Wool Industry PDF

# 22 Wool Industry The wool yielding sheep are inhabiting the arid regions of Northern India, specially in plains as well as in the hills. The important places viz., Saurashtra, North Gujarat, Kutch, Kashmir, and the foot hill districts of Himachal Pradesh and Garhwal, are most favorable for provid...

# 22 Wool Industry The wool yielding sheep are inhabiting the arid regions of Northern India, specially in plains as well as in the hills. The important places viz., Saurashtra, North Gujarat, Kutch, Kashmir, and the foot hill districts of Himachal Pradesh and Garhwal, are most favorable for providing the natural conditions suitable for raising fine woollen types of sheep. The largest sheep population has been recorded at plateau of Deccan and Vindhya mountains. The wool obtained from the sheep of Kashmir is finer in comparison to that of other places. The Magra and Chokla are the best breeds from Bikaner, and Kutchi from Joria (Rajasthan) which are famous for the superior type of carpet wools. ## Types of Wool in India The proper and systematic classification of wool with regard to its quality is not yet properly known but it is classified according to the territorial nomenclature as given here under: | Wool Type | Color | | :-: | :-: | | Joria | Superior white | | Harmal | White grey | | Bikaneri | Super white | | Rajputana | Yellow grey | | Bibrik | White grey | | Marwar | Yellow grey | | Vicanere | Skin wool/Common black | ## 362 Physical Properties The colour of the wool varies from species to species of the sheep and also the climatic conditions of the area. The real wool fibre is hygroscopic, elastic, durable, bad conductor of heat and is not easily inflammable. Due to its nature (bad conductor of heat) more heat is produced when the wool is wet. The microscopic study of the wool fiber seems to have a cellular structure. In the transverse section of the wool (Fig. 1) fiber two regions are distinguishable i.e., a central core of hard cells in the periphery and a medulla somewhat softer, situated in the centre. The affinity of wool to dye absorption and the easy twist are the characteristic features of pure wool. The diameter of the wool fiber has been noticed to be 12 to 80 µ. The wool produced in India has a remarkable property of regaining the original shape when pulled and has abrassive resistance. ## Chemical Properties The wool fiber is made up of keratins which are actually, the polymers of the proteins and have higher sulphur contents. It consists of a number of polypeptide chains of amino acids. The various amino acids which constitute the wool protein are: arginine, histidine, lysine, alanine, methionine, threonine, tyrosine, cystine, leucine, iso-leucine and valine. ## Removal of Wool from Sheep The shearing of wool is essential to promote the health of sheep. It also provides protection from natural enemies viz., ticks and mites which infect the sheep and cause various diseases. The removal of hairs from the sheep should be done carefully in the mild weather. The recommended periods for shearing of wool are winter (February to March) and rainy (August to September) seasons when rich grazing ground is available. Before the removal of hairs, the sheep should be washed properly. The sharpened shears must be used for shearing purposes. ## Processing of Wool Manufacture The manufacture of wool from sheep hairs is a complicated process consisting of cleaning, drying, bleaching, dyeing and twining. ### Cleaning First of all wool obtained from sheep should be washed with cold water in specially constructed water tanks. After washing, the wool should be pulled out from the tank for further processing. ### Drying The properly washed wool should be kept in open sun for drying for two to three days. ### Bleaching The well dried wool would always be of faint and rough color, therefore, it is essential to bleach it properly. The bleaching should be done by a number of physical processes because the chemicals destroy the wool in this condition. ### Dyeing The bleached wool absorbs any dye rapidly so care should be taken that the amount of dye and the dyeing period is accurate. ### Spinning and Twisting The coloured wool is sent to mills for spinning and twisting. The spinning and twisting of wool is performed by a number of devices which varies from region to region. The shepherds use the spinning wheels to make the thread. ## Recent Efforts The management of wool production in India has been unplanned since long with the result that the persons who are engaged in wool production are not getting proper price. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi has taken over the management of wool production and trading since 1937 and has appointed an authority, 'Sheep and Wool Development Officer' to control the whole production as well as the sale of the wool. The annual budget regarding the wool production is prepared by the officer and sent to the Govt. of India. The annual production of wool by different states has been recorded to be maximum from Rajasthan. The other states come on the position (production-wise) as: - Rajasthan > Uttar Pradesh > Punjab> Gujarat > Andhra Pradesh > Tamilnadu - Maharashtra > Karnataka > Jammu and Kashmir > Himachal Pradesh > Bihar.