom and through which the shuttle passes. It is formed by raising some warp threads by means of their harnesses while others are left down. Sometimes called the shed space (See Appendix 16). Shed fibre - Fibres released from the follicle (ie. kemp fibres, first generation (halo hair)) fibres from of the lamb fleece. - Stress released fibres from mature sheep (a prerequisite to cotting). - Fibres accumulating on the surface of a recently laid cut-pile wool carpet. (See Shedding) Shed hand Synonymous with wool handler. Staff employed to handle and usually prepare the shorn wool in the farm shearing shed. In Australia, the term steel beak is also used. (See Rouseabout). Shedding - Weaving: Formation of a shed, ie, the opening between the warp threads across the loom, in the weaving cycle. The weft yarn is inserted through this opening using a shuttle, rapier, projectile, air jet or water jet. (See Appendix 16) Carpet performance: Loss of pile fibres by the action of foot traffic early in the life of a carpet. This is mostly short fibres in cut pile carpets because these are less well retained by the tufts than longer fibres.
Shedding breeds Sheep meat breeds that shed fleeces containing pigmented and medullated fibres. Examples include Wiltshire Horn, Wiltipoll, Damara and Dorper. Their wool must be kept separated from other lines to prevent contamination of these lines. Shed-up Shutting woolly sheep in a shearing shed (or under cover outside the shed) before shearing to prevent them from getting wet from rain or dew. Sheep Quadraped ruminant mammal of the genus Ovis, of the family Bovidae. They are in the same subfamily (Caprinae) as goats and are bred across a wide range of domestic varieties (breeds). The life span is approximately 12 years, which largely depends on the state of their teeth. The gestation period for sheep is 5 months. An old name for a sheep is woolbird. (See Appendix 24 Sheep Classification) Sheep and wool grower national organizations (see individual entries) Australia Australia Wool Innovation Ltd (AWI) Canada Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers Ltd (CCWG) Great Britain British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) South Africa National Wool Growers Association (NWGA) Uruguay Uruguayan Wool Secretariat (SUL) USA American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) Sheep metabolism facts Body temperature Average: 39.10C; Respiration rate: Average: 16 breaths/min Pulse rate: Average: 75 beats/min AgResearch 2012
Range: 38.90C 39.70C Range: 10 20 per breaths per minute Range: 70 80 beats per minute
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Sheep cocky Sheep farmer Sheep dip The preparation, or the site on the farm, for cleansing sheep of external parasites such as flies, keds, lice, etc, by dipping. British farmers have for a long time referred to whisky as sheep dip. (See Dipping) Sheepdog (or Shepherd dog) Dog that is specially trained for the purpose of handling sheep. Categories are hunterway, heading/strong eyed, and all-rounder. They can pull sheep, drive sheep, yard and/or back (see Kelpie, Border Collie, Flea Taxi, Hollow Log) Sheepmeat Commercial term for mutton or lamb Sheepo (or Sheep-oh) Traditional shearers call when the catching pen needs refilling with sheep. Also the employee in a shearing shed who keeps the catching pens filled (also called a penner-up). Sheep run Extensive area of land used for grazing sheep. Sheepsback insurance Insurance cover over wool from shearing to its arrival at the wool broker's stores. For auction sales only. Sheep senses Sheep have good hearing and are sensitive to noise when being handled. They have horizontal, slit-shaped pupils and have excellent peripheral vision. Their visual field is in the range 270 o 320o so sheep can see behind themselves without turning their heads. They have poor depth perception so that shadows or dips in the ground may cause sheep to balk. In general sheep tend to move out of the dark and into well-lit areas. Sheep have excellent sense of smell and have scent glands just in front of their eyes and interdigitally on their feet. The purpose of these glands is uncertain, but they may be used in breeding behaviours. Sheep-sick Describes land that has been degraded as a result of over-grazing by sheep. Sheepskin Garment or rug from sheeps skin, with the wool on, or leather from sheeps skin. Double-faced sheepskin is where a tannery produces a quality tanned product on both the wool side and the skin side of the sheepskin (or lambskin). Single-faced sheepskin is where the tannery producesa useable tanned product on the wool side only. The skin side may be marked and the dyeing may be uneven. Sheepwalk Area of rough grazing occupied by a flock, or forming part of a farm. Sheep yards Set of pens for the purpose of handling sheep. Consist of several yards with a diamond, crush pens and a drafting race. Shelter Features in a paddock such as trees, gullies or ridges that protect sheep from adverse weather. Shelter belts Fence lines planted with dense stands of trees to provide shelter for sheep in inclement weather. Shepherds crook A staff with a hook at one end, used to catch sheep by the neck or the leg. Shetland Warm tweed fabric with raised finish, made from wool grown on the Shetlands Islands of Scotland. Used for sportswear, coats and knitwear. Shetland type clothing is made with similar appearance but does not necessarily contain Shetland wool. Shetland sheep produce very fine lustrous wool. Shi-ack Usual shed banter (ie, humorous conversation between the workers) from which nothing is excused. Everyone in the shed, from the boss to the rousie can be the target of good-natured teasing. This fun makes a hard job much more enjoyable. Shifting needle bar (or Sliding needle bar) Patterning attachment on a carpet tufting machine which uses reciprocating mechanisms to move one or two needle bars back and forth across the machine to produce a zig-zag pattern. (See Needle bar, Tufting)
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Shipper Sheep for live export; usually wethers older than 1 year. Shipping consignment Parcel of wool being shipped to a customer. One or more bales of similar type of wool, individually identified by a shipping mark and a number and mark of origin. It may comprise one or more tested lots put together for shipping as one parcel covered by a single certificate. Shipping mark Shipping consignment may be identified by the use, singularly, or in combination, of a symbol, numbers or letters, applied to each individual bale. It may also be associated with the consecutive renumbering of all bales in the consignment but renumbering alone does not constitute a shipping mark. Shirley Analyser Laboratory carding machine used for removing vegetable matter from a scoured wool sample and blending the fibres for subsequent measurement of fibre diameter and colour. Shirley Wheel Device for removing wool from a flow of air. A perforated screen intercepts the air duct that is transporting the wool and allows the air to pass through while the wool falls away. Widely used in wool scours. Shive Vegetable matter, usually that contained in the back wool, such as manuka leaf, macrocarpa leaf, barley grass etc., hence the term 'shivey backs'. It does not include burrs or seed. Shive is difficult to remove during processing because it tends to be long and thin, similar to a wool fibre. Sometimes called shiv or chive. Shivy (or Shivey) Wool containing shive. Shoddy Wool recovered from knitted goods and loosely woven cloths made from soft spun yarns. A superior type of recovered wool. Benjamin Law first produced shoddy and mungo in 1813 and this became the basis of the UK shoddy industries in the Batley, Morley, Dewsbury and Ossett. In 1860 the town of Batley had 80 firms producing 7000 tons of shoddy per year. Shornie Australian term for a freshly shorn sheep. Shortwool sheep (or Down sheep) Sheep producing wool with short staple length (5-9 cm), finer fibres (25-34 microns) than longwools. The wool has low lustre, high fibre crimp and bulk. The breeds include Shropshire, Hampshire, Suffolk, Ryeland, South Suffolk, Southdown, Poll Dorset, Dorset Down and Dorset Horn. (See Down wool) Shot In woven carpets, the number of filling yarns per row of tufts. In weaving the term is used for the fill yarn that is inserted across the width of the fabric. Shower dipping Applying a remedy to sheep to eliminate external parasites by spraying the chemical onto them in a confined space. Show floor Area set aside for displaying grab samples of sale lots for typing and appraisal before the auction. Shorn hogget Fleece of a hogget shorn as a lamb. Short fibre content Expresses the percentage of fibres less than a specified length, eg, 20 or 40 mm. It is usually measured using the Almeter. (See Almeter) Shrek A Merino wether from Bendigo Station in Central Otago, New Zealand who gained international fame in 2004 after he avoided being caught and shorn for six years, presumably by hiding in a cave during musters. After eventually being caught, Shrek was shorn by a professional shearer in 20 minutes. His fleece weighed 27kg (about six times the average fleece weight for a Merino). Shrek was named after the popular book and film character. He died in 2011. Shrinkage - loss of carcass weight between slaughter and sale, mainly due to the loss of water from the meat. - loss in weight of a wool consignment due to scouring, expressed as percentage by weight of the greasy wool entering the process. - reduction in the dimensions of woollen fabrics or garments during finishing due to the tendency of the wool fibre to felt. AgResearch 2012
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Shrink proofing (or Shrink resist treatment) Wool treatment to eliminate the risk of felting in shrinkage of a garment in use and cleaning. The Kroy-Hercosett process, which is most commonly used to provide shrink resistance for wool fabrics, involves a chlorine treatment to erode the surface scales on the fibre, followed by a resin application to coat the fibre and hence mask the scales. Shuttle Free-flying part of a traditional loom that carries the weft thread between the warp threads through the shed. Usually made of wood. It carries a small bobbin of yarn called a pirn. It has been replaced more more rapid insertion mechanisms (eg, rapier, projectile and air jet) in modern looms. (See Loom, Weft insertion, Appendix 16). Shy feeders Animals, usually lambs, that persistently refuse to eat supplementary feed. Sibs (or Full sibs) Brother and sisters from the same sire and dam (ie, ewe and ram). Silage Sheep (and cattle) feed made from young grass high in protein, cut when it starts to show seed heads, then wilted and stored in airtight containers (silos, bunkers or plastic wrap). Baleage is made from more mature pasture and is wrapped in plastic wrap are wilting. It has lower feed value (energy and protein) than silage. Singeing Process where rapidly-moving fabric moves across a flame or very hot plate in order to remove fibres protruding from the fabric surface. Singles yarn (or Single yarn) Yam composed of one twisted strand of fibres. Singleton UK term for a single lamb. Sinkage Loss of weight in wool scouring, usually expressed as a percentage. Also used for an unaccounted loss of weight in processing. Sire Male parent of an animal; in sheep it is usually a stud ram. SiroCLEAR Optical sensing system that examines yarns for contaminants as they are wound from bobbin to cone at high speed. Sirofil A spinning system which wraps a worsted yarn around a polyester filament core to produce suits which resist distortion at knees and elbows. Sirolan Fleecescan Set of transportable instruments, based on Laserscan technology, for rapidly measuring the fibre diameter of fleeces as they are shorn in the shearing shed. It is capable of testing 100 fleeces per hour, with each result available within one minute. Sirolan Laserscan Sophisticated, computer-controlled instrument used to measure mean fibre diameter, fibre diameter distribution, fibre curvature and comfort factor of wool. It operates by detecting shadows in a laser beam, caused by fibre snippets that are carried through the beam by the flow of a suitable liquid. Often just referred to Laserscan. (See Fibre diameter, Fibre diameter distribution, Curvature, Comfort factor) Siroscour Scouring system developed by CSIRO in Australia especially for fine wools, and to handle different patterns of contaminant removal. The preferred mode of operation is three-stage scouring in which the functions of the bowls are divided into three stages. Sirospun Modification to a worsted ring spinning frame that enables two rovings to be drafted in parallel, then twisted together. It therefore eliminates the need for a twisting step in yarn manufacture (See Twisting, Solospun). Sisal Dense loop pile wool carpet with a similar look to traditional mats made from plant fibres. They have well-defined parallel lines of loops which may be of uniform height or have a combination of high and low lines. Six tooth Sheep with six incisor teeth up and of around 3-4 years of age.
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Sixty-nine Call made to let shearers and shedhands know that ladies and visitors are entering the shearing shed, so that they will be on their best behaviour for the visitors and stop telling stories. Ninety-nine was also used. (See Ducks on the Pond) Sizing (or Slashing) Application of a gelatinous compound, polyvinyl alcohol or starch (size) to warp yarns before weaving. Sizing, which is carried out on a slasher, protects the yarn from the abrasive action of the loom. It provides stiffness and temporarily binds the fibres. (See Desizing) Skein Unsupported coil of yarn where the two ends are tied to maintain the shape of the coil. Another name for hank. Skep Pronounced skip. A trolley for carrying loose wool in a woolstore or mill. Skillion An old Australian and New Zealand term for the sheep-holding part of a woolshed. Skin pieces Clumps of wool attached to pieces of skin removed inadvertently during shearing and which, if not removed prior to manufacture, will cause problems in processing. Skin wool Wool from a fellmongery. In England this is wool obtained by non-lime processes (excludes slipe wool). Skip Cage or box on wheels, used in brokers store for weighing binned or classed wool. Skirtings (or Pieces) Portions of the external edges of a fleece removed by the classer after shearing. Skirtings primarily form the piece lines of a clip, and are further categorized according to length and cleanliness. (See Appendix 5) Skirting table Large, rectangular, slatted table on which fleeces are thrown (ie, spread out) for skirting. The slats allow locks and second cuts to fall away. Skirty Fleeces that have been insufficiently skirted. Slink Very young lamb. Slink skin is the skin and wool removed from a dead, new-born lamb. Slipe wool (or Slipes) Wool removed from the skins (pelts) of slaughtered animals by a chemical depilatory which loosens the wool fibres. May be called fellmongered or pulled wool, or skin wool (although in some countries skin wool and slipe wool are different types). Body wool is graded as woolly lambs, shorn lambs and sheep while slipe oddments are graded as seconds, thirds and Slipemaster. (see Skin wool). Slipemaster Machine used to remove wool from pelt trimmings and head pieces in a fellmongery, and with the aid of scalding water. Sliver Thick, continuous strand of carded, gilled, (or carded, gilled and combed), wool fibres in a untwisted state. Sliver knitting Machine knitting technique where light weight, single jersey fabric is formed from synthetic filaments and tufts of staple fibres such as wool are knitted at each loop to form a pile fabric on the reverse side. The resulting product is called a sliver knit or knit pile fabric. Modern, computer controlled machines, using coloured slivers, can create a wide range of attractive pile designs (see Pile knit). Slub Short, abnormally thick place in a yarn, usually with a diameter exceeding 2.5mm.This thickened place does not contain an entangled core of fibres as defined for a nep. Dyed slubs may be incorporated into a yarn to give a decorative effect (see Slub Yarn). Slubbing (or Slubbings) Continuous, weak, thin strand of fibres, the end result of the woollen carding process. The card web is divided into thin ribbons which are then rubbed by sets of aprons in the condenser to consolidate the fibres. This action gives the ribbons greater cohesion before spinning on the woollen spinning frame. (See Condenser, Appendix 11)
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Slub yarn (or Slubby yarn) Fancy yarn characterized by zones of thicker, loosely twisted yarn alternating with thinner higher twisted zones Sludge Slushy sediment, dirt sand etc., that settles on the bottom of a wool scouring bowl. Also called heavy solids. Smart textiles See Intelligent Textiles. Smoko Morning and afternoon tea break. Smooth mouth Sheep that has lost all of its permanent incisor teeth, usually at around 7 years old or more. Smother If the pens in the woolshed are filled too tightly, sheep may die through smothering during the night. Smothering of sheep can also occur if a dog forces a mob to take an abrupt turn while driving them. Smut A kemp fibre pigmentation found around the extremities of many breed of sheep, at any or all of the seven sites lower muzzle, both horn sites, or the shanks of both fore and hind legs. The pigmentation ranges from ginger to chocolate, and grey to black. The term is restricted to fibre pigmentation and is not used for skin pigmentation. S number (or Super S) An S number on the label of wool apparel indicates the fineness of the fibre used. The higher the number the finer the wool. For example, 80s must have maximum fibre diameter of 19.75 micrometres or finer and 90s, 19.25 micrometres or finer. This scale continues to the 210s at 13.25 micrometre or finer. Thus each step of ten (as from 80s to 90s or 90s to 100s) corresponds to 0.5 micrometre less in allowed maximum fibre diameter. While S numbers are used for wool blend fabrics too, the term Super applies only to pure new wool products. Snagger Australian term for a old shearer who is past the retirement age but refuses to retire. Also used for a clumsy shearer. Snarl Length of yarn that has twisted on itself because of lively twist or insufficient tension. Snippets Very short pieces of fibre, typically around 2 mm long, which are cut from a sample of wool or sliver using a minicoring device or a guillotine. The snippets are used to measure fibre diameter and related wool properties. (See OFDA, Sirolan Laserscan, Projection Microscope) Snob Last sheep in the catching pen. This term is also used for a bad sheep to shear (which is often the last). Snow comb Adaptor on a shearing hand piece to leave more wool on a sheep. (See Cover comb) Snowed in When shearers are ahead of the wool table so that wool is lying around the floor waiting to go on the wool table. Shearers will be seen at their best when they get ahead of the rest of the shed. They enjoy snowing in, and usually will make the wool flow faster than ever. Also described as woolled-up. Snow raking Making a track for sheep to find their way through deep snow. Softening agent (or Softener) Agent applied to a textile during wet finishing to give it a softer handle. Soft knops Small balls of wool, which may have a shrink-resist treatment, produced by a mechanical process developed by WRONZ and used as fill materials in bedding products (ie, pillows, mattresses, duvets and futons). Soft Rolling Skins Soft Rolling Skins (SRS) system is a breeding system for merino sheep developed by Dr Jim Watts in Australia. Based on extensive research. SRS sheep are claimed to produce fleeces with unprecedented high levels of fibre density, length and quality. The resulting fineness, softness and uniformity are said to offer significant product opportunities.
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Soft waste By-product of carding, combing and drawing which is in a fibrous state without twist (so yarn waste, which is often called hard waste, is excluded). When an end break occurs in woollen spinning, the build-up of slubbing fibre is immediately removed by a suction tube and accumulated in a cabinet at the end of the spinning frame. This type of soft waste, which is often called pneumafil, may be recycled back to the card hopper. (See Hard waste) Solospun Adaptation to a worsted ring spinning frame to enable a fine weavable singles yarn to be made. The fibres comprising the yarn are organized in such a way by the Solospun attachment that the yarn has an abrasion resistance in weaving that matches that of sized or two-fold weaving yarns. The device was developed jointly by WRONZ, CSIRO, and IWS (The Woolmark Company). (See Weavable singles yarn, Sirospun) Solvent finishing Washing knitwear in a organic solvent in a dry cleaning machine. Sonic Fineness Tester Instrument developed by CSIRO to measure the mean fibre diameter of wool, but is no longer used in commercial testing. A vibrating speaker oscillates air through a compressed mass of wool fibres and the sound waves impinge on a sensor which measures the frequency of the waves. The output voltage generated by the sensor is related to the permeability (and hence the mean diameter) of the fibres. Sore mouth American term for a highly contagious viral infection that causes scabs around the nostrils and eyes and may affect the udders of lactating ewes. Sorption The process of taking up and holding moisture. Sorting - Traditionally refers to splitting up bales of individual fleeces by mill hands into the different quality numbers. Little sorting is now carried out because of the labour cost. - Separation of wool for colour, length, fineness and/or fault in a shearing shed, store or scour. Sound Evenly grown wool, of good tensile strength throughout the staple. The opposite of tender wool. Sound mouth Sheep whose teeth are firm and in their natural position; usually refers to an older sheep. Soundness Tensile strength of wool fibres. Wools that break under gentle tension are termed unsound, weak or tender. They suffer excessive breakage in processing (See Staple strength) South African Mutton Merino (or South African Meat Merino, SAMM) A wool a meat sheep originating in South Africa but now found throughout the world. SAMM is derived from Deutsche Fleisch Merino animals imported from Europe in 1932 to improve meat and wool quality from sheep in South Africa. It has been developed as versatile, hardy, polled, dual-purpose breed. Ewes have good maternal instinct and high milk production. Ewes produce 3.5 4.5 kg of wool around 22-24 microns annually. They were first imported into Australia in 1996. In New Zealand, SAMM have been bred from embryos and semen imported from Australia, beginning in 1999. South Australian Merino This strain was specifically bred to provide an economic return from wool in the arid pastoral conditions commonly found in that state. The largest of the Merino strains in Australia; generally longer, taller and heavier than the Peppin with less skni wrinkles than other strains. The wool tends to be towards the coarse end of the merino range. Sox (or Socks) Kempy, hairy fibre growing between the knee and hoof of a sheep. Sometimes the sox will be left on the sheep to avoid contamination of the shorn wool. Soxhlet extraction apparatus Equipment used by a test house for separating grease and similar wool contaminants from a sample of the fibre. These materials are extracted by repeatedly washing (percolation) of a test specimen with an organic solvent such as dichloromethane (DCM) or ethanol. Space dyeing Production of multicolour yarns by the application of different colours at intervals along a yarn by printing or other colouration methods (spraying, dipping etc.). Specialty fibres Wool-like fibres which are valued for their characteristics and limited supply. They include goat fibres (Angora, Cashmere, Cashgora, Mohair), camel hair and the camelid fibres (Llama, Alpaca, Vicuna, etc.) AgResearch 2012
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Specialty wools Wools possessing some value-adding characteristics such as bulk, medullation etc. (especially for carpets). (See Carpet wool) Specification Form supplied by a wool broker and completed by a wool grower and which accompanies each wool consignment. Specifies line descriptions, bale numbers, etc. This term is also used to define the wool requirements for specific types of yarn (in terms of fibre diameter, length, colour etc.) Specking Scouring: Picking out defects (eg, contamination) in scoured wool, usually done at the conveyor after the dryer. Fabric manufacture: the inspection of a fabric for tiny blemishes during finishing. Spectrophotometer Sophisticated instrument for measuring the colour of a material such as wool and textiles. It separates the light reflected from the sample into its component wavelengths. The measured variation in light energy, as a function of wavelength is converted into the tristimulus values (X, Y and Z) for ease of interpretation. (See Tristimulus values, Colour, Colour measurement) Spectrum A colouration technique using dye attract and dye resist resins to wool knitted garments and fabrics to enable quick response, multicoloured effects to be produced in subsequent piece dyeing. Spindle Vertical shaft on a ring spinning frame (or twister frame) which rotates at high speed and holds a tube onto which the twisted yarn is wound. A spinning frame typically has over one hundred spindles (see Appendix 13). Spinnability The ease of spinning a wool into yarn; mostly dependent its mean fibre diameter, length and crimp. Spinner Manufacturer of yarn. Three types of yarn are used for wool processing (woollen, worsted and semiworsted), each with different fibre requirements, and manufacturers tend to specialize in one of these (see Appendix 7). Spinners type Fleece wools which, by virtue of their good colour, evenness for fibre diameter, length and soundness, and freedom from dust and vegetable matter need little additional sorting prior to manufacture and are bought directly by the spinner. Normally Merino, Halfbred and Corriedale fleece categories are used for the production of superior worsted yarn. Spinning Inserting twist into a continuous strand of fibres (eg, drafted roving, slubbing or sliver) to convert it into yarn (see Appendix 13) Spinning count Term of British origin used to describe the fineness of wool fibres. The count (such as 64s, 62s, etc.) refers to the number of hanks (560 yard lengths) of yarn that can be spun to a minimum thickness from one pound of top. Now largely replaced by the micron, the unit of mean fibre diameter (See Quality Number, Appendix 32). Spinning fineness Parameter calculated from the mean fibre diameter of a wool and its coefficient of variation of fibre diameter to provide a prediction of worsted spinning performance. It is measured in microns. The spinning fineness is equal to the mean fibre diameter when the coefficient of variation of diameter (CVD) equals 24%. For a wool with a CVD less than 24% the spinning fineness is less than the mean fibre diameter. Spinning frame Machine which converts a slubbing, sliver or roving into yarn by (1) inserting twist into the strands and (2) winding them onto bobbins. It consists of a series of many spindles arranged in a line and powered from a common drive shaft (see Appendix 13). (See Ring spinning) Spinning limit Minimum number of fibres required in the cross section of a yarn. Below this number the yarn will not spin well nor hold together adequately for knitting or weaving. This limit depends on the spinning route and is around 40 fibres for worsted spinning while at least 110 fibres in the cross-section are required for woollen spinning. For example, using 20 m wool, the minimum yarn counts that can be spun are 16 tex and 45 tex on the worsted and woollen systems respectively. For 35 micron wool the corresponding yarn counts are 50 tex and 139 tex respectively. Spirality A distortion of a circular-knitted fabric in which the wales follow a spiral path around the axis of the tube. It is caused by a yarn that is twist-lively (See Twist-lively)
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S/P ratio Ratio of the number of secondary follicles to the number of primary follicles in a follicle group. This ratio varies markedly between breeds, for example around 18-25 for Merino sheep, 14 for Corriedale and 6 for Romney sheep. Generally, the higher the S/P ratio the finer the wool produced. (See Follicle group) Splicing Spinning - Joining of two ends of yarn, often using a jet of compressed air to entangle the fibres (air splicing). Knitting the reinforcement of areas of knitted goods by the knitting of another yarn along with the main thread. Sponging The sequence of steaming, shrinking, pressing and reconditioning of finished (or partly finished) wool goods before garment manufacture. This completely relaxes the fabric and allows it to achieve dimensional stability before sewing. Also called steaming (See London Shrinkage). Spook To scare or frighten sheep, especially those not accustomed to being handled. Spool See Beam, Appendix 13. SportwoolTM Active sportswear fabric made from wool, with special moisture transport features. It is a composite fabric, combining an inner layer of machine-washable merino wool and outer layer of polyester. Sweat is effectively transferred away from the skin to the outside of the fabric, leaving the inside dry and comfortable. Sprouting Emergence of long tufts above the normal pile surface of a carpet. Corrected by cutting the sprouted tuft before or during installation. Spun yarn A yarn that consists of staple fibres such as wool, held together usually by twist. Squattocracy (or Squatocracy) Families who first owned farming properties in the early days of New Zealand. Governor George Greys lowering of the price of land in 1853 to encourage the landless to take up small holdings advantaged the speculators and large landholders instead. The rise of the squattocracy and the locking up of much of the land by a small number of farmers was the result of Greys decision. This derogatory term is also used in Australia and other countries for wealthy landowners who are considered a powerful social class. Squatter Runholder or station owner. This term was once applied loosely to any large runholder. Squeegee A rubber or metal blade which is used to force paste through the screen mesh in the screen printing of fabrics. Squeeze press Pair of rollers, covered with roller lapping, that apply high pressure to a stream of wet wool to remove as much water as possible from the wool before it passes to the next stage of processing. In a wool scouring line a squeeze press is located between each bowl, and at the end of the last bowl just before the dryer. Squeezer Australian term for the wool press operator in a shearing shed. (See Tick Squasher) Stag Male sheep that has been castrated after reaching maturity (ie, after approximately 6 months of age). A male sheep that has not been castrated properly as a lamb. Stained wool Wool from the crutch of a sheep that is permanently discoloured with urine and yolk, and will not scour to a nearwhite colour. Some common stains include pizzle (urine) stain, pen stain, bacterial stain, canary yellow, dip stain and water-rot stain (see Appendix 26). Staining scale rating Staining rating calculated from an observed difference in colour between a test and a reference specimen. The rating is used in assessing stains due to branding substances remaining on the wool after scouring. Stain resistance Ability of a fabric to withstand permanent discolouration by the action of liquids. This property depends on the chemical nature of the fibre, but it can be improved by proprietary treatments, called stainblockers. Stag A ram castrated after about six months of age. AgResearch 2012
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Stand Area immediately surrounding an individual shearing machine the shearers allocated work space. For example, a four-stand shed provides space for four shearers. Standard conditions The standard atmosphere for testing wool and wool products is 65% + 2% relative humidity and 20oC + 2oC temperature. (See Conditioning Atmosphere) Standard deviation Measure of variability in a distribution of test results. For example, for fibre diameter, the standard deviation indicates how the diameters of individual fibres in a test specimen vary from the mean value. Standard deviation is the square root of the variance and is expressed in the units of measurement, eg, microns. (See Coefficient of variation) Staple Wool fleece- Well-defined aggregation of wool fibres growing in bunches, or clusters and also known as locks, each of which is held to the adjoining locks by binders or fibres running obliquely from one staple to another in the fleece. Wool preparation To bring fibres to a certaint uniformity in properties, usually length, for example by sorting. Staple base Bottom of the wool staple that represents the portion of the wool staple where it has been cut directly adjacent to the skin surface. Staple fibres Fibres with a finite length (eg, 20-200mm) such as wool and cotton, as opposed to continuous filaments (extruded man-made fibres and silk). Man-made fibres can be converted from filament into staple form for blending with wool and other fibres by cutting or stretch-breaking. Staple length Measured length of the staple from tip to base (or butt). For a sale lot, a minimum of 55 staples must be measured by the ATLAS instrument to conform to the IWTO standard. The average staple length is then calculated and reported in millimetres (mm). Staple length variability Refers to the variability in staple length within a sale lot. It is reported as the coefficient of variation, which is expressed as a percentage (CV%). Staple measurements Refers to measurement of staple length (mm), staple strength (Newtons/kilotex), staple length variability (Coefficient of Variation %) and position of break (POB), as measured by the ATLAS instrument. Staple strength (or Tensile strength) Maximum force required to rupture a staple of given thickness (kilotex). Staple strength is expressed in newtons/kilotex (N/ktex). It is measure of tensile strength which is independent of mean fibre diameter and average thickness of a staple. Poor staple strength results from wool tenderness, which usually arises from pathological (eg, fly strike), nutritional or other environmental stress. Staple strength results around 10 - 20 N/ktex indicate very tender wool while results around 50 N/ktex indicate very sound wool. (See ATLAS) Staple tip Upper extremity of a staple of wool exposed to the elements during growth. Star lot Lot of wool of less than four bales which is generally sold at the auction after the main catalogue is completed. STAR system American accelerated lambing system, developed at Cornell University where ewes produce five lamb drops in three years. Static electricity Electricity produced by materials rubbing together. Static can be a problem with synthetic fibres, which have low moisture absorbency, but is rarely a problem with wool under normal atmospheric conditions. Station Originally the hut, yards and buildings where a squatter was based, now refers to the while property. A large rural establishment for running sheep or other livestock. In New Zealand it is a very large farm in hill country or the high country. The term is widely used for any property carrying over 2500 3000 sheep. Steaming Treatment with steam to achieve a variety of results in finishing. For example, blowing steam through a wool fabric tightly wound onto a perforated beam improves the lustre of the fabric. A steamer is mostly used.
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Steaming-up Feeding ewes well prior to parturition and lactation. Steel beak Australian term for a shed hand Steely Wool with a shiny appearance which lacks crimp. Associated with copper deficiency. Sheep slightly deficient in copper are likely to have fleeces with secondary waves superimposed over the normal crimp pattern. Steeping Soaking loose wool in a liquid, such as an acid or bleach. Stencil A plastic or metal template, used for branding wool bales. Stenter (or Tenter) Open-width fabric finishing machine in which the selvedges of a fabric are held by a pair of endless traveling chains to maintain weft tension. Such machines are used for drying, heat-setting or the fixation of chemical finishes on fabrics. The term being on tenterhooks originated from the hooks that fix the fabric to a tenter frame. Stepped opener/blender Machine used in a wool scour for opening, cleaning and blending of scoured wool after it is dried. Wool enters the machine and is carried upwards by a series of spiked drums to facilitate opening and mixing. A concave screen under each drum allows dust and dirt to be sucked though by fans and removed. Stifle The joint of the hind legs of a sheep, between the hip and hock. Stipple yarn See Barberpole yarn. Stitch Intermeshed loop in knitting. Various stitch structures are used eg, plain (jersey) stitch, rib stitch, purl stitch, interlock, double knit. Stitch length Total length of yarn from which a single carpet tuft is made. It is equal to twice the pile height plus the associated backstitch under the primary backing. Stock and station agent Business that provides a comprehensive of rural services to the farming sector, including finance, buying and selling of stock, wool broking, farm supplies, advice, etc. (See Wool broker) Stocking rate Number of sheep that can be carried per hectare, or the number of hectares required to carry one sheep. Stockman Employee on an Australian sheep station, traditionally mounted on a horse. Stock route Public way along which sheep are permitted to travel. Stock unit (LU) (or Livestock unit (LSU)) Annual feed requirement used as the comparison for different types of stock. 1 LSU is the requirement of one 55kg ewe rearing a single lamb, requiring 520kg of good quality pasture dry matter per year. A hogget requires 0.7 LSU while a Jersey cow requires 6.5 LSU. Stones Farmers term for a sheeps testicles Store animals Sheep retained in a flock for breeding or fattening instead of being sold for slaughter as lambs. Store condition Sheep in good condition but not fat. Stoving Bleaching of wool and other fibres under moist conditions with sulphur dioxide in an enclosed chamber. Straggler Sheep missed in a muster, or one that has strayed onto another property. It was usual to go over the country again to pick them up, hence the term straggle muster. AgResearch 2012
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Straightbreds Sheep with the obvious characteristics of a breed, but which are not necessarily registered with the breed society. Strain Line of sheep, within a breed, bred with certain distinctive features. A genetically distinct group of animals that does not qualify as a breed. Streak Abnormal, discontinuous stripe in a carpet (or fabric) where a yarn differs from its neighbours because of a colour difference, soiling, twist differences etc. (See Stripe) Stress Any physical or psychological event that has a detrimental biological effect on an animal. Stress-strain curve (or Load-extension curve) A graph which depicts the tensile strength of a fibre, filament or yarn. It is obtained by measuring the strain (amount of stretch) as a force (load or stress) is applied. For wool fibres, the stress-strain curve can be divided into four distinct regions: 1. Decrimping: the initial stress removes any crimp from the fibre, ie, straightens it. 2. In the Hookean region (up to 1% extention) the strain is proportional to the stress, so this part of the graph is linear. Here the alpha helices in the microfibrils are extended, a reversible step. 3. In the yield region (2 to 25-30% strain), there is a considerable increase in strain (extension) for only a small increase in stress (ie, the fibre stretches very easily). Here the alpha helices are being unfolded, and being converted to beta keratin in an irreversible step. 4. In the post-yield region chemical bonds begin to break and the resistance to stress increases significantly (ie, the fibre stiffens). 5. Finally, the fibre ruptures at a strain that depends on the moisture content of the fibre. The shape of the stress-strain of a wool fibre and how far the fibre can stretch before it breaks depends on its moisture content. (See the graph Stress-strain curves of wool in Appendix 31) Stretch break Fibres which have been shortened in length by stretching to the point where they break. Strike Uptake (or absorption) of dye by a fabric in a dye bath in the initial stages of dyeing. Stringy Wool with thin staples which hang loosely and are heavy in condition. Stripe Abnormal, continuous line in a carpet (or fabric) where a yarn differs from its neighbours because of a colour difference, soiling, twist differences etc. Regarded as a major visual defect and the larger the area of plain carpet the more obvious is the stripe. (See Streak) Stripper Small-diameter roller, rotating at a moderately high speed, which transfers fibres from a worker roller back onto the swift in a carding machine. Each worker roller has a stripper associated with it. (see Worker, Swift, Appendix 10) Stripping Removing dye from a fibre. Strippings See Fettlings Strong Wool with a large fibre diameter for its type. The descriptive gradations between coarse and fine wool within a specific type are: extra-strong, strong, coarse, medium, fine and extra-fine. This term is often used in Australia to describe Merino wool that is coarser than 22.5 microns. In New Zealand strong wool is synonomous with crossbred wool. Stud Highly bred, recorded flock, bred to exacting standards to produce sires for sale to ordinary breeding flocks or for use as terminal sires for prime meat production. Studdy Term for fleeces showing stud sheep characteristics. Stuff Coarse cloth, made with a linen warp and worsted weft. AgResearch 2012
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Stuffer Backing yarn in a woven carpet. These are normally warp yarns that increase weight, strength, handle, stiffness and dimensional stability. (See Dead yarn) Stuffer box Wool crimping device consisting of a confined space into which a sliver or yarn is injected by feed rollers, the high level of compression generated in the box causes the individual fibres to buckle and fold. Heat and steam injected into the stuffer box sets the deformations into the fibres. Stuffer yarn Backing yarn in a woven carpet. Normally stuffers are warp yarns that increase the weight, strength, stiffness and dimensional stability of the carpet. Style Degree of excellence or lack of faults in a wool. A subjective term broadly used to embrace colour, crimp formation, soundness, tip shape, fibre density, freedom from seed, freedom from unscourable discolouration, level of vegetable matter and dust penetration. Subjective appraisal (or Subjective assessment) Estimation of important wool characteristics by sight and touch. Sub lot One or more bales of similar dimensions, weight and type, that have been put together for the purpose of testing prior to being grouped with one or more other such test lots, to form a lot. Subsample Randomly drawn portion, representative of a core sample from a lot, that has been subdivided for a specific test in a test house. Substrate The undyed material (ie, fibre, yarn, top, fabric or carpet) delivered to a dyeing or printing process. Suburban shed An Australian term for a shearing shed which is close enough for daily travel to and from. A suburban shearer resides at a place other than the workplace, and travels to and from work daily. Sucker lamb (or Sucker) Lamb that is sucking its mother and has grown sufficiently large for slaughtering. This includes milk-fed lambs as well as older lambs up to 7 months old which depend on their mothers for milk. Suction drum dryer Type of wool dryer which consists of a series of perforated drums. Heated air is sucked from the outside of each drum to the inside, passing through the wool which is supported on the drum surface by the pressure of the air passing through it. Suderiferous gland (or Suint gland, Sweat gland) Gland attached to the primary wool follicle which secretes suint (sweat). (see Follicle, Sebaceous gland, Appendix 4) Suede Leather with either grain or flesh side finished to have a more or less fine, velvet-like surface produced by abrasive action. Suint (or Sweat) Natural, water-soluble coating of wool secreted from the suderiferous gland attached to the wool follicle. It is composed mainly of potassium salts and is removed in the scouring process. Summer country Land that can only be used in the summer for grazing sheep. Summer lamb Australian term relating to a spring born lamb (and slaughtered in the summer) as being uncommon. Sundowner Sheepdog that leaves its work, especially when it is hot and noisy. A lazy dog. (See Swag) Superfine Extremely fine wool, finer than 18.6 microns; also the sheep growing this type of wool. The superfine Merino sheep generally produces a grease fleece weight of 3-4 kg from an adult bodyweight of 35-40kg. Supernumerary American term for teats in excess of the two usually found on a sheep. They are usually non-functional.
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Super S See S number. Super spinners Superior Merino combing wool. Superwash Fabric treatment to make wool garments home-washable and dryable, combining chlorination and resin treatment, which results having a low level of shrinkage, while retaining the appearance, comfort, handle etc. of the fabric. Supplementary feeding Use of hay, silage pellets or grain to feed sheep, usually during winter time, when grass is in short supply. Used to improve the energy or protein intake of the flock until pasture conditions improve Sur A fleece colour pattern in which there are two shades of colour on each fibre. Surface smoothness Subjective assessment of how smooth the surface of a fabric is. The smoother the fabric the lower the surface friction. Surfactant (or Wetting agent) Agent in a liquid, which reduces the surface tension of the liquid. An example is the action of a detergent in water which (a) enables immersed fibres to be thoroughly wetted and (b) any oil or grease on the fibres to be released and form an emulsion with the water. The term is a contraction of surface active agent. Swag Spare clothes, and other essential possessions rolled up inside ones blankets, which are then strapped to make them convenient to carry. A swagger (or swagman) is a person who carries a swag from place to place looking for farm work. In Australia the term sundowner is used. Swampy back Depression in the back of a sheep between the shoulders and the loins. Swanndri (or Swanny) Trade name and a nickname for a coarse woollen water-repellant shirt or jacket, which may include a hood and extend to the knee. Dating from 1913, it is popular in New Zealand with farmers and other people working in the outdoors Sweat gland (See Suderiferous Gland, Suint, Appendix 4) Sweat locks (or Fribs) Short, heavy condition staples from the upper inside of the sheep's legs where sweat glands are located. Sweating Method of de-woolling skins dependent on induced bacterial degradation to loosen the wool within the skin. Sweating out Practice of placing a group of sheep in a confined area and enabling the body heat to cause the wool grease to heat. The aim is to reduce second cuts. Sweating pen Enclosure within the shearing shed in which sheep are held before shearing. Also called a catching pen. Sweat rag Australian term for a shearers towel. Used to wipe away sweat during runs Sweeper Swiveling plastic blade on a long handle, used for clearing away short wools on the board. Also used for person employed to sewwp the board of locks. (See Sweepo) Sweepo Person who sweeps the shearing board clean in a shearing shed, also called a broomie. Swift (or Cylinder) Largest roller with a high surface speed that moves fibres through a card. A carding machine will have several swift rollers (with their associated sets of smaller rollers) operating in tandem. The swift can be regarded as the fibre highway on a card, with the worker and stripper rollers providing detours and the doffer providing an exit. (See Worker, Doffer, Stripper, Appendices 10,11) Synthetic fibres See Man-made Fibres. AgResearch 2012
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Tag Metal or plastic strip stamped with figures, letters or characters and placed in the ear of a sheep for identification purposes. Tags American term for dung locks occurring in wool around and below the anus of a sheep. The process of removing these is called tagging. (See Dags, Dagging) Tail Last part of a mob; often the worst sheep to shear. Tailing (or Tail docking) See Docking Tail strip To remove skin from the tail of a sheep. Tail-up (or Chaser or Follow-up ram) Ram used at the end of mating (joining) to mate any late-cycling ewes. Take the gate In drafting sheep, the owner, manager or head shepherd is responsible for the task, by controlling the movement of the drafting gate. Take-up motion Mechanism for controlling the winding forward of the fabric onto the cloth roller in a weaving loom (See Weaving, Appendix 16) Tally Number sheep shorn by a shearer, or a gang, in a day, or the number of sheep in a group. Tally book A book used for recording the numbers shorn by each shearer (the tally) in order to determine the wages. Tally-bound Australian term for the psychological barrier that a shearer may seem to be unable to break when his tally reaches a certain number. A shearer will also use this term to describe the counter if he believes that he is shorn more sheep than he has been credited with. Tally clerk The person in a shearing shed who maintains the shearing tally for all the shearers, often using a tally board to display their progress. Talli-Hi method Sheep shearing system developed by the Australian Wool Corporation in 1963. Sheep struggle less when shearers use this method, reducing strain on the shearer and reducing the shearing time per sheep by around 30 seconds. Tandem selection Multiple-trait selection method that focuses on one trait at a time. Tanning Chemical process of converting hides or skins into leather. Hides are soaked in tannin, chrome and other chemical solutions to soften them. Tape condenser Final section of a woollen card that (1) divides the card web delivered by the final doffer into narrow strips, and (2) applies a rubbing action to consolidate the strips of fibre into thin, continuous strands called slubbing. The slubbings are wound onto spools and are then taken to spinning to be spun into yarn. (See Condenser, Slubbing, Appendix 11) Tape scour Series of stainless steel bowls, interspersed with squeeze rollers, used for scouring (ie, washing, rinsing and drying) wool yarns. The yarn is handled in hank form, and each hank is carried through the treatment bowls by a set of continuous tapes. Chemical setting of carpet yarns may also be carried out in a tape scour. (See Setting, Chemset) Taranaki gate A New Zealand term for a low-cost, homemade wire gate made from about 5 strands of steel wire, with one barbed strand along the top. The gate is loosely stretched between two posts about 3 4 metres apart, depending on the width of the opening. Taranaki is the region on the central west coast of the North Island of New Zealand around Mount Egmont/Taranaki. AgResearch 2012
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Tar boy Person who once patrolled the board where sheep were prone to fly strike, and smeared tar on the shearing cuts. He responded to the shearers call tar. The dressing used was a special product, Stockholm Tar. Tare Weight of packaging material enclosing the wool in the bale and in the case of dense bales including the weight of strapping. Tare may be actual, nominal or declared. Nominal tares for conventional synthetic and jute wool packs are agreed from time to time and a scale of nominal tares is published. The customary deduction for jute packs is 4 kg and for synthetic packs 2 kg. Tartan Woollen or worsted fabric with a plaid design, originating from Scotland. Tassels Greasy locks of wool left by the shearer under the legs and brisket of a sheep. Tattoo Permanent distinguishing marks made in the ear of a sheep by rubbing pigment into small punctures in the skin. Team Group of dogs owned by a shepherd. It would normally be made up of heading dogs, huntaways, backing dogs, leaders and general purpose (handy) dogs. TEAM (Trials Evaluating Additional Measurements) This Australian project conducted trials in topmaking plants over a number of years using fine wool processing consignments that have been measured for fibre diameter, staple length and strength and vegetable matter content. The results have enabled formulae to be developed to enable the processed fibre length (ie, Hauteur of the top) and the waste produced in combing (noils) to be predicted from the measured properties of the wool used. Tear Ratio of the amount of top produced to the amount of noil produced during the combing process. See also Romaine. Teaser Vasectomised ram used to indicate which ewes are ready to mate. It is placed in a paddock near ewes to encourage them to cycle prior to mating. A teaser ewe is used to stimulate rams to ejaculate for semen collection. Teats, immature Small teats present on all lambs Teazle (or Teasel) Used to raise the surface fibres of woven cloth. Traditionally the dried seed head of the Fullers Thistle plant was used as it contains many hooks. Technical textiles Textile products manufactured for non-aesthetic purposes, where function and performance are of prime importance. They include automotive applications, medical textiles, geotextiles, agrotextiles and protective clothing. Teeth Sheep have two types of teeth, incisors and molars. Temporary incisors appear soon after a lamb is born and within a month the complete set of milk teeth are present. Until the age of four years (when all the adult teeth have erupted) it is possible to tell the age of sheep from their front teeth, as a pair of incisors erupts each year. Mature sheep have 32 teeth (dental formula: I:0/4 C:0/0 P:3/3 M:3/3). As with other ruminants the eight incisors are in the lower jaw and bite against a hard toothless pad in the upper jaw to pick off vegetation. Sheep possess no canine teeth, instead there is a large gap between the incisors and premolars. The front teeth are gradually lost as sheep get older, making it hard for them to feed and affecting the health and productivity of the animal. For this reason, sheep on normal pasture begin to slowly decline from four years on. The average life expectancy of a sheep is 10-12 years but some sheep may live as long as 20 years. Teg See Hogget. Tel Quel Trading term for the practice of trading wool on the basis of knowledge of its type (or the appraisal by the buyer) and without reference to specific yield or other parameters. There is no warranty by the vendor other than what the goods are said to be at the time the contract is made. Often used with reference to slipe wool. Also called asis. Tel Quel weight Expression is used in a wool selling transaction to indicate that the weight to be delivered is the net weight and not conditioned weights. Therefore moisture content is not taken into account.
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Tenacity Measure of the strength of a yarn where the breaking load (in Newtons) is divided by the linear density (or count) of the yarn (in tex). The result, expressed in Newtons per tex, enables the strength of yarns with different linear densities to be compared. Sometimes the unit grams per tex (g/tex) is used. Tender Wool for which a significant proportion of staples exhibit a marked tensile weakness along a portion of the staple length due to an interruption in their growth. Greasy wool is subjectively assessed by pulling staples to test their resistance to break. The ATLAS instrument provides an objective commercial test for staple tenderness. (See Staple Strength, ATLAS). Wool that has a tensile strength less than 20 N/ktex is regarded as tender, while wool with a tensile strength around 20 N/ktex is regarded as part tender. (See ATLAS, Staple strength) Tentering Finishing process in which the washed cloth is stretched to its finished width and dried. Carried out on a tenter, which is similar to a stenter. The fabric is restrained by tenter hooks throughout the process. (See Stenter) Tensile strength Force required to break a wool staple, sliver, top or yarn, usually measured in Newtons per kilotex. (See ATLAS, Newton, Staple strength) Tensile test Strength test which applies a steadily increasing force in one direction to a specimen of fibre, yarn or fabric, causing it to stretch until it breaks. (See Appendix 31) Terminal crossing Sheep breeding system designed to make maximum use of both heterosis and complimentarity by crossing two, three or four breeds. Terminal sire Ram from one of the meat breeds that is used in a commercial flock of dual-purpose breed ewes to produce lambs with fast growth and early maturity specifically for the export meat trade. Territory wool Wool from the western areas of the USA. Test Set of measurements made on a sample of raw wool, in accordance with an approved method (eg, IWTO Specification). Test certificate Authenticated document issued by an accredited wool testing laboratory (or testhouse), resulting from the testing of samples drawn in accordance with IWTO-approved regulations or methods, and tested in accordance with methods or standards approved by IWTO. The tests may include measurements of yield, fibre diameter, vegetable matter base, staple length and strength, and colour. Test house A laboratory facility which carries out authorised tests on wool in accordance with IWTO Specifications and Regulations, and certifies the results. The test results are forwarded to the wool broker to be presented in an auction catalogue (greasy wool) or in a test certificate (scoured wool). In order to issue IWTO test certificates a test house must be an accredited (or licensed) laboratory. Test house samples Portion of raw wool retained by the test house after a test has been conducted. Also known as keeper samples. Testing error An error in laboratory testing procedures. Strictly speaking, a testing error is deemed to have occurred if the maximum retest range is exceeded (See Maximum Retest Range). Test result Result obtained by applying standard test method to a wool sample taken in accordance with a standard sampling method. The result is shown on a test certificate issued by a test house. Test specimen Randomly drawn, representative portion from of a subsample, to be used for a specific test measurement. Test lot One or more bales identified separately by number and mark put together for the purpose of testing. These may include identified part lots intended for grouping into presale lots and postsale aggregation of sale lots and individually identified bales put together as a shipping consignment. All bales in a test lot must be of similar weight and dimension.
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Test report Where the sampling or test procedure does not comply strictly with international or national regulations or test methods, a certificate must not be issued and the test house may only issue a report with diagonal coloured lines and the words -'This is not a Certificate'. Tex Metric system unit for measuring the linear density (or count) of yarns and slivers. The Tex number of a yarn, sliver or other fibrous strand is the mass in grams of a one kilometer length of the material. For thicker (ie, heavier) strands of fibres, such as slivers and tops, the kilotex is used (1 ktex = 1000 tex = 1 gram/metre). Textiles Products made from an interlaced network of wool and other fibres and filaments, including yarns, woven and knitted apparel fabrics, carpets and nonwoven structures. Texture Surface characteristics of a fabric or the visual appearance of the pile of a carpet. Fabric may be described as dull, lustrous, fine, coarse, open or closely woven. In carpets the texture largely depends on the type of yarn used, and the size/height and spacing of the loops or tufts. Texture retention See Appearance retention. Textured yarn Yarn that has been processed to produce crimps and other distortions along its length. Theave (or Theaf) English term for a young ewe, usually before her first lamb. (See Gimmer) Thel The finer undercoat fibre of the Icelandic breed of sheep. (See Thor) Thermal conductivity Ability of a material (eg, fabric or carpet) to transmit heat. Good insulators such as carpets have a high thermal resistivity (R-value) and low thermal conductivity. (See Tog) Thermosplicer A yarn joining device which uses heat to create splices that are less visible and abrasion resistant. Thor The coarser outcoat of the Icelandic breed of sheep, with long wavy fibres. (See Thel) Three-quarterbred wool Wool from sheep containing between 3 and 1/8 Merino blood and between 5 and 7/8 long wool blood. Thread Fine yarn, especially one used for sewing and needlework. Thread count Woven fabric the number of ends or picks per unit length (cm or inch). Knitted fabric the number of wales or courses per unit length (cm or inch). The tread count of a woven fabric may also be defined as the total number of ends and picks in a given area number per square inch or per 10 square centimeters. Thrum A waste length of yarn or fabric, or both, formed during the preparation of a loom for weaving. Tick Tiny, bloodsucking arachnid which has a barbed proboscis for attachment to the skin of warm blooded animals such as sheep. Tick squasher Australian term for the wool press operator in a shearing shed. (See Squeezer) Tick stained Wool usually thin, discoloured and badly nourished, caused by the presence of ticks. Tilt table Restraining device that squeezes sheep from the side by the ribs and the chest. The sheep is then turned upside down.
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Tint Colouration that produces a very pale shade. A tint usually represents the minimum amount of colour that will give a perceptible appearance of colouration. In yarn processing, fugitive tints are used for identification, then removed in wet processing. Tip Defined as the outer extremity of a staple of wool, opposite to the end shorn from the sheep (the base or butt). The tip usually contains dust and degraded grease, and is weathered by exposure to sunlight etc. Tip length Number of millimeters from the staple tip to a point where the staple width is 75% of the staple width. Longer in crossbred wools (with tippy staples) than finer wools (with more blocky staples). Tippy Wool with a very pointed tip to the staple. A loose open tip affected by weather damage. (See Blocky). Tip shearing Shearing off tufted high loops in a carpet during the finishing process to create a cut/uncut texture in the pile. Light tip shearing may be used to remove any fuzzing on the pile surface. (See Finishing) Tip structure Refers to the shape of the tip region of wool staples. A square blocky tip is generally associated with fine wools such as Merino, while a tapered (or pointy) tip is generally associated with coarser wools. Tip weathering The degradation of the staple tip by the absorption of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It is oddten associated with wool where the dust has penetrated down the staple. Tog Unit of thermal resistance used to quantify the thermal insulation properties of garments, bedding, etc. Toggle Sharpened angled wire fasteners used to secure the flaps of a capless bale. Tolerance Allowance for grease and oil that are considered as maximum values on the average consignment. Tongs Australian term for shearing blades or hand shears. Top Continuous, highly uniform, untwisted sliver of combed wool with the fibres lying parallel, from which all short and weak fibres (noils) have been removed by combing. An intermediate stage in the production of worsted yarn. Tops are characterized by the following properties: (a) A substantially parallel formation of the fibres, essentially free of vegetable matter, (b) The absence of fibres so short as to be uncontrolled in the preferred system of drawing, (c) A substantially homogeneous distribution throughout the sliver of fibres from each length group. Tops are specified by their fibre diameter, fibre length distribution, regain, etc. (See Topmaking, Gilling, Combing) Top dyeing The dyeing of wool or other fibres as slubbing or top in package form. Topknot Short, fuzzy, and usually kempy wool growing on a poll of a sheep (ie, the top of the head). Topmakers wool Combing wool, containing some faults which excludes it from being regarded as a spinners type. Topmaking Collective term for the manufacturing processes leading up to the production of wool tops. These processes are: blending, carding, backwashing, gilling and combing (See Appendix 7). Topping The application of further colourant to a dyed substrate in order to achieve the desired final colour. Tossel The area around the penis of a ram. Total alkali-insoluble matter Oven-dry, ash-free, ethanol-extractives-free, alkali-insoluble matter present in a test specimen (expressed as a percentage of the mass of the test specimen). It comprises vegetable matter, together with any skin, dags, pack material, string and paper. AgResearch 2012
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Total easy care Machine washable and tumble dryable wool products. Total fatty matter (TFM%) Amount of total fatty matter (ie, grease and lubricant) expressed as a percentage of the weight of yarn or fabric. Total fleece weight Weight (ie, mass in kg) of the entire raw fleece. Total sample Representative sample of wool obtained by coring bales of raw wool. When issuing an IWTO Certificate, the sampling procedure must comply with IWTO Core Test Regulations. Total weight (carpet) Weight (or mass) of a finished carpet, measured in grams per square metre. It includes the pile, primary backing, secondary backing and latex. Townie Person from town or city (ie, the big smoke), as opposed to a rural or country person. Toxaemia Blood poisoning. Trait Any measurable or observable characteristic of an animal. Transport container Lockable or sealable container in which samples are transported. Trap sorting Sorting of whole fleeces into shuts recessed in the floor in a mill. Traveller Small C-shaped plastic or metal clip through which the yarn is guided to the spinning or twisting package. It fits on the ring of a ring spinning frame at each spindle position and is dragged around the ring at high speed by the yarn as it is wound onto the package. The size (mass) of the traveler being used depends on the type of yarn being spun, with coarser yarns requiring heavier travellers than finer yarns. (See Ring spinning, Appendix 13) Trick Groove in which a needle moves in a knitting machine and preserves the spacings between the needles. Tripack (or Triple dump) Three bales compressed into one package by a high density dump machine, and strapped with steel bands. It is possible to place 36 tripacks (108 bales) in a shipping container. (See Double dump, Dump) Tristimulus values (or CIE Tristimulus values) Set of three results X, Y, Z provided by a colourimeter or spectrophotometer, corresponding to the three primary spectral colours red, green and blue respectively. They are used in specifying the clean colour of wool. The values are specified by the Commission Internationale de lEclariage (CIE). (See Colour brightness, Colour yellowness) Tropical worsted Lightweight worsted fabric, woven from fine yarns, primarily in plain weave. These clear, finished fabrics are used for hot weather suits and sportswear. Trucking dog Dog kept especially to help load sheep into trucks. True length Length of wool fibres when it is extended just enough straighten it and remove the crimp. Trueness Regularity in fibre diameter in a wool staple from butt to tip. True to type Sheep showing the development of those characteristics peculiar to the breed type. True value Absolute value of a characteristic for a bulk, eg, a lot or consignment. It is almost always unknown. Measurements of the characteristic are, in the absence of bias, normally distributed about the true value with a variance that is also unknown in a particular case. The mean of a set of measurements is the best estimate of the true value.
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TruTrac Finishing process developed by WRONZ to eliminate the risk of shading (pile reversal or watermarking) in wool carpets. Heat, moisture and pressure is applied to the pile to ensure that the tufts lean consistently (and permanently) in one direction. (See Shading) Tube Metal down-tube that carries the flexible drive shaft for the shearing handpiece. Tucker A New Zealand slang term for food, often used on the farm and in shearing gangs. Tuft Cluster of fibres drawn through a fabric and projecting from the surface in the form of cut yarns. This U-shaped section of yarn with two legs is the basic unit of a cut pile carpet. In tufting a tuft is produced by the single penetration of the primary backing by a threaded needle. Tuft bind The force (in Newtons) required to pull a tuft from the pile surface of a carpet. This indicates how well the tuft is held in place by the latex. Tuft bind is a common test for wool carpets. (See Yarn encapsulation) Tuft definition Extent to which the individual tufts comprising a carpet pile are visible. The extremes for carpet textures are the velvet style (zero tuft definition) and the frieze or hard twist style (high tuft definition). (See Texture) Tufting Most widely used, and fastest, method of carpet manufacture. The pile yarns are inserted into a primary fabric backing by a row of a hundred or more needles, one for each line of tufts (or loops). The tufts (or loops) are anchored in place by applying an adhesive coating. A secondary backing of fabric or latex or plastic foam is applied for added strength, dimensional stability and improved appearance. This method was first used commercially in 1946. (See Needle bar, Appendices 17, 18) Tuft of staples Bundle of wool consisting of approximately 1 20 staples drawn in one action for length and strength measurement. (See ATLAS) Tukidale Specialty carpet wool breed which differs from the Romney in having a major gene N t for hairiness and hornedness. Mean fibre diameter around 40 microns and high proportion of medullated fibres. Tumble felting A method of felting hanks of wool yarn in either aqueous or solvent media using rotary washing or dry cleaning machines. Tummer Card roller which delivers the fibre to the swift. Tup To put the ewes out with the rams; originating from the old term for ram. The act of mating by sheep is called tupping. Turning cradle Restraining device that squeezes the sheep from the front and rear until all feet leave the gound. The sheep is then pivoted upside down by rotating end over end. Turning tail Behavioural fault in a sheepdog where it turns away from the sheep in a complete circle. It fails to face-up to the sheep all of the time. Tussock Prior to European settlement in New Zealand, most of the eastern South Island was covered with vast areas of tussock, which contained grasses and herbs palatable to sheep. This provided instant pasture. There are four types of tussock red, snow, silver and fescue. Tussock jumpers Station hands. Twenty striker A badly shorn sheep.
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Tweed Originally a coarse, heavyweight wool fabric for outerwear, woven in Southern Scotland. Tweed is the Scotch name for twill and originated along the banks of the Tweed river, which separates England from Scotland. The term now applies to fabrics made in a wide range of weights and qualities from woollen spun yarn in a variety of weave effects and coloured patterns. It is sometimes known as "tweel" and is similar to homespun Cheviot and Shetland. They are the same in texture, yarn, weight, feel, and use. Tweed was originally only made from different coloured stock-dyed fibres, producing various colour effects. The tweed fabric family consists of a wide range of rough surfaced, sturdy fabrics. There are also some closely woven, smoother, softer yarn fabrics, and many monotone tweeds. Tweed may also be plaid, checked, striped, or have other patterns. It does not hold a crease very well. Typically used in a wide range of suits, coats, and sportswear for men, women and children. Twill Weave pattern that shows distinct diagonal lines generally running from bottom left to top right on the face of the fabric. Twills may be broken, which will produce short diagonal lines. Twist Sheep: The crutch, inside the hind legs of the sheep. Yarn: Number of turns per metre (tpm) in a yarn. Twist direction Yarn twist is described as S or Z, according to which of these letters more closely matches the alignment of the fibres when the yarn is held vertically. The alignment is compared with the direction of the central stem of these letters to determine what the twist direction is. Twisting Process which twists two (or more) singles yarns together to produce a two-fold (or higher) yarn. Sometimes called plying or folding. This may be achieved by ring twisting (using a similar action to a ring spinning frame) or twofor-one twisting (See Two-for-one twisting). Twist factor (or Twist multiplier) Measure of the yarn twist that is independent of the count of the yarn. It is calculated as the product of the twist (in turns per metre) and the square root of the yarn count. Twist-lively Very highly twisted yarn that tends untwist spontaneously and hence will snarl or twist around itself when free from tension. Twist-on-twist Folded yarn in which the direction of the folding twist is the same as the direction of the singles twist. Such yarns tend to be less stable than yarns where the direction of the folding twist is opposite to that of the singles twist. Twist setting Process applied to yarn to set or lock in the twist to prevent unraveling of the plies (important for cut pile carpets). (See Setting, Chemset) Twistset See Chemset. Twitty Irregular yarn in which local concentrations of twist in the thinner sections emphasise the irregular appearance. Two-for-one twisting Spinning process which inserts two turns of twist for each revolution of a twisting element. This is achieved by inserting one turn of twist between a stationary feed package and a rotating disc, and a further turn between the disc and a balloon guide. Two-phase model of wool This simple model describes the internal structure of a wool fibre in terms of flexible filaments embedded in an amorphous matrix material. This is similar to reinforced concrete where embedded steel rods give strength and flexibility to the concrete. Two tooth (or Yearling) Sheep having two incisor teeth and approximately 12- 19 months old. Other age groups Four-tooth: 18-24 months old; Six tooth: 23-26 months old; Eight-tooth: 24-48 months old.
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Tying American practice of packaging shorn wool. After the fleece is removed from the sheep it is rolled into a neat bundle and tied with a wool tie. The tie is string or twine made of paper. Type Refers to the subjective characteristics which distinguish wools within breeds, as well as between breeds (eg. Down type, fine Merino type, etc.). AgResearch 2012
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Udder Pendulous female organ in mammals such as sheep, consisting of two mammary glands enclosed in a common envelope and each provided with a teat. Ultrasonic scanning Non-invasive method of pregnancy evaluation that uses ultra high frequency sound waves to detect fetuses. It operates on the principle that sound waves reflect (echo) differently with different types of tissue because of their varying densities. Underground mutton Australian slang term for rabbit meat. Underlay Resilient layer of material such as rubber foam placed between a carpet and the floor to provide extra compressibility and comfort. Called the cushion in USA. Undershot (or Prognathia) Condition in which the lower jaw of a sheep appears too short. Under skirting Not removing from a fleece all the faults that affect processing performance. Underweight Bale weighing under 100 kilograms. Unevenness Non-uniformity (or irregularity) in the linear density of a sliver or yarn. (See Evenness, Uster tester) Unidryer Type of wool dryer where the fibres is sandwiched between two porous belts while hot air is forced through. This produces more uniform drying than with conventional wool dryers as it is less affected by variations in the thickness of the wool layer. Uniformity Regularity or evenness; consistency in structure (between animals) or composition (within a fleece). Unscourable yellow Yellowness in a wool fleece that cannot be removed by scouring. This discolouration may include canary yellow, fleece rot and water stained wool. Unskirted Fleece wools with skirtings intact. (See Skirtings) Unsound Wools which have a tensile weakness (ie, lack of strength). Includes both tender and broken wool. (See Tender) Up in the air When a shearer is moving the handpiece around in the air, ie, cutting more air than wool, and wasting effort and time. Urine stain Wool stained with urine from the crutch area of ewes and the pizzle area of male sheep. It is unscourable. Uster tester Widely-used laboratory instrument for measuring the evenness of continuous strands of fibres such as yarns and slivers. It operates by detecting variations in the dielectric capacitance (which is related to fibre mass) as the strand passes between two electrically-charged plates. (See Evenness, Unevenness, Dielectric behaviour) Ute Utility vehicle, a New Zealand term for a small pick-up truck, traditionally with a two-seater cab and a wooden or metal deck on the back. Uterus Region of the female reproductive tract that contains the fetus during gestation.
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Vaccination Injection of a sheep to prevent diseases and abortion. For example, 5-in-1 is the vaccine for the immunization of sheep for the prevention of pulpy kidney disease, tetanus, black disease, malignant oedema and blackleg. These diseases are sometimes collectively referred to as the clostridial diseases. Vaccine Suspension of attenuated or killed microorganism that is administered to an animal for the prevention or treatment of an infectious disease. Valuation Estimated market price for a wool based on previous auction sale quotes. Value added Additional worth of products that comes from processing. Valuing Pre-sale assessment of the wool offered for auction by wool exporters and wool brokers. Variance Expresses the distribution of values about the mean. It is the square of the standard deviation and is used in calculations of standard deviation and co-efficient of variation. Variation Level of difference observed or measured for a trait in a group of animals. Vegetable Matter Wool contamination which may consist of burrs, grass seeds, thistles, hard heads, straw, chaff and small pieces of stick and bark (see Appendix 29) Vegetable matter base (VMB) Oven-dry mass of ash-free ethyl alcohol extractives free burrs (including hard heads), twigs, seeds, leaves and grasses, expressed as a percentage of the mass of the original greasy core sample. Measured by dissolving the wool in a boiling 10% caustic soda solution; the residue is dried and weighed. Part of the method for determining wool base (See Wool base, Yield) Vegetable Matter Content Is listed in the sale catalogue and is certified in the test certificate as Vegetable Matter Base (including Hard Heads and Twigs). Velour - Close, thickbodied, evenly napped woollen fabric, with a soft handle and velvet appearance. - French name for velvet. Various raised pile finishes are given this name. - Short, cut pile carpet with low tuft definition (alternative name for a plush carpet). Venetian Luxurious, smooth wool fabric that has a lustrous, satin weave. Vermont Strain of Merino sheep imported into Australia from America in the 19th century. Unfortunately they gradually changed from plain-bodied sheep to heavily wrinkled animals with low-yielding wool. Their uneven wool quality and a high fly strike risk was disastrous for the wool industry and led to the eventual demise of this breed. Vertical integration Involvement of a company at more that one stage of the wool marketing and processing chain. Vicuna A small camelid, related to the alpaca and llama, and is found only in South America. Its fibre is a short, soft, exceedingly fine fibre that is very valuable because of its limited supply (it was once killed almost to extinction). The fibre is rarely used by itself, and is is sometimes mixed with wool to produce special soft coating fabrics. (See Camelid) Virgin wool Wool that has not been previously used in a fabric. This wool is different to reprocessed fibres which may not have the same quality due to some fibre damage or modification in prior processing. (See New wool) Viyella Light fabric woven from a wool-cotton yarn. Vulva External part of a ewes genitals. AgResearch 2012
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Wadding Lofty sheet of fibres used for padding, stuffing or packing. Wale Column of loops across the width of a knitted fabric. (See Course) Warp - Yarn running lengthwise in a woven cloth or carpet. (See Weft) - Merino wool of good length and colour, absolutely sound and regular, with a clear well defined staple and thus suitable for the production of warp yarns for weaving. Warp knitting Method of knitting lengthwise in a fabric using many warp ends simultaneously. Used mostly for open and mesh fabrics, nets, laces etc. Unlike weft knitting there is no manual method of warp knitting. (See Appendix 34). Wash and wear Term applied to garments that satisfactorily retain their original neat appearance after wear repeated laundering with little or no pressing or ironing. It is essentially free of undesirable wrinkles both after wear and after laundering, and retains any pressed-in creases and pleats (see Easy-care garments). Washfastness Ability of a fabric to not lose colour during washing. Washing (wool type) Wool of good scouring colour potential. Washing off Washing to remove unfixed dyes and printing agents from the substrate. Wastiness Loss of fibre in carding and combing due to weakness or shortness of fibre, or the presence of vegetable matter. (see Tender) Wasty Badly grown, weak, weathered wool which will lead to excessive noil and waste in processing. Water repellent A fabric that resist surface wetting, water penetration and water absorption, but allows the passage of air and water vapour. Water rot Found in the back wool of some sheep; thin, yellow and mushy especially in the region of the wither. Water stain Parts of a fleece that have been stained by a prolonged exposure to water. It produces a pale green or brown colouring. Similar to canary stain. Wax Secretion of the sebaceous glands attached to the wool follicle; termed wool grease after its removal in wool scouring (see Appendix 4). (See Woolgrease) Waxing Light smearing of a yarn with wax to reduce yarn-to-metal friction in the knitting operation. Waxy Usually applied to Merino wools carrying an abundance of wax. Wayleggo Shepherds command to his dog to leave the mob of sheep. It is presumably an abbreviation of come away and let them go. Sheepdogs are trained to obey a whistle or verbal commands. Weak back Thin contracted area of poorly grown wool usually on top of the shoulder. Allows entry of water and can result in stain or rot. Weaner (or Weanling) Lamb that has been weaned from its mother, up to the two-tooth stage. Weaners wool Wool from sheep of either sex over six months old which are being shorn for the first time AgResearch 2012
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Weaning Removing lambs from their mother to terminate the suckling period. Weathering Exposure of the wool, particularly the staple tips to sunlight, rain and frost not only weakens the wool but also affects its dyeing properties, making for uneven dye uptake. Weavable singles yarn A singles worsted wool yarn produced for the weaving of fine light-weight fabrics. It is specifically made to withstand the abrasive forces of the weaving operation, usually a problem with conventional singles weaving yarns (see Solospun). Weave Pattern of interlacing of warp and weft yarns in woven fabrics. All weaves fall into 3 basic types plain, twill and sateen depending on the yarn interlacing pattern. Weaving Interlacing of warp and weft yarns to produce woven fabrics. On the loom the warp yarns are raised or lowered to create a space (the shed) through which the weft yarn is inserted. The four steps in the weaving cycle are (1) shedding by the heald frames, (2) weft insertion, (3) beating up by the reed and (4) let-off by the warp beam and take-up by the cloth beam. (See Appendix 16, Shed, Weft Insertion) Web Thin, uniform sheet of fibres produced by a card. Webby (or Felty) Mild entanglement of fibres within a fleece during early stages of cotting. Web purifier See Peralta Rollers. (See Appendix 11) WEC Faecal worm egg count; a diagnostic test that measures the number of parasite eggs present in sheep faeces. Weeding the garden Australian term for plucking wool from a sheep that has been missed by a shearer. Weft The set of threads running across the width of a woven cloth or carpet, which are inserted by the shuttle in weaving. Weft yarns are not subjected to the same strain as warp yarns and thus can be spun from less sound wools. An alternative name in USA is filling; in the UK the alternative terms woof, shute and shoot are also used. (See Appendix 16, Warp) Weft insertion (or Picking) Several alternative devices are used to insert weft yarns through the shed of a weaving loom. They include a shuttle (the traditional device), the rapier, projectile, air jet and water jet. (See Weaving, Appendix 16) Weft knitting Method of forming a fabric by normal knitting means, as opposed to warp knitting. Loops made by each weft thread are formed across the width of the fabric. Hand knitting using a pair of knitting needles is one kind of weft knitting. Machine weft knitting can be divided into three types: - fully fashioned knitting - flat knitting (or V-bed knitting) - circular knitting Wefty Wool of poor tensile strength more suitable to the production of weft yarns only. Weighbelt Conveyor with facility for continuously weighing the quantity of fibre on it. Weighing (wool bales) Weight (or mass) measurement in kilograms of individual bales in a lot. This weighing must be carried out on scales that are currently registered and certified by the Trade Measurement Unit of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs annually. Weighing and coring Core sampling and weighing of lots for yield, micron, colour and for length and strength measurements for sale must be fully supervised by the certifying test house, or alternatively by an accredited representative of the test house in accordance with the relevant IWTO Core Test Regulations and IWTO Condition Testing Regulations for Scoured and Carbonised Wool.
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Weight note Document sent to woolgrower recording details of a wool consignment, ie, descriptions, bale numbers, tare, gross weight, nett weight, average bale weight, sale dates, date received, carrier, growers account number, address and wool brand. Well grown Thick stapled sound wool of good character and style. Welt A secure edge on a knitted fabric or garment made during, or subsequent to, the knitting process. Wet/dry Ewe that has produced a lamb but didnt rear it (perhaps because the lamb died). Wet ewe Ewe that is rearing a lamb, ie, producing milk. Wether Male sheep that has been castrated as a lamb. Also called wedder (UK) and red eye (Australia). Wet finishing Any finishing process where the fabric is treated with a liquid, usually water. The term covers both chemical finishing, where substances are added to improve the appearance, handle or performance of the fabric, or other wet processes such as scouring and rinsing. Wet graft American term where the lamb to be grafted, as well as the ewes own lamb, is immersed in a saturated salt solution. Wet shearing Shearing of wet ewes, ie, ewes with lambs at foot and in milk, or ewes whose lambs have not long been weaned. Wet shorn Shorn wool containing moisture can arise in heating after pressing and brown burn stained wool. Wetting agent See Surfactant, Detergent. Wheat/sheep zone The main production zone for wool in Australia, and includes areas that are generally equally suited to cropping and the raising of animals, often in combination. The seasons are generally reliable in terms of seasonal rainfall, and are found in state of Australia. (See High rainfall zone, Pastoral zone). Whelping To produce a litter of pups. A whelp is another name for a pup (or the young of a mammal). Whipping side Last side of a sheep to be shorn with long blows. White muscle disease Sheep disease caused by a deficiency of selenium, vitamin E or both. It causes degeneration of the skeletal and cardiac muscles of lambs. Whiteness or chalkiness Property by which wool reflects light somewhat after the manner of powdered chalk, (ie. there is a lack of lustre or brightness). A characteristic of most Down wools and very hairy wools. White-washing Shearing of young lambs, where just enough wool is removed to make the sheeps fleece white. Wicking Dispersing or spreading of moisture or liquid (usually perspiration) through clothing fabric, as the result of capillary action of closely spaced fibres. It involves only the surfaces of hydrophilic fibres in the fabric and does not include absorption. The wool used in SportwoolTM is specially treated to enhance its wicking performance. Wiggings Shearing wools from the head of sheep to prevent wool-blindness, a procedure normally carried out at crutching. The trade term for this wool is eye clips. Also known as topknots, winks, eye wiggings or wigs. Wildness The ruffled appearance of the surface fibres in slivers, slubbings, rovings and yarns. May be due to static electricity generation when processing in dry atmospheric conditions. AgResearch 2012
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Willey To open and disentangle fibres prior to scouring or carding. Also the name of the machine that carries out this process. (See Opener, Fearnought) Willow Machine for removing dirt and dust from wastes, particularly card waste. Fibres that have been processed on a willow are termed willyed. Originally, the willower beat raw wool manually with willow twigs to remove dust and dirt. By the end of the 18th Century a water driven willowing machine, called a willow or willyer was used to help remove burrs. The wool was passed over iron spikes on a roller. This was not as good as the hand treatment as it was too harsh on the fibres. Wilton carpet Woven carpet in which the pile yarns run continuously in the warp direction of the carpet. The pile consists of rows of loops formed on wires which run across the machine. The wires are withdrawn leaving a loop, traditionally called Brussels or tapestry carpets. Alternatively a bladed wire can be used which cut the loop as it is withdrawn to produce the true Wilton style. The pattern is made by raising the colour in the pile as required, with the colour not required being buried in the backing. Having to carry unseen (dead) yarn through the back adds to the cost, so, generally speaking, Wilton carpets use no more than 5 colours in their designs. Wilton carpets tend to have a dense construction and are therefore very durable. (See Appendix 33) Winch (or Reel, Wince) Dyeing machine in which one or more endless lengths of fabric are drawn through the dyebath by a rotating reel or drum above the dye liquor. Winder Machine used for transferring yarn from one package to another to facilitate subsequent processing. The process is called Winding. Winter comb (or Cover comb) A thicker shearing comb designed to leave more stubble at shearing to give a degree of protection to the sheep when shorn at cooler times of the year. An alternative to shearing using blades. Winter country In farming sheep in the New Zealand high country, the sheep are mustered from the tops in autumn and held in paddocks during the winter. Here, in the winter country, root crops and other supplementary feed can be available for the sheep. WIRA Carpet Abrasion Tester Laboratory device (developed by the Wool Industries Research Association, UK) which uses a rotational motion to rub a small disc of carpet (the specimen) against a standard abradant fabric for an extended period to assess its abrasion resistance. The result is obtained by either of two methods: - determining the number of revolutions required to reach the end point, where the backing of the specimen is just exposed; - measuring the mass of pile lost from the specimen per 1000 revolutions of the tester. WIRA Fibre Diagram machine Laboratory instrument for measuring the fibre length of wool slivers and tops. The fibre diagram is obtained by optically scanning an aligned tuft of fibres, called a fibre draw. The machine provides results similar to the Almeter system, but these are generally less accurate. (See Almeter) Wire loom weaving See Brussels carpet, Wilton carpet. Withdrawn lot A lot listed in the auction catalogue which is notified as being taken out of the offering before the auction commences. Wither Part of the sheep between the shoulders. Withholding period Period of time during which an animal (or its product) may not be used for processing or human consumption, after it has received a treatment such as a drench, antiobiotic or dipping. In New Zealand, the recommended withholding period between the dipping and shearing of sheep is 60 days. Wolseleys Early term for machine shears because Frederick York Wolseley invented the first shearing machines. Woof American term for the yarn that runs across a weaving loom (see Weft)
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Wool Fibre from a sheeps fleece, composed of keratin protein. The term "wool" can also apply to all animal hair fibres, including the hair of the Cashmere or Angora goat or the specialty hair fibres of the camel, alpaca, llama, or vicuna. The exterior of wool and related fibres is characterised by its overlapping surface scales, called the cuticle. Wool is very resilient and resistant to wrinkling. It is renewed by moisture and well known for its warmth. It absorbs and releases moisture slowly, which allows excellent insulating capabilities and breathability. It can even hold 30% of its own weight without feeling damp. In other languages wool is: French laine German wolle Greek lenos Italian lana Spanish lana Wool is also a town in Dorset, England. The term woo is used in the north of England. Wool (derogatory term) A term used for people in various parts of the United Kingdom, for example, an uncouth person from St Helens, one who lives in the Wirral, and people from Lancashire and Cheshire. Used by people from Liverpool to describe people from nearby areas. A person is called a wool when they do something embarrassing. It is thought to be a shortened version of the term woolyback (see Woolyback) Wool Away Shearers call to the shed hand to clear the wool from his stand. Wool bale Jute (or nylon) pack into which the wool is pressed. Also called a woolpack. Wool baron Wealthy woolgrower or a highly influential, respected person in the wool industry. (See Squattocracy) Wool base Oven dry mass of wool fibre free from all impurities (ie. ash free, ethyl alcohol extraction-free and free from all vegetable matter), other alkali-insoluble impurities and moisture, expressed as a percentage of the mass of the original greasy core sample. Wool base is the basis from which the various commercial yields are calculated. (See Yield) Wool bin Open compartments in the wool shed where classed wool is held until it is pressed. Woolblend mark Registered international trademark for blends of wool with manmade fibres. Wool blind Sheep which cannot see because of excessive growth of wool around the eyes. (See Wigging) Wool Book Official record of all bales pressed in the wool shed, their content, weight and number. Once a hand-written book maintained by the wool presser, now largely replaced by computer records. Wool broker (or Broker) Company, or individual within such a company, which provides a warehousing and selling service for grower clients wool. The service is covered by a base fee with separate fees for additional services. Wool Bureau Inc. A US trade organization for the marketing of wool products. It was established in 1948 with the merger of the North American office of the International Wool Secretariat and the American Wool Council. Now called Australian Wool Innovation LLC, a subsidiary of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI). Wool buyer 'Wool selling merchant', 'exporter' or 'buyer'. Is principally an individual or company whose trade is buying and selling wool. The term may also be used for the purchaser of wool direct from the farmer (a private merchant). Wool cheque Amount received by the woolgrower from the sale of a farms wool clip. Wool church A English church primarily built from the proceeds of the medieval wool trade. Such churches are common in the Cotswolds.
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Wool classer A member of the shearing team who has the responsibility for preparing wool, sorting and grading it into homogenous lines for sale. A certified wool classer is a trained wool professional, experienced in subjected appraisal of wool quality and type. (See Owner-classer) Wool clip Usually refers to the total annual shorn wool production from a farm or sheep station. Wool exchange Facility where woolbuyer (exporter) and woolbroker meet to trade wool by auction. Two wool exchanges currently operate in New Zealand at Napier and Christchurch. (See Auction) Wool exporter Buyer of wool at the auction, or from other suppliers, to complete orders for wool on behalf of clients, mostly overseas. Wool-filled products Products, usually bedding (eg, duvets and futons) and apparel, filled with wool which is usually carded into a batt or thick web of fibres, or is in the form of soft knops. Wool gauze Lightweight, opaque wool fabric suitable for wearing all year round. Woolgrease Natural impurities of wool (wax and suint) secreted by glands attached to the wool follicle. Also called yolk. It is more usual to refer to this substance as wool wax when it is on the fibre, and wool grease when it has been removed by scouring. Wool grower (or Wool man) A sheep farmer. Wool handling Sorting, skirting and preparation carried out between the shearing and pressing operations in a shearing shed. This is carried out by a wool handler (or fleece picker up, or board boy). Wool harvesting The entire operation, from shearing to baling. Woolled up When the shearer's output exceeds the ability of the wool handler's, classer or presser to keep up. Also described as snowed-in. The term is also used when wool gets caught up in a shearers down-tube or in the back joint of the handpiece, causing overheating of the equipment. (See Snowed in) Woollen count The two systems used to determine woollen yarn counts in the U.S. are the run system and the cut system. The run system has a standard of 1600 yards per hand, while the cut system is based on 300 yards per hank. Woollen processing (or Woollen system) Simplest of the three main routes for converting wool into yarn. It uses a wide variety of wools, including those that are relatively short and tender. It combines three processes carding/condensing, spinning and twisting. The woollen route produces a relatively bulky and hairy yarn, because the yarn is comprised of fibres that are comparatively randomly oriented (ie, not well aligned) within the twisted yarn structure. (See Appendix 7) Woollens Fabrics produced from woollen spun yarn. Woollen yarns are generally manufactured from short length wools which have been carded, condensed and spun. In the finishing processes the weave of a woollen cloth is largely obscured and frequently the cloth is milled or felted. These cloths have soft-surface textures and finishes. Tweeds and meltons are some popular examples of woollen fabrics. Woollen yarn Yarn produced by woollen carding and spinning and which is more bulky and fuzzy than semi-worsted and worsted yarns. These characteristics carry through to the texture of the fabrics and knitted garments (see Appendix 7). Woollies Sheep not yet shorn. Woolly hogget (or Woolly hog) Fleece off a hogget which was not shorn as a lamb. Woolmark Registered international trademark denoting products made from pure new wool, which also meet strict performance criteria. Replaced by the Fernmark (or Wools of New Zealand brand) wool carpets containing predominantly New Zealand wool. (See International Wool Secretariat, AWI) AgResearch 2012
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Wool merchant (or Private merchant, Wool buyer) Person or firm trading in wool. This term is often used for a wool buyer who buys direct from the farmer and onsells to a wool exporter. Wool oil Lubricating oil applied to wool before combing to assist fibre slippage and reduce static problems. Wool pack Container meeting certain specifications which is made of jute, high density polyethylene fabric or nylon, into which wool is pressed to make a bale. Wool pool American term for a collection point for many producers to cooperatively sell their wool. Wool press A machine used to form bales of wool in a shearing shed, brokers store or wool scour. Operated by the wool presser. Wool pull Estimate of the weight of wool removed from a skin at a felmongery. Wool room Area of a shearing shed set aside for clip preparation, skirting, pressing and storage. Wool roller Assistant to the wool classer; usually skirts the fleece and rolls it. Wool rot See Fleece rot. Wool Sack Official seat of the Lord Chancellor in the British House of Lords. Originated in 14 th century by Edward III who ordered that sacks of wool be placed there to continually remind the countrys leaders of the importance of wool to the national economy. Wool sale - Marketing by auction between the growers agent (the broker) and the wool buyer of catalogued lots of wool; - Transfer of ownership by private treaty of a parcel of wool between grower and merchant, merchant and manufacturer or exporter and manufacturer. Wool sales roster Schedule of dates compiled before the start of the wool selling season for the New Zealand wool auctions. Locations (Napier or Christchurch), quantities and dates are set down in the roster and sales are numbered by the week they occur in the wool year. (See Auction) Wool scour Processing plant where wool is scoured to remove impurities. A scouring line consists of a series of around 6 bowls, each with a set of squeeze rollers. The bowls hold liquor at specific temperatures, terminating in a clean water rinse and hot air drying, followed by baling. (See Scouring) Wool shed (See Shearing Shed). Wool sisal A modern style of wool, loop-pile tufted carpet that imitates the texture of sisal rugs. Wools of New Zealand (www.woolsnz.com) Company responsible for promoting New Zealand wool internationally, especially for use in interior textiles. This is achieved through ongoing contact with a network of brand partner companies (mostly carpet manufacturers), participation at trade fairs, assistance with product development and technical transfer, and colour and design forecasts. The Wools of New Zealand brand is available to partner companies whose products meet specified fibre composition and performance criteria (See Fernmark). Wool sorters disease See Anthrax. Wool-stapler Old English term for a wool merchant, ie, a businessman who buys a farmers wool at a market and sells it to a manufacturer. Wool stockpile This term is used when wool stocks become very large. In the past this has related to the reserve stocks held in stores in Australia and New Zealand at various times, and is usually only used for greasy wool stocks. AgResearch 2012
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Wool store Place where wool is prepared, stored and/or offered for sale. Usually operated by a wool broker or merchant. Wool storm This occurs when a disruption occurs to the flow of wool from the shearer to the table. It is necessary to pile the wool up on the floor. Wool table Slatted rectangular table in a shearing shed on which fleece wool is skirted and may be classed. Wool type Classification of wool lots on the basis of style, fibre diameter, yield, vegetable matter, length, soundness, etc. Each type is allotted a code number according to some typing system. Wool wax More commonly called woolgrease, it is the portion of the yolk produced by the sebaceous glands in the sheep's skin. It is washed out in scouring. (See Sebaceous gland, Woolgrease) Woolyback A dialect term used in Liverpool for a non-Liverpudlian, especially people from St Helens, Widnes, Warrington and Wigan. Originally it was a term used for people who worked on the docks at Liverpool. They carried wool for export onto ships on their backs. (See Wool derogatory term) Wop wops (or Back of beyond) Name applied in New Zealand to an area which is a considerable distance from anywhere of significance and is a name applied to the back country. In Australia the terms Woop Woops, Beyond the Black Stump, and Back OBourke are used for remote areas. Worker Slowly rotating roller on a carding machine that interacts with the swift to open and blend the tufts of fibre presented to it. These rollers operate in sets of three or four set close to a swift roller and each worker is accompanied by a stripper roller. The delay in wool flow caused by the workers facilitates blending. (See Stripper, Swift, Working action, Appendix 10) Working action Interaction between a worker roller and a swift on a carding machine, involving a tooth-to-tooth action. Tufts of fibres carried by the swift past a worker may be captured by the worker, and the tuft separates into two parts. The portion held on the worker is carried by this roller to a stripper, that delivers the fibres back to the swift after a brief delay. (See Appendix 10) Working dog Dog that works with a shepherd to move and gather sheep. Wormer Commercial product containing an anthelmintic to control internal parasites (see Drench). (See Anthelmintic) Worrier Dog that chases, attacks or kills sheep. Worshipful Company of Wool Men One of the trade associations (or Livery Companies) based in the City of London. It was known to have existed in 1180, and officially incorporated in 1522, making it one of the oldest Livery Companies. The Companys original members were concerned with the winding and selling of wool; today the Company is primarily a charitable institution but retains a connection with the industry by supporting education in wool. Worsted count A wool yarn measure in the USA. A 1s worsted yarn has 560 yards in one pound of yarn. Worsteds Fabrics produced from worsted-system yarns. Wool fibres (usually fine) have been scoured, carded, gilled and combed before spinning. This term usually refers to tightly woven, smooth, clear-finished goods in a variety of constructions including plains, garbardines and serges. Worsted processing (or Worsted system) Yarn manufacturing route which uses mainly the longer stapled wools. These are carded, then gilled to align the fibres and combed to remove the noils and vegetable matter and gilled again to straighten the fibres. The final untwisted strand of fibres, the roving, is ring-spun at high draft to produce a smooth, fine yarn. The term Worsted is a slight corruption of Worstead, the village in Norfolk where expert cloth-workers who entered England in the early 14th century brought with them new methods for producing a quality cloth. There are three basic systems of worsted yarn spinning: The Bradford (or English) system, the French (Alsatian or Continental system) and the American system. (See Noils, Romaine, Tear, Topmaking, Appendix 7)
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Worsted yarn Strong, fine, spun thread in which fibres have been straightened by gilling and combed to remove short fibre neps and vegetable matter before spinning. In worsted yarn the fibres are more parallel and tighter spun, resulting in smoother, stronger yarn than the woollen system. The fabric produced is smooth, dense and retains its shape well. Products from the worsted system include suitings and knitwear (see Appendix 7). Woven Fabric characterised by the interlacing of warp and weft yarns. Woven carpet Carpet in which the pile is woven into the backing fabric on a loom (ie. Axminster, Wilton, Face-to-Face and handknotted). Weaving is slower and more expensive than tufting, but offers a wider range of coloured design options. (See Appendix 33) Wright, James Bell Credited with establishing the first permanent sheep flock in New Zealand. He landed Merino sheep on Mana Island near Wellington in 1834. Wrinkles Small folds of skin on the body of the sheep and over the breech region. Wrinkle recovery The ability of a fabric to return to its original shape and appearance after it has been twisted, wrinkled or distorted in any other way. WRONZ Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ) based at Lincoln, Canterbury, was the premier research and development institution for New Zealand wool since its formation in 1967. In 2003 WRONZ changed its name to Canesis Network Ltd, which was purchased by AgResearch Ltd in 2007. WRONZ is now an incorporated society whose principal focus is the funding of industry good research for the New Zealand wool industry. WRONZ-Eye needle Tufting needle designed especially for making wool carpets. The needle is designed to provide a smooth path for the yarn through the eye of the needle, ensuring that stoppages due to yarn breaks are minimized. WWB fabric Waterproof, windproof and breathable fabric that is capable of protecting the wearer from rain and wind, yet allows body moisture to escape.
Borderdale
A long wool, dual purpose breed developed in New Zealand in the 1930s by crossing the Border Leicester with the Corriedale. Since the 1970s further imbreeding has strengthen the strain. The Borderdale is a medium to large sheep with a white face and legs clear of wool. Fibre diameter: 30-35 microns; Staple length: 100-150 mm; Fleece weight: 4.5 6 kg
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Y
Yan tan tethera Traditional numeric jargon once used by shepherds in Northern England and Scotland for counting sheep. Numerous systems were used in different areas Yan, tan, tethera are one, two, and three respectively in the Derbyshire Dales and Lincolnshire counting systems. These counting systems were ultimately derived from the Celtic language. The yan tan tethera system was also used for counting stitches in knitting. Yards Catching yard small yarn to enable sheep to be caught, eg, for shearing (sometimes called a catching pen). Holding yard for keeping sheep together in preparation for shearing or some other operation. Temporary erected or transported for special tasks such as lamb marking. Yarn Fibres twisted together during spinning to form a continuous strand with sufficient strength to withstand the stresses of weaving, knitting or tufting processes without breaking. A single strand is called a singles yarn while twisting two or more singles yarns together produces a plied or folded yarn. For wool, the three types of yarn are woollen, worsted and semiworsted (see Appendix 7). Yarn count See Count. Yarn encapsulation Extent to which the yarn on the back of the primary backing of a carpet is surrounded by, and infused with, latex before the secondary backing is applied. (See Backcoating, Tuft bind) Yarnspec Computer software package for the prediction of worsted spinning performance, developed by CSIRO. Yearling One year old sheep. Yellowness Degree of creaminess or yellowness in a wool, see Colour, Yellowness. Yellowing When exposed to sunlight wool turns yellow, particularly when the wool is wet and with an alkaline pH. Yield Amount of clean fibre in a lot, at a standard regain expressed as a percentage of the weight of greasy wool in that lot. There are 6 alternative IWTO core test yields that can be calculated from the wool base for commercial trading purposes. 1. Schlumberger Dry Top and Noil Yield (SCH DRY) The most commonly applied yield, it estimates the amount of top and noil that can be combed from the greasy wool. Allowances are made for moisture regain, residual fatty matter and dirt and a processing allowance (ie. an allowance of fibre loss) which is dependent upon the amount of VM (less hard heads) in the lot. This is the yield most used in valuing wool. The IWTO Schlumberger dry combed tested yield predicts the yield of a wool after it has been combed on a Schlumberger comb without the addition of processing oil. It is based on the production of 8 parts combed sliver (top) to one part short fibre (noil) with an allowance for fibre loss. 2. IWTO Scoured Yield 17% Regain (CD 17%) This is the washing yield. It represents the product after scouring, before any further processing takes place (ie. includes VM plus wool). Allowances (2.27%) are made for residual grease and residual dirt. A regain of 17% is used. (IWTO scoured yield is also available at 16% regain). 3. Japanese Clean Scoured Yield (JCSY) This is a washing yield which is similar to above except that the regain of 16% is used with a lower allowance (1.5%) made for the scouring residuals. Also this yield has the vegetable matter deducted but no allowance is made for fibre loss during processing. This yield is the basis for trade with Japan. 4. IWTO Clean Wool Content Yield 17% Regain Calculated from wool base which is adjusted initially to contain the standard allowance of 2.27% for ash and alcohol extractives and finally brought to a regain of 17%. 5. Australian Carbonising Yield 17% Regain (ACY) Calculated from wool base and vegetable matter base and allows for the expected loss of fibre during the carbonising process. It is widely used as the basis for trade in carbonising and carding types. 6. ASTM Clean Wool Fibre Present Calculated from wool base which is adjusted initially to contain the standard allowance of 2.27% for ash and alcohol extractives and finally brought to a regain of 13.64%.
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Yoe Early shearers term for a ewe. The terms yow and yowe are also used in some areas of England. The term yowens refers to ewe lambs. Yoke Two crossed pieces of timber, or a forked branch, fixed to the neck of a habitually-straying sheep to prevent it breaking through hedges and fences Yolk Combination of the secretions of the wax and sweat glands which adheres to the wool fibre. Erroneously termed wool grease - hence the term 'greasy wool'. It is removed by scouring. Desired yolk is clear while undesirable yellow types are termed cakey, suety and fatty yolk. Yolk stain is a wool stain caused by pigment from the yolk. Yolk stain A stain caused by pigment from the yolk. Yurt A circular dwelling with a domed roof widely used in across Asia from Turkey to Mongolia. Thick wool felt is lashed onto a wooden frame to provide protection from the elements. The felt is produced by first placing a layer of wool on dampened felt and wetting it. Then the whole package is wrapped around a pole, covered with a yak skin and dragged bouncing behind a horse for several hours to consolidate the wool into a dense felt.
Lincoln
Large body with long, coarse, lustrous wool which hangs over the face from the poll; white face, wool on legs down to feet; black hooves. Body weight (kg) Fleece weight (kg) Staple length - annual growth (mm) Fibre diameter range (Pm) Lamb production (%) 55 70 (ewes) 7 - 12 175 200 37 41+ 100 130
A breed that was well-adapted to grazing on pasture which had been recently cleared of forest in the early days; hence it was once second in popularity to the Merino. As the soil fertility dropped this breed did not thrive as well, and from 1900 the Lincoln was gradually replaced by the Romney. Today this dual-purpose breed is farmed throughout NZ and is mainly used for creating crossbred ewes. Lincoln wool is used for products requiring lustre, soft handle and high strength. Products include upholstery yarns, carpets, hand-knitting yarns and wigs. It is also blended with mohair.
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Z
Zibeline A thick, lustrous merino fabric with a long, shaggy nap. It is named after the zibeline, a small black animal of the sable family from Siberia. Z-twist See Twist direction.
English Leicester
Large, sheep with open face and wool-covered poll, wool on legs, black nostrils. Staple: Very flat, curly staple with tapered tip; wide crimp spacing 55 70 (ewes) Body weight (kg) 6.0 7.5 Fleece weight (kg) 150 200 Staple length - annual growth (mm) 37 40 Fibre diameter range (Pm) 100 150 Lamb production (%) A dual-purpose breed, mainly used for creating crossbred ewes and first-cross Halfbred rams. Used to improve wool weights and fertility in other breeds. It has a similar history in New Zealand and fleece characteristics to the Lincoln. Around 1900 it was the third most popular breed. Flocks began to decline, although the breed is still crossed with Merinos to produce the New Zealand Halfbred. The heavy, curly lustrous wool is even in length and diameter. Linings for suits, coats and furnishing fabrics are among the end-uses for English Leicester wool.
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Glossary of Sheep Spinning Terms and Wool Info

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THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

THE EWENIQUE GLOSSARY OF SHEEP & WOOL TERMS

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