Influence of Feed Restriction on the Wool Proteome: A Combined iTRAQ and Fiber Structural Study

May 2014 in “ Journal of proteomics ”

André M. Almeida, Jeffrey E. Plowman, Duane P. Harland, Ancy Thomas, Tanya Kilminster, Tim Scanlon, John Milton, J. C. Greeff, Chris Oldham, Stefan Clerens

TLDR Feed restriction in sheep leads to finer wool fibers but may reduce wool quality.

The study investigated the impact of feed restriction on wool protein composition and fiber structure in merino sheep. Over a 42-day period of induced weight loss, there was a significant reduction in wool fiber diameter. Additionally, there were notable increases in the expression of high sulfur protein KAP13.1 and proteins from the high glycine-tyrosine protein KAP6 family. These changes suggest that while finer wool fibers may be produced under feed restriction, they may also have reduced wearability and appearance retention, which has important implications for the wool industry.

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