Glossary of Terms

Greasy wool in natural state before scouring.

The weight of water able to be absorbed by a fibre as a percentage of its dry weight. Wool can hold up to 30% water in regain, without feeling wet. Standard regain for trade purposes is 16%.

Leftover chemical remaining in / on an animal after application / administration of a remedy. Can relate to food (meat, milk), or wool. Residues are important as a potential health hazard to humans or environmental contaminant.

The ability to withstand the action of a remedy which is (or was previously) effective against a significant portion of the population. Can refer to bacteria ('antibiotic resistance') or parasites (e.g. anthelmintic resistance, lousicide resistance). Resistance develops over time after the bacteria or parasites have been exposed to repeated treatments with the remedy.

The amount of noil produced during combing expressed as a percentage of the total top and noil produced.

Person working in a shearing shed as a board person picking up and throwing fleeces.

Two hour work period in the shearing shed.

A small separate part representative of the fleece, lot or consignment of wool.

1. Make up the outer layer of wool fibre. They are hard, flattened and do not fit together evenly. The exposed edges point towards the tip of the fibre and give rise to felting. 2. Device used for determining weight of a bale, butt or fleece of wool.

Wool that can be washed clean of all impurities and colour.

Wool that has been washed, usually in a series of bowls, by the use of alkali, soap and water of varying temperatures. This process removes the dirt, grease and suint from the wool.

Cleaning raw wool and removing such impurities as dirt, sweat, and grease by washing. Fabric is also scoured to remove impurities from weaving, singing, and carbonising.

Gland associated with the wool follicle that produces wax to the fibre.

Wool shorn from the sheep by the shearer for the second time during shearing, short in length.

Wool containing grass seeds.