| Apparel Wool |
All wool except carpet and pulled wool |
| Apron |
The largest fold encircling the neck of the merino sheep |
| Auction system |
The system of selling wool to the highest bidder |
| Backs |
Wool removed from the back section of the fleece |
| Badly bred |
a. Sheep that are not true to type
b. Wool displaying fault |
| Barrel |
Mid section of the body between the forequarters and hindquarters of the sheep |
| Belly wool |
Wool shorn from the belly of the sheep, usually often containing vegetation |
| Binning |
Sorting wool into similar lines |
| Break |
A thinning of the fibres in the staple which will break under strain - caused by sickness, lack of food, uater, sudden change in pasture or bad dipping process. |
| Brightness |
Term describing the colour of wool, indicating that it is free of discolouration |
| Brisket |
The area under the neck of the sheep betwen the forelegs and immediately in front of the belly |
| Britch wool |
Wool off the lower thigh of the sheep, normally lower quality than the bulk of the fleece |
| Broad |
An indication that the wool is coarse, or stronger than is usual for that type of wool |
| Broken |
Best of the skirtings |
| Bulk classing |
The lotting together by classing amounts mixed wools of varous owners in a woolstore for convenience of sale. The wool is sold under a common brand and each owner is credited with the weight of his wool in each bale or lot. |
| Bulky |
Deep thich stapled wool giving good bulk (volume) for the period of growth |
| Burry wool |
Wool containing burrs, seeds etc. Light burr in combing wools can be removed by mechanical action. Heavy burr in wools and any short types carrying bur or excessive vegetable matter (seeds etc) are carbonized. |
| Canary stain |
A bright yellow unscourable stain. Usually caused by moist humid conditions and fairly common in Western Australia and Queensland |
| Carbonizing |
The use of chemicals to remove vegetable matter. The usual agent used to convert vegetable matter to carbon is sulphuric acid |
| Carding |
The second mechanical process in manufacturing whereby the second wool is opened up to render it fit for further processing. |
| Carding wool |
Wool suitable for the wollen trade. It is shorter than combing wool |
| Carpet wool |
Course hairy wool, usually crossbred |
| Cast |
Term indicating low grade wool |
| Character |
Eveness of crimp or wave, denoting good breeding |
| Classer's registration number |
Registered number issued to individual wool classer, to be stencilled on bales of wool for identification of hte classer |
| Classing |
a. Wool: the grouping of fleeces according to type and quality, so that the lines will be even and can be sold to the best advantage
b. Sheep: the process of culling and selecting so that the flock will be of an even standard |
| Clean Basis |
Price of scoured wool minus charges and loss incurred in scouring |
| Clothing |
Wool approx. 1 and one half inches long; it must be reasonably fine. A speciality used in the wollen trade |
| Course |
Wool of larger fibre diameter and low count |
| Colour |
Refers to the degree of brightness in wool |
| Combing |
The process in the preparation of worsted yarn whereby the long fibres are laid parallel; the short fibres broken ends and vegetable particles are removed as noils. |
| Comeback |
Crossbred wool that has a count of 58s or finer |
| Condition |
1. The amount of impurity present in greasy wool
2. The amount of moisture present in scoured wool or tops. |
| Cortex |
Main shaft or body of the wool fibre |
| Cotted or matted |
Term applied to wool which had become naturally felted on the sheeps back |
| Count |
Fibre diameter measurement
1. Woolen: the number of hanks of wool each 256 yrads long that can be spun from one pound of carded wool
2. Worsed: the number of hanks of yarn each 560 yards long that can be spun form one pound oftops. (the number indicates the fineness of the fibre) |
| Crimp |
The waves in a wool staple. The smaller and more even the crimp, the finer the fibre |
| Crutchings |
Wool from the britch and lower thighs |
| Crossbred sheep |
Sheep produced by crossing one pure bred of sheep with another |
| Crossbred wools |
All wools other than Merino, irrespective of whether from a pure breed or not |
| Cuticle |
1. Outher layer of cells of wool fibre
2. Outer layer of skin |
| Cut per head |
Return of wool per head of sheep shorn |
